what age did your buff orpingtons start laying eggs

[maryhysong]

It could help but I've never lighted my coops. They do say to be sure and have it come on early in the morning so it goes off when it's daylight. Otherwise the chickens might be caught off their roosts and suddenly in the dark.

 

[Ms Fluffy]

hmmm weird! My orpington will be a year in March, and I haven't gotten ONE egg from her. She is very healthy and is second at the pecking order. ANd I have her (well, all my ladies) on a high protein diet. The guy I got her from (I got her in July) Said she was his best egg layer, and her mom was very good too! But she just won't lay an egg for me. I am new to chickens.

 

[smarsh]

hmmm weird! My orpington will be a year in March, and I haven't gotten ONE egg from her. She is very healthy and is second at the pecking order. ANd I have her (well, all my ladies) on a high protein diet. The guy I got her from (I got her in July) Said she was his best egg layer, and her mom was very good too! But she just won't lay an egg for me. I am new to chickens.

something is wrong about her age. if she is one in march then she wouldn't have been "his best layer" in 3 months. i suspect she is a year older than that and the move brought her to a halt in laying. many if not most hens don't lay during the winter very well. she will likely start again in the spring.

 

[jivaro]

I have two BO hens and two Rhode Island Reds. The two RR hens have been laying for two months and they are younger than the BOs by a month and a half. I don't want to wait until spring for the BOs to start laying. Any suggestions on how to get them laying in the shorter days? I about ready to consign them to the soup pot. I have been sorely dissappointed in the BOs for layers. They are healthy and beautiful birds, but very unproductive, especially with the cost of grain and they are somewhat pets, but do not want animals that don't produce.

I also have a female duck and she has also been laying for the last month and is the same age as the BOs. Any help will be appreciated.

 

[robe763]

I have a Rhode island red rooster and buff orpington hen and lavender orpington hens. One hen went broody so I let her sit on some eggs one hatched yesterday and the chick is black in color. Can you tell by color if it is male or female?

 

[robe763]

Can someone help on this please

 

[maryhysong]

I have a Rhode island red rooster and buff orpington hen and lavender orpington hens. One hen went broody so I let her sit on some eggs one hatched yesterday and the chick is black in color. Can you tell by color if it is male or female?

no; to tell sex by color at hatch you would have to have a barred rooster over a solid colored hen; then the boys will be barred and the girls will be solid