Did we mess up?

[MistyValley]

Okay so this Spring we decided to get chickens. I know I should have checked this site first. We wanted brown eggs, and also meat.

I was told by one little lady that had been raising chickens for ever that her best layers were the red sex links she got last year. Well, we had to order those so in the mean time we started with BR and RIR, then a co-worker's grand daughter just had to buy us 4 more of a mix, one turned out to be a RIR, another is what I think is a red sex link and a black chicken with black legs. So far we are getting 8-9 eggs per day from our first round of 10. They all get along just fine. They are 23 weeks old now and I don't seem to ever hear any crowing, which is fine with us!


So after all this rambling my biggest question is should we have stuck with one breed?

 

[sjarvis00]

It doesnt matter how many breeds you have, and the sexlinks wont breed true anyway. If you are happy with your chickens and they all get along then how many breeds you have shouldnt matter.

 

[HEChicken]

Personally I like having a mix of different looking hens around - I deliberately ordered 4 different chicks in my first order. If they are all getting along well (and your lay rate sounds great), I'd say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

 

[MistyValley]

Thanks! I feel better have been worried.

 

[speckledhen]

I have had many breeds, but in doing so, have learned which ones I prefer over the others: Barred Rocks, first, then Delawares, true Ameraucanas, and blue, black, splash, and buff Orpingtons. I like a colorful flock! No mistake at all to have different breeds.

 

[PortageGirl]

Speckledhen and I are on the same page! Love having all sorts of colors and shapes! I may even get a few banties too, though no silkies, they're too evil (and I won't baby them, it's cold and damp in Ohio winters)

Get birds suited to you climate, (and what you have is suitable for most anywhere) and enjoy them all! A pretty gathing of a mixed flock is lovely to watch nattering around the yard.

 

[MistyValley]

Thanks again I wanted a variety, and that we have but I swear the RSL we ordered look just like the RIRs we got.

The two odd ones we have I found a pic on here that tells me she is the RSL (the only one we have) kids named her Chicken little. She was the first to do the egg swat, and she is turning into my fav. Lays huge dark brown eggs. The all black one we've called Odd Thomas from the start, but I think he's going to turn out to be Odd Tomi LOL.

 

[blink111]

Like your other responses, I too think variety is the spice of life. I am relatively new to having chickens but from what I have observed over the last few months the similarities far out- weigh the differences. Mine chill together, cluck, crow and forage together. You know not once have I heard them say my breed is better than yours. We could all learn a little something from them LOL Good Luck

 

[Kari]

I ordered the Rainbow layer collection from McMurray this spring. I also ordered Dominiques, Buff Orphingtons and Black Australorps. I ended up with quite an interesting collection of birds!
I currently have 5 Turkens, 3 Easter Eggers, 1 Delaware, 3 White Leghorns, 1 Brown Leghorn, 4 Black Australorps, 1 Gold Campine, 1 Buff Orphington, 2 Dominiques, 2 Black Langshan (1 is a roo) 2 White Cochins, 1 Partridge Brahma roo, 1 Ancona Roo, 1 Fayoumis, 1 Silver Spangled Hamburg, 1 Black Japanese Bantam, and a few more that I am not certain about... i think one is a Redcap, 1 is a Buttercup, and a Gold Campine.

I got quite the assortment of hens, and have been very happy with most of them. However, having such a variety has made me VERY certain of the types that I wouldn't order again. The Campines, Fayoumis, Hamburg, and Redcaps are very flighty nervous birds. I can't get anywhere near them. The Turkens are impossibly friendly, they are the first ones at the gate, and one of the best egg layers. The Easter Eggers are very friendly, and very pretty to look at. They are also good egg layers. The Doms are not terribly friendly, nor are the Australorps. By far my favorite chicken is the Buff Orphington. Friendly, sweet, and lays me an egg every day. Plus, as an added bonus, she's very pretty to look at.
If I were to order chicks again, I would fill my pen with Buff Orphingtons.
I love having lots of different hens.