Post Pics Of Orps/ Orpingtons HERE

[Mark1975]

That's good to hear. Just keeps me wondering because its gotten bigger and pecked me a few times when I picked up the other one. Do you find that Buffs free range well? I got these two thinking I would free range them but they are so friendly they come running to me and will let me pet them and hop right in my lap with no real effort on my part. I have gotten so attached to them I would be heart broke if something happened to them. I think they would just follow me from the field/barn right back to the house lol. I have three other chicks from friends eggs I don't know what they are some of her chickens are barn yard mix she has one BO and some leg horns that are scared and run the other way when I go near them and one had splay leg so we had to handle more to fix that and their still scared. I am just amazed at how naturaly friendly the Buffs are. What a great breed! So do I free range or not?

We don't have any experience free ranging any of ours yet. All that we have are 8 to 9 weeks old and younger. They are still in our spare bedroom. I doubt we will try to free range. We do have a big yard, but it isn't fenced and there are several free roaming neighbor dogs close by and the road can get pretty busy, too. We just hope that we can get the coop setup to where it is secure for them. We spend time every day holding, petting, and letting them eat from our hands. Our BO pullet is more stand-offish then the roo, but she loves to come peck at my shoes and pants legs if I am standing still. In my opinion, the decision to free range depends a lot on how much security they can have.

 

[Suzierd]

We don't have any experience free ranging any of ours yet. All that we have are 8 to 9 weeks old and younger. They are still in our spare bedroom. I doubt we will try to free range. We do have a big yard, but it isn't fenced and there are several free roaming neighbor dogs close by and the road can get pretty busy, too. We just hope that we can get the coop setup to where it is secure for them. We spend time every day holding, petting, and letting them eat from our hands. Our BO pullet is more stand-offish then the roo, but she loves to come peck at my shoes and pants legs if I am standing still. In my opinion, the decision to free range depends a lot on how much security they can have.

They sure are fun, I wish I had a spare bedroom I would keep them in longer.
Our main worry hear is hawks, the only free range bird I have right now is one EE and so far no problems, when a hawk comes around she goes under her little coop or in the barn. I think I'll keep the two Buffs in a run. ..... Maybe

 

[thedragonlady]

They sure are fun, I wish I had a spare bedroom I would keep them in longer.

Our main worry hear is hawks, the only free range bird I have right now is one EE and so far no problems, when a hawk comes around she goes under her little coop or in the barn. I think I'll keep the two Buffs in a run. ..... Maybe

Please see my page for photos of my monofilament hawk guard. It works ! Big Orps need free range. You cannot raise good ones in a chicken tractor, or small run. They need good grass, bugs, and sunshine.

Hotwire around their range will keep out predators too.

 

[aveca]

We don't have any experience free ranging any of ours yet. All that we have are 8 to 9 weeks old and younger. They are still in our spare bedroom. I doubt we will try to free range. We do have a big yard, but it isn't fenced and there are several free roaming neighbor dogs close by and the road can get pretty busy, too. We just hope that we can get the coop setup to where it is secure for them. We spend time every day holding, petting, and letting them eat from our hands. Our BO pullet is more stand-offish then the roo, but she loves to come peck at my shoes and pants legs if I am standing still. In my opinion, the decision to free range depends a lot on how much security they can have.

tractor supply sells a fence that is temporary..they are white fence post with a footpad ,you step on them and it sets a fenceline..surround with chicken wire..you can pulle it up and roll up the wire and use it elsewhere like strawberry garden ect..let the chickens out into that pen when you there to keep an eye on things..it saved my australorp rooster from a fisher last night..husband closed his door but forgot to latch it..the light kept coming on last night..when i got up to see what was going on..there was a large male fisher paceing that fence..had it not been there..the fisher would have had a nice meal.

its good for them to get out..proper bone and muscle growth..you get fantastic yolk color in your eggs, babies hatch robust and healthy..when they graze one area down, just move the fence..you get free lawn grub removal, plus fertilizer..the fly population dissappers..

 

[littlechicklet]

tractor supply sells a fence that is temporary..they are white fence post with a footpad ,you step on them and it sets a fenceline..surround with chicken wire..you can pulle it up and roll up the wire and use it elsewhere like strawberry garden ect..let the chickens out into that pen when you there to keep an eye on things..it saved my australorp rooster from a fisher last night..husband closed his door but forgot to latch it..the light kept coming on last night..when i got up to see what was going on..there was a large male fisher paceing that fence..had it not been there..the fisher would have had a nice meal.

its good for them to get out..proper bone and muscle growth..you get fantastic yolk color in your eggs, babies hatch robust and healthy..when they graze one area down, just move the fence..you get free lawn grub removal, plus fertilizer..the fly population dissappers..

x2! My neighbor has/had one for her chickens and it worked great. I had forgotten about them and could really use one for my buffs. thanks for reminding me of them.

 

[Mark1975]

tractor supply sells a fence that is temporary..they are white fence post with a footpad ,you step on them and it sets a fenceline..surround with chicken wire..you can pulle it up and roll up the wire and use it elsewhere like strawberry garden ect..let the chickens out into that pen when you there to keep an eye on things..it saved my australorp rooster from a fisher last night..husband closed his door but forgot to latch it..the light kept coming on last night..when i got up to see what was going on..there was a large male fisher paceing that fence..had it not been there..the fisher would have had a nice meal.

its good for them to get out..proper bone and muscle growth..you get fantastic yolk color in your eggs, babies hatch robust and healthy..when they graze one area down, just move the fence..you get free lawn grub removal, plus fertilizer..the fly population dissappers..

That sounds really great. We are just hard pressed financially. I'll have to look into that, though. We are always finding ways to wiggle our budget around.

 

[Suzierd]

Please see my page for photos of my monofilament hawk guard. It works ! Big Orps need free range. You cannot raise good ones in a chicken tractor, or small run. They need good grass, bugs, and sunshine.

Hotwire around their range will keep out predators too.

Will you post a link. I have a couple acre pasture they would be in with the EE and a couple goats and a old horse. So it is fenced but not electric. The EE hangs out right with the horse and goats she will lay right by the goats and sun bath, very cute to see. Since they are such big birds I'm hoping the hawks won't bother them. I just hope they will get in the barn and hide if one comes around. I've never free ranged before this EE left the neighbors to come live with me. The house she ran away from used a electric fence and he said he had it turned off at first because it wasn't working good when it rained and his dog kept getting shocked,well the coons about wiped him out and he had a whole hill side full of chickens. But he told me he turned it back on when I talked to him about his chickens getting killed, and they still were getting killed. I know they deffently need locked up at night. But it could be his fence didn't work right or he kept turning it off and just didn't care enough. Made me very upset and sad. I would love to free range I just worry but I want them to be happy.

 

[aveca]

That sounds really great. We are just hard pressed financially. I'll have to look into that, though. We are always finding ways to wiggle our budget around.

You know, our neighbor who also didnt have lot of money to throw around, he would buy a couple posts at a time..I think the posts are 2.50 apeice... when they had a little extra would be a roll of wire..next thing you know, he had that whole area sectioned off with different runs and put roosters away from other roosters so they wouldnt fence fight.. He was so happy because he never had to mow that area all summer. I think he goes around with a weed eater once a year just to nic the weeds that the birds dont like..the birds keep the fence line completly clear ...so all of the money he would have spent mowing, fed birds tha tfed his family instead..it was a win win....the grazing birds dont eat as much feed either..if one section was getting a little too grazed down , he would shut that down and let it recover, then birds right back out in it..

 

[outdoorschick91]

The Orpingtons are definitely my favorite, so pretty! I just got a Lavender Orpington chick 2 weeks ago, here is my baby,

 

[aveca]

x2! My neighbor has/had one for her chickens and it worked great. I had forgotten about them and could really use one for my buffs. thanks for reminding me of them.

your sure welcome..