First time, 3 chickens - 3 breeds or one?

[Celticdragonfly]

So we having been dancing around the idea of Doing The Chicken thing for a year or so now, and it looks like it's finally happening. We are allowed to have 3 hens where we live.

I'm wondering whether we should get three different breeds, or all one breed?

If we have three different ones - we can easily tell birds 1, 2, and 3 from each other, and get to know what they're like individually more easily. As opposed to "the brown one is friendly ... there's three brown ones..."

If we pick, say, an Americauna, a sex-link, and a Leghorn - then we'd have three different egg colors, and could know who's actually laying.

However - one of the articles I was reading in the starter area earlier was warning about doing this, because not all breeds get along well together. So I started to think maybe this is a bad idea. Then again, a little farther down in the starter area - there's an article on having a colorful egg basket by picking different color egg layers! So - is this a good idea, or a bad idea?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Good. Just don't overcrowd your birds, and try to pick ones that are of similar temperament and/or size.

 

[Cyprus]

Good. But do not put crested breeds in with non crested breeds. Seriously, don't.

 

[LeoPig]

It's a great idea! I have 4 different breeds and they get along fine. It is nice to know who's who from the start. Have fun!

 

[Alexandra33]

Sounds good to me! I'm all in favor of mixed flocks.

because not all breeds get along well together.

Not in my experience. Like I posted earlier on another thread, it seems to be more a matter of individual temperament, rather than breed. ANY bird, regardless of breed, can bear tendencies towards bullying. My Silkies (both genders) beat the snot out of standards and fellow bantams on a daily basis. So much for meek and mellow, right?

~Alex

 

[Celticdragonfly]

Good. But do not put crested breeds in with non crested breeds. Seriously, don't.

Okay - I don't actually know what crested breeds are yet, but I don't think anything we were considering is that. Thanks.

 

[Little Jerry Seinfeld]

Variety is the soice of life as they say, and its so delightful to have a multi colored egg basket! I agree with the orhers, try to choose similar sized birds, but if raised from chicks they will likely all get along anyway. I accidentally had a pretty small bantam grow up with my large easter eggers and they got along fine til i decided to sell her(when the roo started getting hormal seemed unfair for the tiny dear...)

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Its not a bad idea, but as others said, watch the crested with others. As you can see in my signature, I have a completely mixed flock. The only trouble I have right now is that everybody keeps pecking my araucana/ameraucana cross' muffs off.

 

[Percheron chick]

Great idea and a really nice selection of breeds that should all get along fine.

 

[Celticdragonfly]

Okay. Today we asked the Russell Feed store to special order for us. Pullets, 1 Easter Egger, 1 red sex link, 1 Ideal 236 (Leghorn hybrid)