Buff Orpington chickens: The lovable, versatile egg-laying giants
Although an English breed, Buff Orpingtons are certainly one of the reigning favorites of American backyard chicken keepers. This is a chicken that has something for everyone.
Looking for a great egg layer? Look no further than the Buff Orpington. Want a sweet bird that thrives on cuddles? Or a bird who loves the attention of your young children? Well, that’s the Buff Orpington. Want a meat bird for your homestead or a broody hen to raise chicks? Yep, the Buff Orpington.
Whether you’re a beginner keeper or advanced, you really can’t go wrong with this breed… Well, there are a few exceptions. Buff Orpingtons do suffer in hot temperatures, for example, and although they are cold hardy, you must take all precautions to make sure they stay dry.
Not quite sure if this breed is perfect for your flock? No worries—in this article, you’ll find everything you need to know to make sure Buff Orpingtons are the right fit for you, including:
Everything you ever wanted to know about Buff Orpington egg laying
Buff Orpington broodiness (do these hens dream of motherhood?)
Buff Orpington meat (how much do they provide and what does it taste like?)
Climate considerations for Buff Orpington chickens (are they a good fit for your region?)
Buff Orpington temperament (are they right for you and your family?)
Other breeds you may want instead of Buff Orpington chickens
And, finally, where to buy your Buff Orpington chicks, roos, or hens!
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Buff Orpington chicken facts
Category: Eggs & meat
Origin: England
Egg-laying ability: Good
Broodiness: Variable
Meat production: Excellent
Cold tolerance: Poor-exceptional (depends on coop/run conditions and comb size)
Heat tolerance: Poor-moderate
Predator evasion: Poor-moderate
Foraging ability: Good
Toleration for confinement: Good
Temperament: Docile
Aggression toward flock members: Low-moderate
Noise level: Moderate
Origin of Buff Orpington chickens
Buff Orpington chickens are one of several varieties of Orpingtons. And they aren’t the original Orpingtons. That honor goes to the Black Orpington, which was developed by William Cook in the English town of Orpington in County Kent in the 1880s.
Cook created the Buff Orpington soon after, but he used entirely different breeds. Whereas the Black Orpington was derived from crossing Black Minorcas, Black Plymouth Rocks, and Langshans, the Buff Orpington was derived from crossing Golden Spangled Hamburgs, Buff Cochins, and Dark Dorkings.
But wait… This commonly told story about the origin of Buff Orpingtons, which is told in almost every book and on every website about chicken breeds, may actually not be true.
Many British scholars and poultryman believe the Buff Orpington was actually developed from the incredibly rare Buff Lincolnshire chicken, a breed found in the Spalding area of Lincolnshire in the 1850s.
“The answer to the question, ‘When was a Buff Orpington not a Buff Orpington?’ is very likely ‘When it was a Lincolnshire Buff.’”
The Buff Lincolnshire, an older breed than the Orpington, also claimed a Buff Cochin and Dorking heritage. The breed went extinct in the 1920s, but was recreated in the 1980s by the breeder Brian Sands in conjunction with Riseholme Agricultural College in England.
Buff Lincolnshires physically differ from Buff Orpingtons in that they’re less fluffy and have 5 (rather than 4) toes.
Either way you look at it, Buff Orpingtons come from a very different heritage than the other Orpington varieties.
The Buff Orpington, like most heritage breeds, lost popularity in the 20th century during the era of factory farm chickens. Buff Orpingtons, of course, cannot produce the large number of eggs that factory farm laying hens can, and they grow much more slowly than factory farm broilers.
Buff Orpingtons dwindled in numbers and were listed on The Livestock Conservancy’s endangered species list. However, the breed was recently removed from that list in 2016, largely due to renewed popularity with backyard chicken keepers and fanciers.
What do Buff Orpington chickens look like?
Buff Orpingtons are very large, heavy, and fluffy chickens. They have a stocky build and a broad body with short backs and legs. You can usually only see a tiny bit of leg showing from underneath their loose, prolific feathering.
In profile, the Buff Orpington has a U-shaped silhouette, which is particularly obvious in the roosters.
Buff Orpingtons have upright, medium-sized single combs, medium-sized wattles, and red earlobes.
Buff Orpingtons can be rich golden color, or, as the authors of The Complete Encyclopedia of Chickens describe it, “a beautifully warm light yellow color.”
You can see this richly-colored plumage in the video below:
However, the chickens’ buff plumage does fade when exposed to the sun and the rain.
You can see this perfectly in the video below. The Buff Orpington keeper in the video shows one of her hens who had a minor molt (after going broody). The hen lost the feathers on her back and then they grew back in a deeper, richer color than the older surrounding feathers.
To see this, jump forward to about 2 minutes into the video.
This fading of plumage is a challenge for the show bird keeper, but it’s no problem for the backyard keeper. Just know that every year, after your Buff Orpingtons’ annual molts, their feathers will grow back in an even more stunning deep buff shade.
And if you’re curious what makes a show-quality Buff Orpington, check out the video below. But do note that the man in this video is not handling his Orpington chicken respectively. He is holding the rooster in a way that is typical at exhibitions, but chickens do not like to be held this way. Instead, hold your chicken upright and gently against you with his wings held down.
How big do Buff Orpington chickens get?
Roosters: 10 lbs
Hens: 8 lbs
Bantam roosters: 38 oz
Bantam hens: 34 oz
Buff Orpington chickens are considered a heavy breed, along with other unusually large fowl, such as Cochins, Brahmas, Langshans, and Jersey Giants. And Buff Orpingtons look even larger than they are due to their dense and fluffy feathering.
Buff Orpingtons also come in a miniature (bantam) size, for those who don’t want to raise large chickens, but absolutely love the Buff Orpington breed. Below is a video of 8 month old Buff Orpington Bantams.
What do Buff Orpington chicks look like?
Buff Orpington chicks are buff colored from birth. You can see what they look like in the video below.
Buff Orpington Bantam chicks look very similar to their regular-sized counterparts. You can see what they look like in the video below.
Buff Orpington chicken growth
Buff Orpington chickens mature more quickly than some heritage breeds, but they grow considerably less quickly than broiler breeds. This video details the first 1-3 weeks of Buff Orpingtons’ growth.
And this next video shows a montage of Buff Orpingtons from 4 days old to 9 weeks old.
In this video, you can see Buff Orpingtons at 11 weeks old.
And in this last video, you can see a Buff Orpington cockerel at 4.5 months. He does a really cool-sounding crow with a trill to it. You can see just how large he looks against the run door.
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Buff Orpington chickens and egg laying
Egg color: Brown
Egg size: Large to extra large
Age of lay: 6 months
Eggs/week: 4
Eggs/year: 200
Buff Orpingtons are good layers, even in the cold winter months.
In the video below, you can see what Buff Orpington eggs look like—fast forward to about 30 seconds in.
And below, you can see Buff Orpington hen, Nanner, lay an egg.
And in this video, you can see a young Buff Orpington singing after laying an egg.
Broodiness: Do Buff Orpington hens want to hatch their eggs?
Traditionally, Buff Orpingtons have been very broody hens (i.e., they love to sit on and hatch their eggs).
However, the broodiness trait has been lost in some hatchery Orpingtons, so if broodiness (or lack of broodiness) is important to you, be sure to check with your hatchery or breeder about their particular strain before buying.
If you have a broody strain of Buff Orpingtons, you will find that they tend to be very reliable brooders, and they are happy to raise any chicks, even those of other species. Here you can see a Buff Orpington brooding quail eggs.
Most Orpington hens are very gentle and attentive mothers. Here you can see a Buff Orpington hen talking to her hatching chicks (in this case, Jersey Giant chicks).
And below, you can see a Buff Orpington hen mothering very young chickens on a nice spring day.
Buff Orpington hens are also known to be very accepting of new chicks brought in from elsewhere.
One chicken keeper said of her Buff Orpington hen, …” she LOVES the Sapphire Gem chicks… she just lifted her wing and they ran right under it when I took them out to her!”
Another chicken keeper told a story about how, when she was a beginner keeper, she added a new chick to her already existing flock, not aware that this is a very dangerous thing to do. The older hens were not happy about the new chick. Luckily, there was a Buff Orpington hen in the flock.
The keeper explained, “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 inseparable. We didn’t do any special tricks to make her think this chick was hers. In fact, the chick was probably 4 weeks old when we got her! However, our Orpington did not hesitate to take this young pullet in.”
Meat production of Buff Orpington chickens
Buff Orpington chickens make excellent meat birds for those so inclined. However, if you’re a softy like me, keep in mind that these are exceedingly sweet chickens. Good luck not getting attached.
Most Buff Orpingtons take about 5-6 months to reach a good size, and have a market weight of 7-8.5 lbs when fully grown.
Many modern American homesteaders rave about Buff Orpington meat. One Buff Orpington keeper said, “Orps have the best legs and thighs.”
Another said, “They definitely have large legs and thighs and their dark meat is great…”
And another said, “Mine are excellent meat birds. Trouble is, you gotta get them early or they are too big for the crock pot or even stew pot! They grow fast and are meaty from early on. I can’t say enough good about them.”
Buff Orpington chickens: Not hardy in all conditions
How do Buff Orpington chickens do in the heat?
Buff Orpington chickens can really struggle in the heat. As a heavy and densely-feathered breed, they cannot regulate their body temperature as well as other breeds. Heat waves can be fatal for these birds.
One chicken keeper said of her hen, “We LOVED our Buff Orpington. She sadly died in our second summer in an extreme heat wave. Everyone else was totally fine, but she just couldn’t handle it.”
Another said of hers, “I found her a couple summers ago during our heat wave dead… She was about a year and a half old.”
In the video below, you can see what a Buff Orpington struggling in the heat looks like. She’s in the shade with her wings held away from her body, and she’s panting. This is one uncomfortable chicken. Notice that the other breeds of chickens in the flock appear to be much less affected by the heat than she is.
As with all chickens, Buff Orpingtons need a limitless supply of cold, fresh water and shade, but when temperatures soar, this may not be enough for them. Below is a video made from a Buff Orpington breeder that gives you some ideas on how to keep your Buff Orpingtons cooler in the summer heat.
You may also want to consider coop fans, such as this wall mount outdoor and waterproof fan from Amazon, or even AC.
You’ll also want to make sure you have good dust bathing spots set up in the shade for your Buff Orpingtons to help them cool down. Here, you can see a video of a Buff Orpington happily dust bathing.
And below, you can see a Buff Orpington dust bathing with a Rhode Island Red. Pretty cute.
How do Buff Orpington chickens do in the cold?
Myth: Buff Orpingtons are cold hardy, cold hardy, cold hardy.
This is something you’ll read on websites all over the place.
But the truth is, there are two exceptions to the cold hardiness of Buff Orpingtons.
The first exception is Buff Orpington roosters with very large combs. If your Buff Orpington roosters have large combs, they will be prone to frostbite, a condition that’s just as painful for chickens as it is for you or I.
You can typically prevent this frostbite if you hang a sweeter heater over your roosting bars.
You can find small Sweeter Heaters here on Amazon, medium Sweeter Heaters here, and large Sweeter Heaters here. I hang Sweeter Heaters in all my coops, and I can’t recommend them enough.
The second exception to Buff Orpington chickens’ cold hardiness is when they get wet. When a chicken’s feathers get wet, she can no longer insulate to stay warm, and she is also prone to frostbite. While this simple fact is true for all chickens, Buff Orpingtons are much more susceptible to getting wet in the winter than other breeds.
With their extreme fluffiness and low carriage, Buff Orpingtons’ underbelly feathers can easily get soaked in the snow, just by walking outside. In the photo here, you can see how close to the ground these birds carry their bodies.
So, in order for your Buff Orpingtons to be cold hardy, you absolutely must be sure your yard is setup to keep them dry in the winter. For starters, a covered run is a must.
Buff Orpington chickens vs. predators
Many of us adore Buff Orpingtons because they are such a calm and docile breed, but, unfortunately, these very characteristics make them vulnerable to predators. Buff Orpingtons lack the strong fear response that protects many other breeds of chickens.
One chicken keeper told this story about her Buff Orpington flock, “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.”
Another chicken keeper said her Buff Orpingtons are “the first breed to be targeted by hawks, coyotes, raccoons and other predators if we let them free range.” She said they are “also, very slow in reacting to a predator, [and] will just stand there or slowly walk straight into the predator.”
On the flip side, Orpingtons are very large chickens and their large size does deter some smaller predators.
And, depending on your environment, Buff Orpingtons may have the advantage of blending into the background. For example, I live in the dry foothills of Southwest Idaho, and Buff Orpingtons camouflage beautifully here.
Buff Orpington chickens: Darn good foragers
Buff Orpington chickens do forage very well if they’re allowed to free range. Here you can see a video of two 6-year old Buff Orpington hens foraging in a forest.
As great foragers (among many other things), Buff Orpingtons are often a favorite breed among homesteaders. In the video below, you can learn why they are such an excellent bird for a barnyard setup.
And, just for fun, in the video below, check out Annie, the Buff Orpington hen, as she “forages” a cockroach in the living room. She is seriously fast!
Buff Orpington chickens: Can they handle confinement?
Buff Orpington chickens tolerate confinement to a run well. However, remember that because these are larger-than-average birds they do need a larger-than-average space in their run.
And the more space you are able to give your Buff Orpington chickens in their run, the happier they will be. Remember, these birds love to forage, so if you can provide them with enough room to forage, they will be in heaven.
Because Orpington chickens are heavy with dense feathering and short legs, they don’t fly well at all (unless they are immature), so you don’t need to have tall fences to contain these birds. A fence that is a few feet tall will usually do it. However, if you have aerial predators, you will need to cover their run with a roof or netting.
And, in fact, you will likely need to cover their run anyway if you have soil that gets muddy or you live in a climate that gets snow. Orpingtons carry their bodies very close to the ground. And some Orpingtons have underbelly feathers that actually touch the ground, so it is imperative you protect these undersides from getting wet or muddy.
Coop modifications for Buff Orpingtons
Also, keep in mind that because Orpingtons are so large, they will also require more space in the coop than your average breed. This means more space on the roosting bars, more space in the nesting boxes, and a larger pop hole door.
Alternatively, you can have a regular-sized pop door with a very shallow ramp or large steps that give them easy access to the pop door. You can see an example of this in the video below.
And one last thing about coop requirements for Orpingtons. Because these birds are so large with such short legs, they may need lower roosting bars than other breeds (or easy access to higher roosting bars, such as stairs).
You’ll also need to make sure to keep these roosts free of droppings each day (a good habit anyway), because you don’t want their low underbelly feathers getting wet with feces.
Buff Orpington chicken temperament: Just what kind of birds are they?
Buff Orpingtons are one of the sweetest chicken breeds out there! If you want a truly friendly, affectionate, and even cuddly chicken, these are the birds for you.
Buff Orpingtons are the quintessential, snuggly lap chickens, as you can see in the video below.
And even chicks like to be handled—fast forward to about a minute in to see this in the video below.
And they will even voluntarily jump into your lap as you can see in the video below.
So many Buff Orpington keepers have such sweet stories to share about their birds. One chicken keeper shared this story.
“I have one girl… who is as faithful as my Labrador to me. Every night, she requests to be ‘tucked in’... She likes me to pick her up and put her in the coop, on her perch. If I'm running behind, she'll come up to the back door and start pecking at it and looking in like, ‘Hey, Mom, you ready to put me to bed? I'm waiting.’ It's adorable…. They love mama holding them and will even greet me at my car.”
You can even keep Buff Orpingtons as house chickens. In the video below, you can see one such house chicken. The video description reads, “This is my house hen, Heechee, wearing her diaper and ‘foraging’… Heechee is an only child and I don't think she really knows she's a chicken…”
How are Buff Orpington chickens around children?
Buff Orpingtons are perfect for children. They don’t just tolerate the erratic movements, rough handling, and loud sounds typical of young children, they enjoy the attention.
In the video here, you can see a young girl handling a Buff Orpington hen—and not that gently, though the hen doesn’t seem to mind a bit. Fast forward to about 30 seconds in to see the girl pick the hen up.
And many Buff Orpingtons will actually form very tight bonds with children.
One chicken keeper told this hilarious story:
“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!”
And what about toddlers? You’ll hear cute anecdotes about Orpingtons and toddlers from chicken keepers everywhere.
One keeper had this to say about her young boy and their Orpington rooster:
“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 kind of 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… [the rooster] would come look through the slider door and peck on it to get the kids’ attention. He would let the kids pick him up and carry him around.”
In the video below, you can see a toddler interacting with a very young Buff Orpington. It’s truly amazing how docile this bird is! The video caption reads, “7 week-old Buff Orpington pullet meets 14-month old Rowan.”
And if you want chickens that interact well with your young kids, don’t forget that Orpingtons also come as bantams (i.e., miniatures). These birds are easier for young children to hold and carry.
“Perfect though the large fowl Orpington is as a beginner’s bird, the bantam is in a league of its own when it comes to providing the absolute children’s pet.”
Are Buff Orpington roosters aggressive to people?
All chicken breeds have aggressive individuals, but Orpington roosters are well-known for their tendency towards docility and calm. If you’re looking for a friendly rooster, this is one of the best breeds to consider.
Below is a video of a very sweet Buff Orpington rooster named George. His keeper says that George follows him everywhere and is “kind of like a dog with feathers.”
How well do Buff Orpington chickens get along with other chickens?
Buff Orpington chickens tend to get along very well with other Orpingtons. An Orpington flock equals a calm flock.
Here, you can see a video of Buff and Lavender Orpingtons getting along great, despite the fact there is only one bowl of food and all the birds want it.
Although individual personalities of chickens do vary quite a bit, Buff Orpingtons tend to be very gentle with other chickens.
Below, you can see a video of young Buff Orpington chicks and a little Silkie getting along very well.
However, you will find some individual hens may be a little bossy.
And although you don’t typically need to worry about Buff Orpingtons being aggressive, they can sometimes be the victims of aggression themselves, even by much smaller chickens.
Buff Orpingtons are so sweet and gentle—they often don’t stick up for themselves. They do best with breeds that are similarly calm and friendly, such as Brahmas, Cochins, or other varieties of Orpingtons.
Buff Orpington chickens: Are they noisy?
Overall, Orpington chickens are fairly quiet. However, many of the hens do sing very loud eggs songs as demonstrated in the video here. If you’re unfamiliar with the egg song, this is a very distinctive, repetitive vocalization that hens love to belt out.
And, like all roosters, Buff Orpington roosters do like to crow, although their crow is lower pitched and less shrill than some other breeds. In the video below, you can hear a Buff Orpington’s crow.
And of course, the young Buff Orpington cockerel’s crow is less refined, as demonstrated in the video here.
If you like roosters, but you aren’t a fan of all-day crowing, you may want to consider an Orpington Bantam.
“…although the [Orpington Bantam] cockerels will crow occasionally, they do not feel compelled to do so all day. Also, their crowing is nowhere near as loud as that of some other breeds…”
You can hear a little Buff Orpington Bantam’s crow in the video below—fast forward to about 5 minutes and 45 seconds to hear it.
Buff Orpington chicken health problems and life expectancy
Because Buff Orpingtons have such dense and fluffy down feathers around their vents, they can sometimes get poop stuck to these feathers. Depending on how bad it is, you may need to watch their rears from time to time.
In this video, you can see that some Orpington chickens have poop stuck to their vent feathers. The chickens in this video are Black Orpingtons, rather than Buff Orpingtons, but all varieties are prone to this.
As long as you keep your Orpingtons in ideal conditions, you can expect them to live as long as other breeds of chickens. The average chicken lifespan is 5-8 years.
Breeds you may want instead of Buff Orpingtons
If you’re looking for other docile breeds that are also decent backyard layers, you’ll want to take a look at the Sussex, Barred Rock, and Australorp breeds. And of course, you can’t go wrong with Wyandottes.
For more information, check out my articles:
And you may also want to consider other varieties of Orpingtons. Orpingtons come in endless plumage colors and patterns, such as the beautiful Partridge Orpingtons shown in the video below. Whatever you want, you can probably find!
To learn more about the many different varieties of Orpingtons, see my article, Orpington chickens: Giant backyard layers the whole family will love.
Order your Buff Orpington chickens now
The map below shows breeders and hatcheries that sell Buff Orpington chickens. Click on your breeder or hatchery of interest for more information - you may need to zoom in to see them all.
Map Icon Key:
Red = Buff Orpingtons for sale
Orange = Buff Orpingtons & Buff Orpington Bantams for Sale
Disclaimer: I am providing information about these hatcheries, but I am not endorsing them. Be sure to do your own due diligence before purchase. For more information on due diligence, check out the article, NPIP certification: How to know if your breeder or hatchery is safe to buy from.
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Buff Orpington sources
Bassom, Frances. Mini Encyclopedia: Chicken Breeds and Care. Dorking: Interpet Publishing, 2011.
Damerow, Gail. Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2017.
Damerow, Gail. The Chicken Health Handbook. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2015.
Ekarius, Carol. Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2007.
Verhoef, Esther and Rijs, Aad. The Complete Encyclopedia of Chickens. Lisse: Rebo Publishers, 2005.