Getting some new babies in the AM- help me decide

[Jess718]

Hi all- well I started with 4 lovely girls (buff Orpington) but we lost two this winter to hawk attacks. But that’s a story for another day.

I am planning on expanding my flock and am visiting a local hatchery tomorrow morning if I can decide what to get. I just keep doing more research and I’ve been debating going with all orpingtons (they have buff and what they label chocolate- to give myself some “variety”) but I was also considering mixing in black Australorps. And I just still love the look of silkies and would be okay with less egg laying. They have all of them right now so I have to be able to choose.

The thing is I LOVE my buffs. They have been good layers, loving pets, and they are mostly quiet (which I need) except for their egg song which is out of control loud lol.

I guess I want to know if you think it’s better to keep one breed, if these breeds would work together, and if so, which ones? I’m probably going to expand to 8 chickens total so I’ll be getting 6 chicks. If I can restrain myself.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

We are brooding Blk Aus and are getting a doz Lavender Orp eggs next wk. Buuuuut I want some Buff Orps which I feel will compliment the Australorps and vise versa. Neutral Lavenders to pull it all together. Oh these damn chicken decisions!!

 

[Iluveggers]

Hi all- well I started with 4 lovely girls (buff Orpington) but we lost two this winter to hawk attacks. But that’s a story for another day.

I am planning on expanding my flock and am visiting a local hatchery tomorrow morning if I can decide what to get. I just keep doing more research and I’ve been debating going with all orpingtons (they have buff and what they label chocolate- to give myself some “variety”) but I was also considering mixing in black Australorps. And I just still love the look of silkies and would be okay with less egg laying. They have all of them right now so I have to be able to choose.

The thing is I LOVE my buffs. They have been good layers, loving pets, and they are mostly quiet (which I need) except for their egg song which is out of control loud lol.

I guess I want to know if you think it’s better to keep one breed, if these breeds would work together, and if so, which ones? I’m probably going to expand to 8 chickens total so I’ll be getting 6 chicks. If I can restrain myself.

If you like Orpingtons, and want to stick to what you know, I would get 3 of each color.

If you want to try something new, you could get 2 each of 3 breeds. Don’t know how silkies would get along with the rest as I’ve never had one, but Australorps & Orpingtons should be fine together!

 

[David61]

I do love my buff's and barred rocks. They get along well together. Barred rocks want to see everything you do. A great pet chicken and good layer.
Large brown eggs, friendly pets and good layers that do well with each other in my flock.
buff-Os
barred rock
road island reds
I will be adding three black aus and three speckled Sussex in March.
They are all in the top ten chickens to have.

 

[Amer]

I believe the breeds would get along if you wanted to introduce the new ones for variety.

 

[Jess718]

It’s so hard because I do worry about noise and there are such mixed reviews when I try and get advice on how much noise each type generally makes. Plus personality of each chicken matters and who knows what you’ll get lol. I hear the barred rocks can be pretty chatty and if I lived on a ton of land, I’d go for it.

I don’t know if I feel like silkies and BOs will get along but that might just be in my head cause they look so different.

The Australorps seem similar to the BO.

Since I have the two buffs maybe I do:
2 australorps
2 choc orps
2 silkies

I might chicken out on the silkies lol.

 

[Jess718]

Oh also my husband who didn’t want chickens loves the BOs so much he just wants more of exactly them lol.

 

[Hillbillenigma]

If you’re getting new babies, I’d also recommend doing some research about how to introduce them to the older girls when the time comes.

 

[MountainWoman73]

Team Lorps! They're super nice birds.

 

[Jess718]

Team Lorps! They're super nice birds.