As they say...birds of a feather flock together..

[Wine_Farmhouse]

I have 9 hens and 1 roo. The hens are 3 breeds...3 of each breed. Roo is a 4th breed. They are all 15 weeks old. They all do well together but it seems like each breed prefers to hang closest with their own kind. Does anyone else see that in mixed flocks? I assume it's no biggie....just an observation.

 

[Callender Girl]

I do see that with my mixed flock. However, I'm never sure if it's because they are the same breed or because they were brooded together.

I have three 3-month-old Cochins who are always within feet of each other when they are out and about. But, I have a brooder pen with three Cochin Bantams who seem bonded with a Columbian Wyandotte and a Bielefelder that share their housing. Won't the Bantams be surprised when their "sisters" grow up to be giants?

Some birds seem to recognize "family" and some make their own. I only have one Buff Orpington and one Blue-Laced Red Wyandotte. They sleep in a coop with a pair of Salmon Faverolles, and the entire foursome seems pretty close.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I see it in my flock.
In the many years of keeping chickens without fail mine have made little same color groups.
There tend to be sub groups within the same color groups made up of birds that were brooded together as well.
To explain further....
My 3 Black Australorps were joined by 9 black Australorps. While they stuck together as a big group there seemed to always be a few feet between the two groups while roaming the yard. The Buff Orpingtons never joined either group but stuck together even though they had been brooded and housed with the older Australorps from day one.