Raising Buff Orpington Roosters

Raising Buff Orpington roosters is very enjoyable and pleasuring. These roosters are very beautiful and they are actually great addition to your flock.

There are hundreds of chicken breed available throughout the world. Each of the breed among them has its own set of genetic traits and dispositions. Buff Orpington is one of the best among these chicken breeds.

And it is a very old heritage breed. Both Buff Orpington hens and roosters are highly productive. Roosters are very popular for their meat production and hens also popular for egg production as well.

Raising Buff Orpington Roosters

Buff Orpington chickens are of large sized compared to another breed and roosters are well known and popular for docility. Here we are describing the methods of raising Buff Orpington roosters.

Chicks

If you are raising Buff Orpingtons for first time, you have to buy some chicks from a well known hatchery. This is a very popular heritage chicken breed, so you can easily purchase some chicks from any reputable hatcheries near or around your area.

Chicks are not sex-linked (chickens whose sex can be distinguished at hatching) in most hatcheries. So you have to wait until your birds are at least 4 to 5 months of old. Some experienced people can easily distinguish the hens and roosters earlier than this period.

Generally roosters will crow, grow aggressive toward the hens and develop larger combs. You can raise on or a few roosters in your flock. Choose any healthy and beautiful rooster that suit best for you. And you can sell, slaughter or raise the rest roosters as pets.

Buff Orpington Breed Characteristics

Every chicken breed have certain characteristics although every bird is unique. Buff Orpingtons also have some special characteristics through which you can easily distinguish it from other chicken breeds.

Buff Orpington chickens have their own set of defining traits. They are dual purpose breed and suitable for both egg and meat production. During the late 1800s, this breed was developed in England.

Usually a Buff Orpington rooster weights about 10 pounds on an average and hens weight a bit less than roosters. Roosters are highly meat productive and most of the backyard chicken keeper like them for meat production.

Orpington hens are also good layers. On an average a healthy hen can lay about 250 eggs per year.

Orpington chickens are very cold resistant. They can live happily, produce maximum and an ideal breed for northern areas.

Generally temperature drop dramatically in the northern areas during the winter season and Orpingtons can easily adopt themselves with the low temperature.

Rooster Disposition

Temperament is the main consideration while deciding you want to keep a rooster or not. Usually roosters become aggressive in nature. This is true for almost all chicken breeds.

They want to dominate the flock and become aggressive if something goes wrong with them or their movements.

They become very protective and even die for protecting their flock or hens. They help to keep the flock free from predators. Some people face various problems if their roosters become too much aggressive.

Buff Orpingtons are notably docile roosters compared to another breed. Most of the Orpington roosters possess relatively friendly personalities. And for this reasons most of the people want to raise them on their backyard flock.

Breeding and Show Birds

Buff Orpingtons are also very popular chicken breed for contests and exhibitions. Breeders gather their chickens through contest or exhibitions for comparing the results of their bird’s mating habits.

Show roosters are judged on physical characteristics, both in condition and underlying genetic traits like head shape, leg length and body size.

Buff Orpingtons are very willing to mating and fertilize eggs. And thus they ensure pure Orpingtons for the future.

Raising Buff Orpington roosters is very enjoyable and pleasuring. They are relatively less aggressive compared with other roosters and very friendly with humans. If you wish to raise some roosters in your flock, then you can consider Buff Orpingtons.