What is the laying life of a Buff Orpington?

[FarmerGirl]

How long do BO lay regularly? I am wondering if three year old hens are worth keeping. Any opinions?


Also, if we keep a light on to get our daily recommended amount of light, will that prevent molting?

 

[Nemo]

I don't know about the first question... We just started with chickens this year, and have fifteen, 23 week-old, Buff Orps who've just started laying last week.

As for the second, the answer is no. Molting is similar to a mammal shedding... Feathers get old, and need to be replaced. Might even need to set a winter coat. I installed a timer to control a light in our coop this summer. Since the coop doesn't have any windows yet, I've had it running for a few months. For a couple weeks before our Orps started laying, it looked like there were enough feathers on the floor to make a new chicken every day.

 

[chook-in-eire]

Quote:
They are not the greatest of layers anyway, so if you are after plenty of eggs I'd say no.
I have a 4 1/2 year old Buff Orpington (named "Buffy the eggslayer"... what else) who would have never been a prolific layer from the word go (maybe 120 in Yr 1 and less thereafter) BUT, and that's a big BUT, she has produced plenty of beautiful offspring with Barnevelder and Jubilee Orpington cocks - nice 'garden variety' layers and big chunky cockerels for the pot - and she goes broody 2-3 times a year and is a super mum as befits a good Orpington. So she is a great asset that way.
But then maybe that's not at all what you're after ...

chook