Orpington

Beautiful and friendly, they were one of my first favorite breeds (you can tell I have multiple now ). I've had one that was an absolutely fantastic broody and was so excited to get another this past year.

I really love my Buff Orpington pullets! They're about 25ish weeks right now, and they act like they're ready to lay any day! They are very friendly and curious, but can be a bit pushy with more docile hens.

If you love being followed around the yard while gardening, then this is the chicken for you! Very friendly, curious and bold.

I've only ever owned 2 buff Orpingtons, so I can't really say I'm an expert, but I sure can share what I know through my experience with the two.

My first Orpington - named Emmie - was probably the sweetest thing ever. (Hard as it is to say, she was sweeter than my silkie!) She was the opposite of skittish. She didn't follow anyone, but she sure was very calm, gentle, and never even flinched when a human approached her.
Not only was she good to humans, but also to the other hens. She wasn't the top of the pecking order (she never pecked to my knowledge), but she was definitely highly respected in the flock. When she passed, the other hens did not leave her side until her body was removed. They didn't budge even for food.
She was also extremely motherly, but in only the good ways. We added a new chick to our flock (we were beginners and weren't aware of the consequences of doing this at the time) who was terrified - for good reason! - of the older hens. The only one who wasn't only not mean to her but actually took her under her wing (literally) was our Orpington, Emmie. Emmie literally became this chick's mother, and the two were inseperable. We didn't do any special tricks to make her think this chick was hers. In fact, the chick was probably about 4 weeks old when we got her! However our Orpington did not hesitate to take this young pullet in.
I don't remember her egg production well, as it was years ago, but she was a great hen and I have literally 0 negative things to say about her. Perfect pet, perfect mother, and I'm pretty sure she was a decent layer. I miss her so much!

Our current Orpington - Lemon - is sweet, but not nearly as sweet as Emmie. Her egg production is pretty decent. She started laying extremely early for most Orpingtons (about 4 months old!).
She's pretty mean to the smaller hens, and will try to sneak in a fight or two. She's also absolutely terrifying when brooding. Opening the laying boxes while she's in there will definitely wake you up as she screams nearly as loud as a rooster crows. She'll peck and bite as hard as she can if you try to move her or take her eggs. Best to just let her be.
Aside from these flaws, she's still a sweet pet....if you don't open the laying boxes on her. She's not too skittish and is perfectly comfortable when being held or pet. I can even approach her and lean over to give her pets. Doesn't phase her at all.

All in all, Orpingtons are great. It ultimately depends on their personality, but with some decent socializing they can be extremely sweet. Haven't met a skittish Orpington, yet!

Lemon, our current Orpington. Such a beautiful girl!

We loved our 4 buff hens and rooster but the hens were just an easy target while free-ranging. Thankfully, the rooster warned us when a coyote was about to take a hen but the hen ignored the rooster and coyote and continued foraging. I was able to chase the coyote off but can't always supervise them. So we sold them to a farm with a large coop and run for their own safety. Our Speckled Sussex and Barred Rocks are the best free rangers. They can stay out whole day and only be cooped up at night. Unlike the Orpingtons their feathers offer more camouflage and they are more predator wary (especially the Speckled Sussex chicks). Yet they are just as affectionate and gentle as the Orpingtons. The Orpingtons are good layers but not as great as the Barred Rocks. At 6 months old the Orpingtonr eggs were already very large unlike the other breeds.

Good information and pictures

I've had just about every variety the farm stores sell and have decided Orps are the breed for me. Love their big fluffy size and gentle natures. Very cold hardy for these long Montana winters. Nice brown eggs, generally medium to large size.

I have 2 Buffs in a mixed flock of (currently) 17 hens. The 2 buffs are a different & interesting personality from the others. They are very calm, rarely getting into any squabbles with other girls. They are very curious - they are the 1st to approach when I sit down and they want to know if I have anything interesting for them. In the summertime they are toe-peckers - if your feet are bare they will come up and try to eat them. And yes, sometimes it hurts. They lay pretty well - to put some precise numbers on it: Buffy has been laying for 202 days & has laid 126 eggs (62% of days since maturity). Elizabuff has laid 134 eggs in 210 days (64%). They first laid at day 170 & 162 respectively. They are fun girls to have around, I really enjoy them....when they're not eating my toes.

We had several hatchery Buff orps from Townline Hatchery, they supply the TSC and Family farm home with chicks around here, well I got a few of these strait run and one of them ended up being a roo. My youngest son the chicken whisperer of the family bonded with that guy like no other. Those two would be walking around the yard all over, it was funny to watch this little 4 year old boy and his roo walking around the yard having all kind of adventures. and when he was indoors, Friendly Blue (how he ever got that name I am not sure) would come look through the slider door and peck on it to get the kids attention. He would let the kids pick him up carry him round. He got to be a pretty big roo, did a great job protecting his flock and was the gentlest Roo we ever had. So it was a sad day when a dog from down the road decided to pay a visit to our yard, to this day I still can't figure how it got past the yard fence, the chicken yard fence and into the pen..devil dog... The kids still talk about that roo and have asked to get another Friendly Blue. I will probably break down this year and get some more...

Love Orpingtons! If you want a friendly, docile, good egg producer, these birds are for you! I'm not sure why the egg production meter is at moderate. My gals were each laying an egg a day, even in colder weather. I had one who would lay a double yolk egg once or twice a week! Score.

I have two of the Buff Orpingtons and they are just the sweetest things! I have one that I will put in the front yard without anything and she just stays there. They are amazing if having them as indoor pets!

Live on GA/FL border SE Coast. Have mild winters. First chickens: 2 Buff Orphintons & 3 Red Rocks. At 8 mths, smallest Orphington got cough/wheez. Without ability to locate anyone locally, for help, I did what was suggested on here. Weather warmed up a bit, & she improved. But, w/in days, temps dropped by 30* & My little runt, ended up suffocating to death, last week. Wish I would have had a vet &/or someone knowledgable, close enough to take a look at her. Now, the other one is slowly developing the same cough/wheez. All I can do is search & learn, what I can & hopefully help her get better.

We LOVED our buff orprington. She sadly died in our second summer on an extreme heat wave. Everyone else was totally fine but she just couldn't handle it. When I went back on mypetchicken.com it actually says that you need to be a bit more cautious with heat but I sadly hadn't remembered that. So please be careful with yours! One of our absolute favorite girls-such a loss. Laid regularly with large size light brown eggs.

Buff Orpingtons were the first chickens I ever raised. With 6 kids, there was constant chaos and "child involvement" with the chickens, and the Orps took it all in stride. One of my daughters used to carry one around under her arm all day, and on more than one occasion I discovered an Orp up in her bedroom at night sleeping in a doll's crib! Plus, the eggs were great quality and the hens laid through the New England winter.