Flock diversity

[DonO]

Ok, I am very new to this chicken thing as i have not yet invested in my first flock, but I am leaning toward having four different breeds in my 8 hen flock. Mostly because I like the looks of them and I want to 'experiment' (<--not in a wierd way) with how the different breeds do in my coop and run. I am thinking of having 2 Rhode Island Reds, 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks, and four others in sets of 2 of either Sussex, Black Sexlinks, Red Sexlinks or Australorps. Is there any good reason I should not diversify my flock??

Details;
The flock will be in a coop with a 6' x 12' run and access to the yard on a daily basis but not all day.
In the city in a backyard coop. SLC Utah with about 3 good months of snow and about 5 months of cold weather.
Egg layers only no Roo's so no hatchlings

Thanks in advance-
DonO

 

[Colored Egg Farmer]

I can't think of any good reason to not deversify other than if you were a breeder you would want to work with only a few breeds at a time. The only other thing would be on size but it looks like you wouldn't have an issue with that. I have had up to 10 different breeds in one flock and it acutally helps out sometimes certain breeds dont' lay as much as others so instead of loosing almost all production you can rely on the other breeds to keep goign while the slackers take there break.

 

[chickerdoodle]

I think pairs of each breed is great

. You may wish to get chickens that can handle cold weather well and have small combs so they are not as prone to frostbite. It would be a good idea to let them have the 4" side of a 2x4 to roost on so they can cover their feet with their feathers for warmth. Do a bit more research on breeds (if you haven't already) to be sure your choices are good ones. Oh and

 

[darkroo]

Why would you want them all to look the same. Silkies 2 black, 2 white, 1 blue, 1 red, and 1 partridge. Bantam, 1 gold lase cochin, 1 splash EE, 1 barred cochin, Regular size 1 red sex link, and 1 orange and white EE'er. I hadn't planned on two of any 1 kind but it just worked out that way. My full size birds are younger than the bantams and silkies although 3 times bigger and at the bottom of the order. It always makes me laugh watching a little chicken given it to a bird so much bigger than itself. Most of the time they get along real well. but when the black silkies go broody they will run all the way across the yard to get the big girls.