…… chicken help
- Thread starter tpatt
- Start date
Old Gray Mare
TB Fanatic
I got our Buff Orpingtons from Murray McMurray hatchery and was happy with them. They produce nice eggs and in spring don't be surprised if a hen or two disappears into the brush and reappears a few weeks latter with a bunch of chicks. Never had any problem with those roosters attacking me or anyone else. As long as they have a dry coop to get out of the wind and weather with clean nest boxes they're good to go. I did supplement with crushed oyster shell to get harder egg shell occasionally. They're not Oven Stuffer Roasters but qualify as traditional dule meat and egg birds.
If you want birds just quick for meat production try Rock crosses. They don't breed or get around well because of a genetic defect with their legs. They just basically eat, s#!t and if over fed or not killed soon enough die on their own.
Hint: put chicken feed away at night. Chickens roost at night and don't eat then. Rats are active at night and love helping themselves to chicken feed.
Murray McMurray hatchery tosses in a "gift" odd breed chick usually a rooster for each order. I suggest as soon as it starts to crow turn it into dinner. Maybe you'll get lucky. For us they turned mean and attacked the kids.
Murray McMurray hatchery has been known to run out of chicks. Its a good idea to have housing set up for the chicks when they arrive at the post office. It doesn't have to be a palace. I've raised chicks to pullet stage in a temporary shelter made out of pallets with plastic sheeting like whats used on green houses for a roof. Did this more than once. We started them in big Rubber Maid containers in the house. They produce a good bit of dust. When they get bigger and crowded (they get feathers and start pecking each other to the point they bleed) I move them to the pallet shelter.
Chickens take a break from laying during high stress like the coldest darkest part of the winter and then make up for it in the spring with lots of eggs then.
If you want birds just quick for meat production try Rock crosses. They don't breed or get around well because of a genetic defect with their legs. They just basically eat, s#!t and if over fed or not killed soon enough die on their own.
Hint: put chicken feed away at night. Chickens roost at night and don't eat then. Rats are active at night and love helping themselves to chicken feed.
Murray McMurray hatchery tosses in a "gift" odd breed chick usually a rooster for each order. I suggest as soon as it starts to crow turn it into dinner. Maybe you'll get lucky. For us they turned mean and attacked the kids.
Murray McMurray hatchery has been known to run out of chicks. Its a good idea to have housing set up for the chicks when they arrive at the post office. It doesn't have to be a palace. I've raised chicks to pullet stage in a temporary shelter made out of pallets with plastic sheeting like whats used on green houses for a roof. Did this more than once. We started them in big Rubber Maid containers in the house. They produce a good bit of dust. When they get bigger and crowded (they get feathers and start pecking each other to the point they bleed) I move them to the pallet shelter.
Chickens take a break from laying during high stress like the coldest darkest part of the winter and then make up for it in the spring with lots of eggs then.
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phloydius
Veteran Member
Ok, now I want a Black Star lol.
I don't own any right now but my vote would be for Buff Orpingtons too...if you want just one breed. RIght now I have Barred Rocks, Americaunas, one white Leghorn and her half breed daughter, Cream Legbars, one Easter Egger, and some Bielefelders. I know I'm missing somebody. I agree with ioujc...get an assortment and see what you like. After trying so many, I'm going back to what I had when this all started if I can ever find any around here and that's the Buffs. They get broody and will stay with their nest until the babies hatch and they are the best winter layers I ever had. Not another breed I have gets broody ever.
Don't count on getting what you want at Tractor Supply. I bought Buffs back in the spring but they weren't Buffs and I don't believe they were even Orpingtons. I lost them in a flood back in June along with most of the other babies in the chick pen but they were about half grown and white with spots by then plus they had an attitude and some sass...Dh got attached to them during their six week stay in the house. We were there last night and I just had to look at the babies. They had Bielefelder pullets only three of them were roosters and the little pullets didn't look like full blooded Bielefelders. The are an auto sexing breed meaning you know their sex at hatch because of their color.
I went with the Buff's. Got 27 unsexed that I would like to start segregating. I'm going to keep 8 hens and 2 roosters, the rest giving to my brother.
phloydius
Veteran Member
I have never had buff orpingtons but do know people that have. However, my understanding is there is not a reliable way (meaning 100%) to sex them at very young ages. There are people who (with experience) can sex them based on straightness of feathers, how tall they hold the neck, and if the baby comb is slightly more red vs orange. There are probably other ways that people use as well. I know with one of my breeds I have to do the same thing, and as time goes on I get more and more accurate.
Hopefully one of the members here who raises buffs can share what they do. Otherwise, sexing buffs will take some google searches, youtube videos, and image searches to learn those methods.