Keeping different breeds all together? (Millie and Australorp)

[Faded Intimacy]

I'm going to be building my coop and run soon, and I'm narrowing down the breeds of chicken I want. I REALLY want a Millie Fleur D'uccle; but due to poor egg production I wouldnt be able to eat the eggs... So I wanted to get a few Australorps to produce eggs.
But heres my question. I'm limited to ONE coop, and ONE run. I could PROBABLY split it and just bat my eyes at Daddy, but I'd actually like to keep them all together. My plan is 1 Millie Rooster, 2 Millie Hens; 1 Australorp Rooster, 2 Australorp hens.
BUT, I also know fights can occour, and then I'd have to worry about that, not to mention knowing my luck the austra. hens would go with my millie rooster or visa versa.
Can that even happen? Like. Mutts?
I'm just wondering how I can do this I guess o_o;?

 

[airmom1c05]

One rooster for 8 to 10 hens is recommended. If you want to keep your breeds pure, you will have to separate them. I would just get one rooster if I were you. I would get the rooster to match the hens you would most like to raise. To prevent having mixed breed chickens, you will have to know the difference in the hen's eggs and simply collect and eat the eggs of the breed you aren't trying to hatch. You can eat fertile eggs if you gather the eggs frequently, meaning once or twice a day as necessary. Hope this helps!

 

[hooligan]

All of my chickens are different, well almost all

I have had 2 roos for 8 hens with no problems but I know that I am lucky in that.
I also have 4 Cornish X roos that are in their own space and they get along fine.
I wouldn't recommend this for anyone, as its not the most common thing to work but it can happen.
good luck and let us know what you do

And yep, if the roo can get to the hens you can get mutts, they are not just attracted to their own breed

 

[juice]

interesting post. Does this mean we should not mix breeds if we don't have roosters either? I mean do they have different personalites/among the breeds? Do 'birds of a feather' really stick together? thanks, juice

 

[Msbear]

I've never had any problems with over breeding. I guess it is "recommended" but many breeders have a pair separate from everyone if they think something special could be had out of the two. I guess it depends on the roo. If he's a problem, time for a new one

I have two hens to a roo with my bantam cochin trios and my rosecombs...actually, right now it's just a pair...

long story...

Anyways, here's a duplex coop I just built to accommodate trios in separate housing. Hubby's adding doors to the run any day now

for alternating freeranging. This is a great way to keep two breeds (I almost got D'uccles too....Im just going to try for mille cochins now instead...I compromised

You can see in this pic...for a while it was 3 roos and 2 hens and I never saw them do the deed

edited to say: as long as a hen is not incubating the fertilized eggs, they will fare well in the nest for a few days or so...no problemo

 

[Mahonri]

I have one barred rock that my kids call, Queenie, the Demon Barred Rock.. We checked her today and at almost 8 months she still hasn't laid an egg so she will be the first we will process. I suppose it could have been one of my other varieties, but this is one we will be happy to eat.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Juice you can have many different breeds together successfully, many people do.
It helps to consider the personality of the breed(s) you are considering. For example, I have LF brahmas. It wouldn't be a good idea for me to get a tiny little bantam breed that's timid, because they'd be no match for my brutes. I'm looking at adding a second breed and want to get something that matches my brahmas in relative size and temperment. I also wouldn't want my 12 lb. rooster attempting to mate a banty hen, simply because he'd crush her. As far as them being mutts go, it makes no difference unless you want to breed and sell the offspring as purebreds. Many backyard flocks consist of nothing but "mutts" and do just fine.

 

[Joy1]

I have a mixture of silkies, polish,wyandottes,welsummers, marans and a leghorn/welsummer. The leghorn/welsummer are the ones who square up to each other occasionally but nothing serious.

 

[chickenma]

All of my chickens are together. And I have a lot different ones too.
Even the ducks that are with the chickens are okay.
When it's really cold they sit togheter as a big group.
I gues I'm the lucky one with my chickens and ducks. And my dog goes well with all of them too.

 

[magikchick]

I have standard and bantam cochins as well as a few silkies. They all free range togeather. It's fun to watch how they interact. My little black banty hen is somewhat of a bully and will bite the big hens on the butt to make them move off of food.