Expanding flock this spring, stick to same breed or Can I diversify?

[TurkeyJohn]

Hey Folks,

Have 3 lovely sex-linked ladies that we've had for almost a year now. Love them to pieces and can't imagine life without chickens now. Looking at expanding the flock this spring. Figure that as the girls get older, the egg production will decrease and think that if I bring on some "rookies" to supplement the "veterans" it would help. My coop is large enough to likely house up to 12, but only going 3 at a time.

Begs the question though, can I bring in a different breed of chicken without problems or am I better off to stick with the sex-links that I have now? Also, how long do the sex links live? I did originally think I'd process the girls when they grew too old, but now, I'm thinking that I'd like to see them just fall asleep on the roost and not wake up when the time comes for them. They've become pets with benefits after all. Can't imagine eating my friends,

Let me know if you could and thanks in advance,

TurkeyJohn

 

[Mattsiewrt94]

Yeah you can mix any breeds together just be a little careful don't get just one bird that has feathers on there feet or on top of there head and the rest don't at least get 2 of the ones that are really dufferent like that I have all kinds of chickens and they all get along just fine

 

[Mattsiewrt94]

Lol just thought I'd show you

 

[3KillerBs]

Not counting the rooster, I've got 2 Delawares, 2 Dark Brahmas, 1 Australorp, and 1 Black Langshan.

They look very pretty out there with their Light Brahma rooster.

 

[donrae]

If you stick with any dual purpose or light laying/production breed, you'll be fine. Some folks have issues adding birds like Polish or silkies, ornamental breeds like that. But Rocks, Orpingtons, Sussex, Wyandottes, Leghorns, etc will all do just fine. I love having a mixed flock, like the visual variety.

 

[red horse ranch]

I have between 15 and 20 breeds of chickens plus a lot of mixed breeds including polish and feather legged ones. Having a variety is a lot of fun and it's easier to tell them apart when you name them.

 

[TurkeyJohn]

Thanks for the input everyone,

Seems it's a free for all as long as I do get groups of 3 or so to spread any bullying,

TurkeyJohn

 

[808inVA]

The only issues I had mixing was due to age, not variety. Ive got 3 roosters (Rhode Island Red, Buff Orpington, and Plymouth Rock)that get along for the most part unless one is mounting a hen that belongs to another; my hens consist of two red sex-links, a golden comet, a buff orpington, two barred rocks, a silver laced Wyandotte, and a speckled Sussex. I also have a mallard duck that gets mated by the Rhode Island Red a lot, other than when he has her pinned down shes allowed to mingle with the flock and act like a chicken.