Doubling My Flock

[RocketDog1]

My granddaughter and I are ready to kick it up a notch and go from 2 to 4 chickens. We currently have two barred rocks- one of them is sweet and somewhat docile while the other tends to be a bit bossy. We'd like to add two birds. My concern is in finding a breed that will hold its own against our more aggressive girl. We could go with two more barred rocks but we'd like to have something different. Any suggestions? We like the idea of getting a couple of Orpingtons but from what I've read, they might get bullied.
Thanks for your advice.

 

[lilmillefleur]

Rhode Island Reds, and Wyandottes are a popular choice that are not usually at the bottom of the pecking order. There's also other varieties of Plymouth rock, like white rocks and partridge rocks. Just be sure, as with all chickens, that they get a proper introduction, and make sure they get along. Way to add more chickens! Good luck with your new birds!

 

[lazy gardener]

Do you have plenty of room? Recommendation is for at least 4 s.f. in coop and 10 s.f. in run per bird, with more space being even better to allow ease of integration. I suggest that you get a different bird than your current PBR, simply to improve the visual appeal of your flock. Check out Black Australorpe, Colombian Rock or Wyandotte. Read Henderson's chicken breeds chart. I would stay very far away from RIR. Never met a nice one, though there are some of folks who do like them. Also, do your homework regarding quarantine, and integration.

 

[Mrs. K]

Also, take a look at your set up, measure it. Overcrowding really causes ugly behaviors, even with the right mix of birds. Free ranging will not let you cheat on size.

Also check for multiple levels and hideouts that birds can get away from each other. It can really help.

And perhaps you know this, but older birds do not like baby birds unless they are broody. There are tricks that will help. I had very good luck with a one way gate. If you want more information, I would share.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC @RocketDog1!

Ditto on the size and hideouts.....
.....and integration is best done with extra and separate adjacent space.

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

This used to be a better search, new format has reduced it's efficacy, but still:
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>integration
This is good place to start reading, BUT some info is outdated IMO:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are two things I'd consider before I even thought about breed. First is how much room you have. I don't just mean in the coop in isolation, but how much room total they have in coop, run, and maybe free range. When it is available is important too. It doesn't do any good for them to have a huge run if they are locked in the coop alone when they are awake. Allowing them to free range one hour a day doesn't help the rest of the day. When they are asleep it doesn't really matter but it can when they are awake. During integration you need even more room.

The second thing to consider is age. A mature hen outranks an immature pullet in the pecking order. I don't care about size of the individuals, I care about maturity. It's not that unusual for a bantam to dominate a full-sized hen if she has the personality. Normally a pullet is mature enough to enter the pecking order if she is laying. Until she is laying treat her as an immature chick, which requires even more room for integration. I integrate young chicks all the time so it can be done, but it does take more room.

As to your question, which was about breed, I'm not a big believer that you can predict the behavior of one or two hens based on breed. Breeds have general tendencies but there is a tremendous difference in individuals. You have to have enough of any breed for averages to mean anything, the individual differences are that strong. You mentioned yourself the differences in personality of your current two. I also believe the more room you have the less important those differences are.

Different flocks of the same breed have different tendencies too. Flock or breed tendencies are handed down partially by genetics. If the person selecting which chickens get to breed uses behaviors as on of the traits they select for you can develop a flock of any breed that's generally pretty laid back or generally aggressive. There is still going to be a lot of variation between individuals in any flock of any breed but you can have a flock of RIR, Barred Rock, or Orpington that is generally aggressive or generally laid back. You can have a flock of any of these that go broody a lot or that seldom go broody. Selecting based on behavioral traits is how breeds originally developed breed tendencies.

I have a lot of room and don't worry about potential personality conflicts based on breed. It's been a non-factor for me. I don't know what breeds are available to you and I'm not sure what traits you are looking for in your chickens. I'll assume egg laying. In that case I'd want a full-sized chicken, not a bantam. I'd want one that is not known to go broody a lot, they are not laying eggs when broody and they take extra management. Orpington are known to go broody but the two I had never did.

I don't know what other traits you are looking for or your general climate. Some people want pets they can cuddle so flighty birds are generally not good. Some birds do better in cold or hot climates. This type of thing could influence me in selecting breeds more than whether they are supposed to be aggressive or docile toward other birds.

Going through Henderson's Breed Chart is a great idea to help you select breeds you might be interested in. I'll give you a link. Knowing nothing about your climate, goals, or management techniques it's kind of difficult to make suggestions but I'd start looking at any of the Rocks, Wyandottes, Delaware, Buckeye, Dominique, Dorking, Leghorn, New Hampshire, Sussex, Marans, Welsummer, or maybe Chantecler.

Henderson's Breed Chart
http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

Good luck! In many ways it's hard to make a bad decision.