Help! Beginner seeking advice on breeds for first mixed flock!

[CanyonCoopKeeper]

Brand new chicken keeper very excited to get her first chickens! I’m looking to shave 2-5 hens out of the flock listed below, taking it from 17 to 12-15. I could really use some experienced advice about who to cut. A bit more context:

My dream is to have a mixed flock of about 1 to 3 hens each of a large variety of breeds. I know this makes it even more important that I pick the right breeds and number of hens for the space. But it also sounds very possible as long as I take care to match temperaments, size, and maybe double up on any particularly unique hens. I’ve tried to narrow it down to easy going hens (minus the maran) of standard size (minus the d’uccles and maybe the orp). Here is the current plan:
Salmon Faverolles x 2
Mottled Houdan x 2
Naked neck x 2
Buff Orp x 1
Cream leg bar x 1
Black astralorp x 1
Whiting true blue x 1
Whiting true green x 1
Well summer x 1
French black copper maran x 1
Belgian d’uccle x 2-4

How many bantams should I put in this flock? Are 2 d’uccles enough or should I definitely have 4?
I’ve heard faverolles do better if they have a buddy so put two on the list. Can I get away with one because she’s likely to be as comfortable with some of the other gentle ladies on the list as she is with another faverolles?
Am I correct about thinking 2 naked necks and 2 houdans is a must since they’re so different looking than the other ladies?
If I do need to keep all the above duplicates, then I need to remove a breed. But which one? The maran because she might bully these otherwise chill ladies? One of the other relatively standard and easygoing breeds because they’ll be easy to integrate later? (But which one of those sweeties to drop??)

Would love your thoughts on how to shave this flock of 17 down to 12-15! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this lengthy post!!

 

[GApeachmama]

Brand new chicken keeper very excited to get her first chickens! I’m looking to shave 2-5 hens out of the flock listed below, taking it from 17 to 12-15. I could really use some experienced advice about who to cut. A bit more context:

My dream is to have a mixed flock of about 1 to 3 hens each of a large variety of breeds. I know this makes it even more important that I pick the right breeds and number of hens for the space. But it also sounds very possible as long as I take care to match temperaments, size, and maybe double up on any particularly unique hens. I’ve tried to narrow it down to easy going hens (minus the maran) of standard size (minus the d’uccles and maybe the orp). Here is the current plan:
Salmon Faverolles x 2
Mottled Houdan x 2
Naked neck x 2
Buff Orp x 1
Cream leg bar x 1
Black astralorp x 1
Whiting true blue x 1
Whiting true green x 1
Well summer x 1
French black copper maran x 1
Belgian d’uccle x 2-4

How many bantams should I put in this flock? Are 2 d’uccles enough or should I definitely have 4?
I’ve heard faverolles do better if they have a buddy so put two on the list. Can I get away with one because she’s likely to be as comfortable with some of the other gentle ladies on the list as she is with another faverolles?
Am I correct about thinking 2 naked necks and 2 houdans is a must since they’re so different looking than the other ladies?
If I do need to keep all the above duplicates, then I need to remove a breed. But which one? The maran because she might bully these otherwise chill ladies? One of the other relatively standard and easygoing breeds because they’ll be easy to integrate later? (But which one of those sweeties to drop??)

Would love your thoughts on how to shave this flock of 17 down to 12-15! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this lengthy post!!

I personally would up the Buff Orpington and the Australorp at the expense of the d’uccle. My Australorp is my favorite. Sweet, docile let’s me hug her. My Buff was that way before the incident. She’s still sweet and docile though. I would happily have 2 more if each. I have a Salmon Faverolle she’s docile but mistrustful of everyone. She also keeps pecking flowers on my overalls and shoes. So I want to fight her. I’m compromised and biased.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I agree you need at least two Salmon Favs. They get bullied easily. Turkens are my favorites of all time. I haven’t had any bossy BCMs. I think your list looks good but keep in mind you will want more chickens eventually and it’s wise to keep a mixed-age flock to get eggs more often (like when your older ladies have a hard molt and stop laying) so you might consider getting half now and half in the spring. Plus having older hens is useful for showing the younger ones how and when to roost, etc.

 

[Mrs. K]

I am going to give advice, but probably not the advise you want or expect. What exactly are the measurements of your coop/run.

Instead of 12-15 birds, I would strongly encourage you to start with 8-10 birds. And 3-4 breeds. This will give you more space, it will give you some experience, but most importantly it will give you space to add chicks next year.

Sometimes when people start, they plan a forever flock imagining having the same birds for years. For the most part, this can backfire, but the biggest problem with this is the whole flock gets old all at once. If you completely fill the coop space the first year, you won't have any options.

I have had chickens for decades, and truthfully many the time, I have thought, I will like THIS breed, only to find, I really don't quite like them as much as I expected, and some accidental bird really works best in my flock. So it is better, to be aware, and adjust the birds in a flock than to try and make birds that don't get along for whatever reason into a flock.

The thing is, you have years to do this hobby, and there are many many aspects to this hobby, nothing is more fun than a broody hen with chicks.

Another advantage of not completely filling your coop, is you get to check how predator proof it is. Many a keeper has found out, that it is not quite as tight as one thought.

I like a ragtag bunch of birds in my flock, like what you are preposing, but often times you will get birds that don't work together no matter how you planned. I always try and solve for peace in the flock.

Some people can get bantam birds and standard sized birds to live together peacefully, a lot of people cannot. I would suggest not trying to do this with your first flock.

Mrs K

 

[Sally PB]

@CanyonCoopKeeper, before you think about how many of what breed, look at your set up. How big is your coop? How big is your run? Pictures of both would tell us more about what you have. Will you free range?

The most often quoted rule of thumb for space is 4 sq feet per chicken in the coop (more is better) and 10 sq feet in the run. These are considered the bare minimums, usually. But if your chickens will be free ranging on 5 acres, well, that is a very different set up. You can have what most people would say are very docile chicken breeds, but jammed into too small an area, any chicken can become stressed and exhibit behavior problems.

Where are you located? You can add that to your profile, and then people won't keep asking. We don't need to know your street address; just the state if you're in the US is fine, or country if your not. Climate matters. A lot. What works for me in Michigan is not the same as what works in Florida or Alaska.

Mrs. K gave you some great advice!

And,

Ask questions whenever you need to. The knowledge pool here is both wide and deep.

 

[Labsandchickens8]

Brand new chicken keeper very excited to get her first chickens! I’m looking to shave 2-5 hens out of the flock listed below, taking it from 17 to 12-15. I could really use some experienced advice about who to cut. A bit more context:

My dream is to have a mixed flock of about 1 to 3 hens each of a large variety of breeds. I know this makes it even more important that I pick the right breeds and number of hens for the space. But it also sounds very possible as long as I take care to match temperaments, size, and maybe double up on any particularly unique hens. I’ve tried to narrow it down to easy going hens (minus the maran) of standard size (minus the d’uccles and maybe the orp). Here is the current plan:
Salmon Faverolles x 2
Mottled Houdan x 2
Naked neck x 2
Buff Orp x 1
Cream leg bar x 1
Black astralorp x 1
Whiting true blue x 1
Whiting true green x 1
Well summer x 1
French black copper maran x 1
Belgian d’uccle x 2-4

How many bantams should I put in this flock? Are 2 d’uccles enough or should I definitely have 4?
I’ve heard faverolles do better if they have a buddy so put two on the list. Can I get away with one because she’s likely to be as comfortable with some of the other gentle ladies on the list as she is with another faverolles?
Am I correct about thinking 2 naked necks and 2 houdans is a must since they’re so different looking than the other ladies?
If I do need to keep all the above duplicates, then I need to remove a breed. But which one? The maran because she might bully these otherwise chill ladies? One of the other relatively standard and easygoing breeds because they’ll be easy to integrate later? (But which one of those sweeties to drop??)

Would love your thoughts on how to shave this flock of 17 down to 12-15! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this lengthy post!!

I love bantams but you can have problems with them getting bullied by the big chickens. I'd get 2 of some of the other breeds, instead of 1, so they all have a buddy. I did the same thing you're suggesting - just got 1 of most breeds because I was so excited to try different breeds. My poor bottom of the pecking order, a Speckled Sussex, has no friends and no one really looks like her so everyone hates her.

 

[Labsandchickens8]

I am going to give advice, but probably not the advise you want or expect. What exactly are the measurements of your coop/run.

Instead of 12-15 birds, I would strongly encourage you to start with 8-10 birds. And 3-4 breeds. This will give you more space, it will give you some experience, but most importantly it will give you space to add chicks next year.

Sometimes when people start, they plan a forever flock imagining having the same birds for years. For the most part, this can backfire, but the biggest problem with this is the whole flock gets old all at once. If you completely fill the coop space the first year, you won't have any options.

I have had chickens for decades, and truthfully many the time, I have thought, I will like THIS breed, only to find, I really don't quite like them as much as I expected, and some accidental bird really works best in my flock. So it is better, to be aware, and adjust the birds in a flock than to try and make birds that don't get along for whatever reason into a flock.

The thing is, you have years to do this hobby, and there are many many aspects to this hobby, nothing is more fun than a broody hen with chicks.

Another advantage of not completely filling your coop, is you get to check how predator proof it is. Many a keeper has found out, that it is not quite as tight as one thought.

I like a ragtag bunch of birds in my flock, like what you are preposing, but often times you will get birds that don't work together no matter how you planned. I always try and solve for peace in the flock.

Some people can get bantam birds and standard sized birds to live together peacefully, a lot of people cannot. I would suggest not trying to do this with your first flock.

Mrs K

Great advice!

 

[AshVau22]

I feel I'm better at encouraging people to get more chickens instead of less lol I will say space and lots of it will be your best asset to avoid bullying

 

[Labsandchickens8]

I agree you need at least two Salmon Favs. They get bullied easily. Turkens are my favorites of all time. I haven’t had any bossy BCMs. I think your list looks good but keep in mind you will want more chickens eventually and it’s wise to keep a mixed-age flock to get eggs more often (like when your older ladies have a hard molt and stop laying) so you might consider getting half now and half in the spring. Plus having older hens is useful for showing the younger ones how and when to roost, etc.

Or even get half of the flock now and half in 2 years, so they don't all age out at the same time.

 

[CanyonCoopKeeper]

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful and thorough replies already. I appreciate you sharing your experience, even when it seems like its news I don't want to hear. Appreciate your care for my future chickens and me. I will take a much more critical look at this list and cut it down to less breeds and chickens overall. Any recommendations for which of these breeds would be good to get my first year of chicken keeping vs. the second or third would be appreciated. Both orps are the only ones I've decided on for sure at the moment...

I'll also update my profile to include our climate and coop details, but have put it here too. I am in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It's mountainous and fairly dry. We live in a canyon mostly surrounded by pine forest. Temps (all farenheit) in summer generally 60-90, with the occasional hot spell in the 90s and rarely over 100. Winter usually in the 10s-40s, occasionally getting below zero. It will snow but generally melts within a few days. (Hardiness zone 5A). Hoping to avoid extra heat in the winter if I can. (In the process of meeting chicken keepers in my area and finding out what they do in winter.)

It's dark here now, but I will attach pictures of the coop, run, and yard areas in the morning. We've got 60 sq ft in the coop (a shed in the process of being revamped for chickens), 120 sq ft in the covered run, and a fenced-in yard of roughly 600 sq ft. These are all immobile so they will be staying in the same area and not free ranging (unless I can supervise them in a manner that would discourage getting poop in our yard, but I feel like that is probably impossible).