[tracy66]

Hi

We've just taken the plunge and decided to keep some chickens!
We have a house and run 7ft x 3ft and planned on getting 3 Buff Orpingtons.

Firstly will this house & run be big enough for 3 as I know they are quite large and secondly the orps we planned on getting are about 16-18 weeks old, and we went on a course yesterday where we were told that they couldn't be definitely sexed until 30 weeks!? Will the breeder definitely know they are hens and not cockerels as we don't want to fall in love with them and have to return them if they are cockerels(don't think our neighbours would appreciate!)

Many thanks

[JaK]

Ooh I really don't know the answer to this one but would love to know too.
I could tell the sexes of my Jubilee orpingtons very early on but I did have 3 so I could compare them. I have 1 buff (13 wks old) and havn't a clue if it's a he or a she. Same goes for the gold laced orp I have.

[Casey76]

Hi Tracy,

Unfortuantely your run cetainly won't be big enough for three orpingtons.  In fact, it is barely big enough for one hybrid layer - especially if it is going to be static.

Orpingtons grow *very* big, and consequently need much more room than "little red hens" would.

For orpingtons I would actually recommend 9ft x 3 ft (or 3sq yards) PER BIRD + extra room for feeders, drinkers, a dust bath, and perching areas.

And yes, Orpingtons are quite hard to sex.  I imagine 30 weeks was mentioned as by that time Orps are POL, however I would expect males to start crowing before then... though there are always exceptions to the rule!  An Orp breeder should have a preddy good idea of sex by 18 weeks based upon feather morphology and development of the comb and wattles, but they will probably sell as "not guaranteed" pullets.

[Helenaj]

I've got a couple of Orpingtons and the area you mention is not big enough even for one. They are huge! Even the bantams are the size of a normal sized other-breed hen.

The difference in male/female appearance was apparent to me at about 26 weeks and only then because I had two females and one male - and he tried to crow.

They are not persistant crowers, but the crow is very deep.