I am completely new, we just finished repairing our old pheasant coop and want to get laying chickens. Ive looked on a couple of sites to find some of the common breeds but i was wondering if you could have multiple breeds in one flock... i really like the pretty ones so im looking for good layers/pretty hens. Please help! thanks! p.s. i hope i put this in the right place...
yes, you can have multiple breeds, I always have. It makes it easier to get to know them, if they don't all look exactly alike. Also, I think it is a great idea so that you can experiment with different breeds, to see if there is one that really pleases you, or does easily well in your climate. More important than the breed, is the "what do you want them for?" If you want high egg producers, pick a breed for that trait. If you want your own broody hen so that eventually you could raise a clutch of eggs, don't just get egg producers. But it is probably best to pick a few good egglayer breeds, and a few dual purpose, might go broody breeds. I would stay away from real exotic birds, till you have a bit of experience. MrsK '
Check out our breeds section. If you buy the chicks locally, at your feed store, there will probably only be a few choices. I agree, it's nice to have different breeds so it's easy to tell them apart. Of course there will be little differences, especially in the combs, so if you only have two or three of a breed, you will probably know which is which. Silkies and polish chickens often have trouble living with others -- their top knots often get pulled out. Game breed roosters often can't live with each other. Otherwise, especially if you get all large fowl, you can certainly mix them up, I agree. Many people do. Good luck!
We started our flock of 5 last year. We are very happy that we did. How many hens do you plan on owning? We have plenty of eggs with 5 hens - enough to share with neighbors once in a while. Our Buff Orpington has been a sweet bird and our Delaware has been laying the largest eggs. The Welsummer has speckled eggs (most of the time). The Easter Eggers lay the green eggs - one lays a smaller egg than the other. I know which egg belongs to who. Have fun!
Okay - you want good layers - and good looking chickens. I'd go with Barred Rock, Easter Eggers, New Hampshire, Silver-Laced or Gold-Laced Wyandotte, Speckled Sussex, maybe a red or black sex link, and some kind of blue - a blue rock is gorgeous - I just love the grey feathers. Those are all good layers - and good looking - and you'll have a nice variety of colored eggs. Maybe throw in a leghorn (light brown, Exchequer) for white eggs, too.
We have 5 chickens, all different breeds. We have an OEGB, barred rock, columbian wyandotte, mutt (our best layer and very nice looking), and an ameraucana. They all get along perfectly. I totally recomend getting a mixed flock. They all have seperate personalities. Wyandottes are a good breed because they will lay right through the winter, look nice, and cold doesn't affect them in the same way it does to other breeds. Many cross breeds like ours, Skittles (look at my avatar) look nice as well as lay as well or better than purebreds. They can also be much healthier than their counterparts. Araucanas and ameraucanas are both nice breeds and lay green and blue eggs. Be careful though because most "ameraucanas" are actually easter eggers which are cross bred chickens that look like ameraucanas. They are also great birds and have a reputation for being hostile towards cats, which can be good. Good luck!
