All About Buff Orpingtons: A Classic Favorite

Inside: A look at one of the most popular breeds, the fluffy and friendly Buff Orpington. It will lay lots of big brown eggs and, as a bonus, be your new best friend.

While not the most strictly practical birds, this is one is my personal favorite of all chicken breeds because they’re friendly and beautiful. Many people call them the Golden Retriever of chickens, and so they are. They’re perfect for beginners, families with kids, and anyone who wants an egg layer and a pet all in one.

Let me tell you exactly why I love them, and how to decide if they’re right for you.

Buff Orpington Chicks

Buff Orpington chicks are soft yellow puffballs. Your typical Easter fluffy chick. They feather in more slowly than production breeds, and the golden adult color develops over several weeks.

Plan on 5 to 6 months before your first egg. They’re a slower-maturing breed than something like a Leghorn or a sex-link, so don’t panic when your friend’s Cinnamon Queens start laying at 18 weeks, and yours are still figuring life out.

One thing to know: Buff Orpington chicks are not sex-linked, so hatcheries sex them by vent, which is never 100%. If you order six pullets, don’t be shocked if one turns out to be a rooster.

Temperament and Personality

This breed’s claim to fame is its personality. They are super, super sweet. If you want birds that follow you around the yard and let you pick them up, these are your girls. 

They’re perfect for families with small children too because of their friendly personalities. 

One thing to keep in mind: that sweet personality can disappear when they go broody. (And this breed is prone to broodiness.) 

Buff Orpington Egg Production

Let’s be honest about eggs: they lay well, but not amazingly. You’ll get about 4-5 lovely brown eggs per week from each hen. This adds up to around 200-250 eggs per year. Buff Orpington eggs are beautiful – creamy pale brown, with some that are almost creamy.

They lay well all year round, with the typical small dips in production during the winter months.

If you want LOTS of eggs, you might want to add some White Leghorns or Cinnamon Queens to your flock. 

What Color Eggs Do Buff Orpingtons Lay?

Buff Orpingtons lay light brown eggs, much lighter than the brown eggs you typically get at the grocery store. They’re creamy, pale, sometimes almost pinkish-tan. They’re not the deep chocolate brown you’d get from a Marans, and they’re not white. The eggs are large to jumbo once the hens hit their stride.

If you want a mix of egg colors in your basket, you’ll need to add other breeds. I’ve written more about that in chickens that lay colored eggs.

Size and Appearance

One thing you’ll notice right away about these birds: they’re huge. The hens usually weigh 8-10 pounds, and the roosters are even bigger at 10-12 pounds. Their fluffy golden feathers make them look big, like giant teddy bears waddling in your yard. (Adorable.)

But here’s what you need to know: all those beautiful feathers aren’t just for show. Underneath, they have a broad, deep breast and a plump, rounded body. That size comes with a trade-off, though; they eat A LOT more than smaller breeds.

These girls will need more food than something like a Leghorn, and they won’t give you quite as many eggs in return. They are not what is referred to as a “thrifty” breed.

Caring for an Orpington Chicken

This is all pretty standard chicken care. The only special thing for this breed is keeping them cool and understanding they eat a lot.

• Plan on 1/4 pound of layer feed per hen each day
• They handle cold super well.
• Provide extra care in summer. Make sure they have plenty of shade, water, and good ventilation in the coop.
• Check nesting boxes often – they can go broody
• Watch for any limping – big birds can have leg issues

Buff Orpington Roosters

Some say Buff Orpington roosters are gentle. But that’s not what we’ve seen. Every Buff rooster we’ve had was just as aggressive as other breeds. And because they are large, they’re actually extra scary.

But this doesn’t mean that will be your experience. They do have a good reputation as far as roosters go.

Should You Let Them Free Range?

I’ve always let all my chickens free-range. But I’ll be honest, I tend to lose Buff Orpington’s first. I don’t know if they aren’t good at hiding, if they’re slow because of their size, or what. If you do let them free range (they love it!), be prepared.

Are They Right for You?

Buff Orpingtons are perfect if:

• You want friendly chickens that are easy to handle
• You’re new to chicken keeping
• You live somewhere with cold winters
• You care more about having sweet pets than maximum egg production
• You want to raise your own chicks (they go broody and are excellent mothers)
• You will keep your flock 100% females

Maybe skip them if:

• You live somewhere REALLY hot (although we have hot summers and they survive our warmer months just fine)
• You need the absolute most efficient egg layers
• You’re trying to save money on feed
• You need birds that are good at avoiding predators

A Little History

The Buff Orpington traces back to England in the late 1880s. William Cook, a poultry breeder in Kent, wanted to create the ideal dual-purpose bird…one that would lay well and also function as a decent table bird. He crossed Minorcas, Langshans, and Plymouth Rocks to get there, and later selected for the soft buff color that gave the breed its name.

Cook developed the Orpington breed through careful crossbreeding of Minorca and other heritage breeds. The final touch was breeding them to have a soft “buff “color, resulting in the Buff Orpington chickens we know and love today.

Today, most people keep Buffs for eggs and companionship rather than for meat, but the breed’s roots as a dual-purpose bird are why they’re so big and so calm.

This breed is beautiful, sweet, and lay enough eggs to keep most families happy. And remember: you don’t need a farm or years of experience to be a great chicken keeper. These friendly birds are perfect for learning as you go.