is this a good mix?

[egglicious]

I am a brand newbie and I am ordering chickens today!! I was thinking of getting:

1 Speckled Sussex
1 golden laced wyandotte
1 Red star
2 bantams, maybe silkie or buff Brahma

I don't want my girls to fight and I am slightly worried about the wyandotte being too broody.. any thought? I'll probably end up with three banties because a friend of mine is giving me an older silkie in a few months... anyway, please let me know what you think of this combo! Much appreciated.

 

[Ken F]

I don't have any experience with bantams, but I do have the other three breeds. I have Columbian Wyandottes and 3 of my 5 have gone broody at least once, two of them twice, in their first year. Two are sitting on eggs right now. They are excellent mothers.
All these breeds are good layers, but not the best.

I'd be interested to hear what people think of combining large fowl with bantams....

Good luck.

 

[donrae]

Sounds like a beautiful, colorful flock!

 

[egglicious]

@ Ken, hmmm.. I don't really know if I want broody birds all the time! Do you have a suggestion for another breed that isn't so broody, lays really well and probably won't fly over my fence? The wyandottes are just so gorgeous, but idk if it is worth it because I really don't want to have chicks around. Would be lovely but too much work..

 

[essig]

I have large fowl and bantams mixed with no problems. Silkies are very very broody and don't lay very much. I really enjoy australorps and orpingtons. They are friendly and lay a lot of eggs.

 

[duckboatprincess]

Don't get any roosters and you'll never have to worry about chicks being around.

 

[egglicious]

@ essig - thanks for the info! I know silkies are broody and don't lay much, I forgot to mention that they were just for fun! What kind of bantams do you have? Do they lay well? I just don't want them to fly away and I thought silkies were the only bantams that didn't fly well.

I don't care that much if the bantams lay but it would be cute having tiny eggs for my toddler!

 

[egglicious]

Wow, I just realized my posts here are making me look like I know even less than I actually do! I do know that you need roosters for chicks lol. What I meant was, the way I look at it why have a broody hen when you don't want chicks? Isn't it just annoying? I really don't know since I have never had chickens..

 

[Alabama ee]

You might want to add an Ameraucana. The blue or green eggs are fun.

 

[egglicious]

Alabama- I thought about that! Do they fly much?