Is it bad if all of my chickens are different breeds

[bobbi-j]

Uuhh, a pretty one?

Seriously, I don't know what his breeding is. Daddy would have been a black sex link of some type, and my best guesses for momma are a speckled Sussex or a Welsummer. I'm at the point where I have mixes of mixes and am not 100% sure who comes from who! He is on my short list of keeper roosters, though, just cause all my guys love his color and he's not obnoxious.

Ooh! He's a beauty!

 

[mammat]

All of mine are mixed together even silkies and d' uccles. They get along well. I think the one that are the same color hang out together!

 

[Chickens R Us]

Uuhh, a pretty one?

Seriously, I don't know what his breeding is. Daddy would have been a black sex link of some type, and my best guesses for momma are a speckled Sussex or a Welsummer. I'm at the point where I have mixes of mixes and am not 100% sure who comes from who! He is on my short list of keeper roosters, though, just cause all my guys love his color and he's not obnoxious.

If he's not obnoxious that means he has Beauty and Brains he's the total package. lol

 

[LivingTheDream65]

I had 4 hens. A barred rock, red sex link, buff orphington and a rhode island red. The rhode island red was too high strung and picked on the barred rock then the red sex link would go after the rhode island red to protect the barred rock. The buff orphington never got picked on and never picked on anyone else. Next time I get chicks I'm going to get all the same kind just to see the difference in how they all get along.

 

[roostereggs]

My 8 are made up of 5 breeds, and I love it! I am about to put 7 breeds in the bator next week, for my second/Christmas flock. Then I have one more coop & run for my Easter flock of banties + ducklings. After that my dh better get building!

 

[nica fischer]

i have 3 hens and they are all diferent breeds and it has never been a problem

 

[nica fischer]

one of my chickens picked on the others too...
that is why we only have 3 not 4

did we do the right thing?

 

[nica fischer]

All of mine are mixed together even silkies and d' uccles. They get along well. I think the one that are the same color hang out together!

you think the "ONES" that are the same color hang out together

 

[EggSighted4Life]

you think the "ONES" that are the same color hang out together

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Just a quick note that this specific thread hasn't been active in 3 years....

But I have a large flock, usually over 40. I have a variety of breeds including silkie and polish bantams. All chickens free range and roost together without issue as long as there is enough hiding places for the more docile breeds to escape the advances of aggressors. And visual barriers so they don't just come from across the way to pick on them.

I've been trying to decide if it's true that "birds of a feather flock together"... and I think their may just be some truth to it!

I love having plenty of eye candy in the pasture. And being able to tell their eggs apart is a great way to be clued in oh health and laying practices of an individual bird. Plus I feel like a kid when I get to see the variety of egg colors I collect each day.

Chickens will always have some picking among them... it's called the pecking order. You may have had an actual bully that needed to go, or it may have been normal and you just weren't used to it. For me a flock of 3 is the minimum acceptable number. However there are many variables including which breed, how much space you have, your weather, and your management practices. One thing about chicken keeping... aside from keeping it humane, there is NO right or wrong answer. The only thing is what is right for YOU! What works for one in a location might not work for another at a different location. Just try to remember if it isn't working FOR YOU, it isn't working!

And any issue you face has probably been faced already, with tons of helpful people willing to share their challenges and solutions right here. BYC is a great community and I hope you very much enjoy being a part of it!