@@pretendfarm 2 months later...update and funny fact... the Buff I bought who is so gentle and friendly has grown to be a turkey!!! They sold me a turkey!😂 Never thought I would want a turkey but as I mentioned, I ❤️ her just the same 😉
Can you help us out? We have 11 Welsummer hens that need a rooster to take care of them . I love the buff Orpington rooster because I’ve heard they’re quite docile. My ladies aren’t lap ladies. I’d like to be able to hold the rooster. Our ladies are not broody at all! We raised them and they were hatched may 5th 2024 so their 5 months old and all are laying already. The chicken that has lost her feathers on your farm, is that from the rooster? I’m very new to raising chickens! I learn some new all the time! I love our welsummers! They have quite the personality!! BTW we live in the desert! Taft California!! Just 39 minutes west of Bakersfield.
Aww. I love their golden color. So bright. Hum, I think you have a blue orpington. Lavenders are a very pale grey and evenly colored. This one is dark grey with a darker head like a blue. The breeding genetics for blue and lavender are very different. Blue is complex and comfusing with black and splash.
I do believe you’re right. After comparing pictures of blue vs. lavenders, these definitely look more like the blue ones. Crazy thing is they were labeled lavender Orpingtons at tractor supply when I bought them at the store
@@pretendfarm Oh I've seen mistakes like that happen. I hope you didn't pay more since lavenders are more expensive. Might want to bring it to their attention at least so they know next time.
I have 3 Buff Orpingtons. Very friendly and already huge and fluffy at 10 months old. I have one just come out of a broody phase so hoping she starts to lay again soon 🙌🏼🇬🇧
For "pretend farmers" everywhere; come on watch this: it is funny and honest , and very-well done I have these buffs as completely free-range yet tame to me. I had a 6 1/2 month old hen go broody.I noticed it Jan. 2 ! She was very disappointed when I removed all of her eggs but one; telling her " too soon "...
Great video….I think I want to get a 12 week old buff Orpington rooster that is available so he to breed with my 21 week old Cornish Cross hens. I heard that it’s best to get atleast one other of the same breed but I cannot find any other pullets at the moment.. Do you think that’s ok? Also will most buff Orpington roosters be friendly to people and non aggressive…meaning they likely to not go after me? My cc hens are recovering from wounds made by the cc roosters which I no longer have so roughly what age would the buff Orpington rooster start to mount as my hens will need a few months to heal.
Those are a lot of really good questions. Honestly, I might make a video on those topics if you don’t mind. Just to address you briefly, the young cockerel shouldn’t start trying to make seriously until he hits about 4-5 months. If you’re getting a 12-week old buff rooster, he’s probably going to be ready to go before your hens are. They are a friendly breed overall and shouldn’t give you trouble, but there’s always exceptions. We had a mean buff rooster once, but you can get those in any bunch. As far as the breeds matching, I can assure you the roosters don’t care. My former buff rooster preferred the chocolate Orpington’s over his own buff colored ones 😅
@@pretendfarm no making a video would be great! When you say the rooster would be ready first, what did you mean? That they wouldn’t heal in time? Their wounds are fairly deep and the feathers are gone in 1 or 2 spots where the claws or spurs were dug in. Thank you very much for responding! Do you have any suggestions on what to do if he starts mounting before their wounds. I suppose I would have to isolate him wouldn’t I?
@@deborahmartin9672 It will take months for your hens to heal. Roosters tend to start chasing the hens around after about 4-5 months. If you get a 12 week old cockerel, your hens won’t heal before he starts in on them. However, you could always put saddles on your hens. Watch my video on chicken saddles!
@@pretendfarm the wounds are still pretty open with not a lot of skin grown back…I would’ve thought that if it’s not significantly healed then even with the saddle it would still hurt them….are you saying more like 3 plus months to heal? By the way I like your reference to being a pretend farmer, gets quite a few laughs for sure! Now I am concerned now about getting this 12 week old rooster as my hens have gone through enough…. If needed would it be pretty stressful to put him in a coup for a month 2? Not something I like to do at all. Also I’ve noticed that the hens clean their wounds a lot, wouldn’t the saddle prevent them from them healing and cleaning themselves? Do you leave it on 24/7?
@@deborahmartin9672 if they actually have open wounds then it’s definitely going to take months to regrow feathers. They are preening. Chickens can’t lick their wounds like a dog. I hate to ruin the fun but it sounds like you would be much better off to skip the rooster for now, let the hens heal, and look for a rooster this fall. That’s what I’d do
I'm a pretend farmer too. I have Buff Orpingtons (well, one left - not counting their mixed offspring) and they are no longer what they used to be here in the US. These birds were tiny - roostes not even reaching 5lbs @ 20 weeks. Bloodlines matter. I've has 3 die without cause and 1 die of heatstroke. I have Freedom Ranger meat birds and have not lost a single 1 to heat, so these Buff Os (Hoover Hatchery) are the weakest birds I've owned. I think this is due to commercial hatcheries breeding anything. They were also bullies and not very friendly and I hand raised them. All my other birds, even the meat chickens are at my feet when I enter the run. Sadly, the Buff Os are almost the worst chicken I've owned second only to the Sapphire Gem.
I got mine from tractor supply the first time. And they were just not as healthy and seemed more sad. My last batch from Ideal are way calmer . They seem more healthy. Time will tell. But I agree . Genetics probably matter
Wow, I have a flock of chickens who are 1 year and it's mixed flock. My Buff Orpingtons from a hatchery are not the sweet docile breed everyone describes. They bullied my australorp, gold comet, Easter eggers, silkies, and ameraucana's. First time owning Buffs and I don't think they are the breed for me. They just caused to much trouble feather pecking the whole flock.