Are any of these breeds incompatible in a mixed flock?

[Rstine]

I started with a mixed flock similar to what you are describing. There was 1 barred rock in the mix and she was a sweetie and is now one of our elder statesmen. We also enjoy our Rhode island although one of them turned out to be a rooster that was particularly ornery and had to be deleted. Might I suggest 2 silkies, even if it means having 2 more birds TV than you were planning. They are poor production birds but are loads of fun and the contrast to the other breeds is interesting to watch.

 

[Rstine]

You say you have plenty of space so I suggest making your house and run larger than you need. Chickens are an addiction and you will soon want to hatch some of your own, explore other breeds or some other thing that will require more space. Easier to do it now than adding on. I started like you and now I've got turkeys and my first goose hatching in my living room.

 

[breege]

Would love it if you would start a thread/article about how you trained your dogs for this. So many people here have issues with dogs and chickens, and I was thinking last night how good it would be to have a dog out with my tractors when I move them further from my living area! If you ever do, please tag me!

Would love it if you would start a thread/article about how you trained your dogs for this. So many people here have issues with dogs and chickens, and I was thinking last night how good it would be to have a dog out with my tractors when I move them further from my living area! If you ever do, please tag me!

Hi;

I'm trying to figure out how we actually train the dogs. Most of our dogs for the last 30 yrs have been rescues of varying ages. Our current dog, Charlie has been through 4 owners before moving in with us and was somewhere over 4 yrs old. In all cases, we've found that they were eager to please while we were trying to figure what bad habits they'd acquired along the way and accustom them to us.

I'll have to think on it, as there's no blueprint per say - Each dog that comes here is quite different

 

[BarredRockMom]

I think that there are as many experiences with chickens as there are chicken breeds. One has great experience with one breed and someone else has the opposite experience.

My opinion is give it a try and based on the personalities of your birds, determine which will work best for you.

Whether or not you go with one or two Barred Rocks, all Barred Rocks or none at all, that will not change people's opinions of the breed (mine included.) Same goes for any other breed you asked about.

THE most important thing is that you have fun on your Chicken Adventures!!

 

[Cryss]

I think that there are as many experiences with chickens as there are chicken breeds. One has great experience with one breed and someone else has the opposite experience.

My opinion is give it a try and based on the personalities of your birds, determine which will work best for you.

Whether or not you go with one or two Barred Rocks, all Barred Rocks or none at all, that will not change people's opinions of the breed (mine included.) Same goes for any other breed you asked about.

THE most important thing is that you have fun on your Chicken Adventures!!

X2

 

[Barnycat]

The Barred Plymouth Rocks aren’t a breed I would recommend for a first time chicken owner, let alone in a mixed flock. Same applies to Rhode Island Reds.
Get Domiques instead of the Barred Plymouth Rocks. And you’re missing a white egg laying breed, so get 2 White Leghorns.

My barred rock hens are wonderful. Same with my Rhode Island Reds. One Barred Rock went with my daughter to show & tell when she was in kindergarten! Her name was Clara Clucker!

 

[Barnycat]

It looks like you're in Georgia. Our climate here in TN is probably fairly similar. Did your Brahmas do okay in the summer?

My Dark Brahmas have done great here in California hot summers. Thphey have been docile & friendly. Tha rooster has been the best rooster yet! A gentle giant!

 

[Barnycat]

Well, I have to disagree about the Barred Rocks. We researched breeds before diving into chickens and selected Barred Rocks especially for their more gentle disposition.

I know that some may have other experiences but our first two flocks we're entirely made up of Barred Rocks. I found them to be gentle with me, which was important because I had never been exposed to raising chickens and was quite tenative about reaching into an occupied box to check for an egg. (The first time I did, I talked to the hen & asked her if I could please check to see if she had an egg. When she stood up, she just watched me slowly reach toward her and practically turned herself upside down looking to see what I was doing.) It is also true that the only hen that ever bit me (repeatedly & hard) was a Barred Rock. She was one of my last Barred Rock girls & just didn't like to be touched. It took me 3 years of working with her to get her to politely exit a box with eggs & I just learned not to fuss with her. I'd have her back in a nano second, as I would with any of my past hens (and roos, for that matter!)

Just like people, you will find different personalities with your chickens. Some will be saucier than others, some will be docile, some standoffish, some smart, some oblivious, some flighty, some moody and everything in between.

It's sometimes about how you raise them that helps to bring out their best temperment traits, too. No matter the flock, you're going to enjoy discovering the different aspects of your flock. And yourself.

One of the things I've come to understand about myself is that without a little chicken time each day, I am a cranky person. There's not much that can't be made better by a little chicken tv!

I agree with you! I believe that lots of gentle handling of chicks, and lots of treats for the mor mature ones makes for a wonderful flock of friendly birds—with the rare exception, of course!

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

My barred rock hens are wonderful. Same with my Rhode Island Reds. One Barred Rock went with my daughter to show & tell when she was in kindergarten! Her name was Clara Clucker!

Barred Plymouth Rocks and Rhode Island Reds are very human friendly but not very friendly to other breeds of chickens.

 

[TwoShepherds]

Chicks are here! They are wonderful. I can't stop going in to check on them.