Questions for Buff Orpington Owners

[Ilovemychicks08]

What kind of aggressive behaviors? I ask, because I'm also having aggression issues with my Australorp (whose been laying for about 3 weeks). I miss my sweet girl and I'm worried she's gone.

Aggressive behavior is she did pick on the little ones when i put them in (normal pecking order, but she wouldnt back down till she was boss). This only arose after her being broody. She is coming back around being super sweet to the chicks and let me pick her up again!

 

[thecatumbrella]

Aggressive behavior is she did pick on the little ones when i put them in (normal pecking order, but she wouldnt back down till she was boss). This only arose after her being broody. She is coming back around being super sweet to the chicks and let me pick her up again!

That's actually really good to know. I've wondered if some of the point-of-lay behaviors would flare back up whenever they got hormonal (like being broody!). Now I can mentally prepare for it! Glad yours is coming around.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

True, hatchery birds are comparable to “backyard breeders” dogs; it would be misleading to use “backyard breeders” as terminology for chickens though since most standard-bred birds being produced are in backyards while hatcheries which produce substandard birds definitely couldn’t be considered “backyards.”

Yes. Most backyard bred birds are higher quality and closer standard than ones bred in a hatchery, so opposite of dogs. For my preference, i will not be buying from a hatchery again if not needed. There is so much difference and i like the ones that arent from a hatchery more. Pictures below of the buff vs Lavender. Both around the same age in these pictures. The buff isnt feathered out as much, at now 2 years she has more feathers. The Lavender already has a beautiful kayer or feathers. I hope to hatch some buff Orpington in the future to compare them better!

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

That's actually really good to know. I've wondered if some of the point-of-lay behaviors would flare back up whenever they got hormonal (like being broody!). Now I can mentally prepare for it! Glad yours is coming around.

If she just started laying expect a little bit of off behavior she will come around.

 

[Sally PB]

1. What hatchery did you get yours from?
2. English or American strain?
3. How broody are they really (maybe times per year)?
4. Are they easy to break?
5. Have you had any issues with bullying (either from or directed towards your Orpington)?
6. Would you agree that they'd do well in confinement?
7. How do yours handle the heat? I'm guessing the American strain is a little more svelte and heat tolerant?
8. What is your favorite color (either in general, or Orpinton-based)?
9. Anything else I should know?

I got 3 Buff Orpingtons from TSC when I first got chickens. (Hatchery quality)Unfortunately, all were cockerels. Two were unholy terrors, I kept the 3rd for two years, even though he was a butthead to me. I have a Jubilee Orpington from a breeder. American, and I can't compare the quality to anything else, since she's the only Orpington hen I've had.

She is my only hen to have gone broody (so far), and is easy to break. I'd say she's goes broody 3x a year. I put her in a broody breaker crate, and she's usually over it in under a week. The first two times, she was back to laying in about 7-10 days, but this last one ended last August, and she decided she was done laying for the year and going to molt every so slowly.

She gets along with the other hens, occasionally pecks the pullets, seems to do well in my set up of an enclosed run in both the summer and winter.

I said she was my prettiest hen until I got Bielefelders... But don't tell her that.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I said she was my prettiest hen until I got Bielefelders... But don't tell her that.

I want Bilefelders so bad! I'm having a hard time finding how they do in confinement, so I'd love to hear your thoughts. I think they're gorgeous, almost like a game bird.

 

[Sally PB]

I want Bilefelders so bad! I'm having a hard time finding how they do in confinement, so I'd love to hear your thoughts. I think they're gorgeous, almost like a game bird.

Mine have done VERY well so far. I don't free range at all. I have about 165 sf in the run, and about 60 sf in the coop for 11 chickens. I got them in May, so they have come through a Michigan summer.

The run is covered, and I have the prevailing wind side (west) covered up to the roof. The north side is covered up to about 4 feet high. The south side is sheltered by the coop. The east side (least common for wind) is about 5 feet from the garage, so gets a good wind break from that.

I got my chicks from Mt. Healthy, and all were healthy and active from day one. I will order from them again, if I ever order chicks through the mail.

They are my friendliest birds, and chatty, but not loud. Two of them are my lap birds.

 

[thecatumbrella]

I got my chicks from Mt. Healthy, and all were healthy and active from day one. I will order from them again, if I ever order chicks through the mail.

They are my friendliest birds, and chatty, but not loud. Two of them are my lap birds.

This is awesome to hear. Our local farm store orders from Mt Healthy, and I'd much prefer to go through them than ship direct.

 

[Sally PB]

This is awesome to hear. Our local farm store orders from Mt Healthy, and I'd much prefer to go through them than ship direct.

Yes, I like to support local businesses too! I would have bought them locally if I could. Plus I was worried about them being shipped, after all the horror stories...

Nobody around here had Bielefelders, and Mt. Healthy does. AND (big thing for me), they had a minimum order of 3. Not 15, not 12, not a "have to split it with someone" size. I was more than willing to pay the "small order" fee, which was $30? I think? NOT a small fee, but it allowed me to get what I wanted (Bielefelders) and the number I wanted.

Also, when I looked at the shipping time, they were in the 2-day range. They shipped on Sunday (got the email around dinner time) and the Post Office called me at 6 am the next morning! I don't know whether stars aligned, but I got fluffy, happy, chicks.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I got 3 Buff Orpingtons from TSC when I first got chickens. (Hatchery quality)Unfortunately, all were cockerels. Two were unholy terrors, I kept the 3rd for two years, even though he was a butthead to me. I have a Jubilee Orpington from a breeder. American, and I can't compare the quality to anything else, since she's the only Orpington hen I've had.

She is my only hen to have gone broody (so far), and is easy to break. I'd say she's goes broody 3x a year. I put her in a broody breaker crate, and she's usually over it in under a week. The first two times, she was back to laying in about 7-10 days, but this last one ended last August, and she decided she was done laying for the year and going to molt every so slowly.

She gets along with the other hens, occasionally pecks the pullets, seems to do well in my set up of an enclosed run in both the summer and winter.

I said she was my prettiest hen until I got Bielefelders... But don't tell her that.

Mine did the same went broody at the end of August, finished her molt 2 weeks ago. And now is apparently done laying for the year, like all my chickens.