Creating a mixed flock with Orpingtons and Wyandottes

[emackenz22]

Hello,
I do not own any chickens yet but hopefully within a year or two we will be homesteading out west.
So far, from my research I have tentatively decided on Buff Orpingtons as our dual purpose birds and possibly some Lace Wyandottes for mainly eggs and feathers but also meat (I just think they're amazingly beautiful and we aren't going to wasting anything on our homestead so all bird go to the broiler eventually). Has anyone ever had a combo of these birds? Do they get along well enough? Can they be cross bred? Are there any other breeds you would suggest having in with the mix?

 

[Michael OShay]

I've had both breeds over the years (still have BOs) and they will get along fine with each other as long as they are not overcrowded. BOs tend to be the gentler of the two breeds and more likely to be on the bottom of the pecking order, but Wyandottes are typically docile as well. If eggs are a priority, another breed you might want to consider are Australorps. They are extremely hardy in both cold and heat, have the same calm and gentle temperament of the Orpingtons (not surprising since they were originally bred from Orpington stock with the goal of increasing egg production), and are the best layers of the standard, brown egg laying breeds. All three of these breeds would get along well together and will defnitely cross breed with each other.

 

[Blackberry18]

I've had both breeds over the years (still have BOs) and they will get along fine with each other as long as they are not overcrowded. BOs tend to be the gentler of the two breeds and more likely to be on the bottom of the pecking order, but Wyandottes are typically docile as well. If eggs are a priority, another breed you might want to consider are Australorps. They are extremely hardy in both cold and heat, have the same calm and gentle temperament of the Orpingtons (not surprising since they were originally bred from Orpington stock with the goal of increasing egg production), and are the best layers of the standard, brown egg laying breeds. All three of these breeds would get along well together and will defnitely cross breed with each other.

I agree. Plymouth Rocks are also a docile, hardy breed.

 

[themenagerie]

I have all of the breeds mentioned and you can't go wrong with any of them. Another dual purpose breed to consider is New Hampshire Red. They're great layers and do well in a mixed flock. My best layers are my Australorps and NH Reds, followed closely by the Rocks.

 

[emackenz22]

Thanks everyone! I will look into those suggestions.

 

[BusyBearMama]

New Hampshire reds in my experience are a touch less docile than orps and rocks, we just brooded the 3 breeds together and they're all lovely get along great and the Orpingtons are the sweetest. You might enjoy adding so e Easter eggers to the flock if you like variety as they add different colored eggs and feathers, you can get very large ones and they're a lot of fun too. Sounds like you're on the right track with breeds and you should be able to get those easily.