Mixed Flock or Not?

[kathychick]

I've been reading chicken catalogs in anticipation of our first order this spring. I read the behaviors of chickens. Reading all the reviews here in BYC.

What do you think? A mixed flock or a single breed and why?

 

[salt and pepper]

I would definitely get a mixed flock. you get so much personality, color, and different cored eggs!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

It is good to have variety, it doesn't hurt anything, I don't personally have any idea why I like mixed flocks I think I just like the different colours, sizes, and feathering. Just having one breed is kind of boring to me! I think I really just comes down to personal opinion in the end though!

 

[kathychick]

She is a Shih Tzu. Queen of all she surveys.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Our first year with chickens to find out if we were chicken people we purchased cheap hatchery chicks at our local Agway in the spring. We brooded in a tote with normal bulb in dry wall light and had a make **** coop over summer; childs plastic playhouse with roost poles installed sitting on old half sheet of plywood and latches put on door and shutters. Little money into everything and had several breeds to be introduced to. By the end of that summer we we're hooked so built a permanent coop and realized we like the personality of Plymouth Rocks.

Now that we are Plymouth Rock folks we've been working on a pure Rock flock. For color diversity we went with Blue Rocks. Shipped eggs to my area just don't fair that well so it's taken a few years to get there but this spring we'll only be hatching our own eggs and working on the breed from there.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I have a very, very mixed flock. Heck, even most of the chickens themselves are mixed!

The pure breeds I have are Rhode Island Red (great at foraging!) Amarauncana/Easter Egger depending on who you ask (LOVE the green and blue eggs!), Red Sex Link (They have just started laying, so I can't really tell you much about them except they aren't very friendly) Buff Orpington, Silkies, and standard sized Cochins. The silkies and the cochins are not laying yet, but they sure are pretty! I really like all of them, even (or maybe especially....) the mutts. They each have such a personality!

 

[want brahmas 2]

I've been reading chicken catalogs in anticipation of our first order this spring. I read the behaviors of chickens. Reading all the reviews here in BYC.
What do you think? A mixed flock or a single breed and why?

ok i read 4 pages on this forum and not one told you about the beauty of a flock of large brahmas this is a flock of dark brahmas the roosters and hens have a beautiful contrast of color males are black with silver on neck wings and saddle feathers while the hen are a silver pencile very beautiful and this is only one color you get light brahmas whitch is the light columbian patteren and buff brahmas whitch looks like the light but instead of white you have buff they are in the american poulty standard (APA) then there are other colors of brahmas like silver laced beautiful color looks like the silver laced wyndots buff laced brahmas another beautiful patteren guys are working on blue laced red brahmas and blue brahmas then one thats close to my heart it gold partridge brahma well thats alot of the colors you can get but not much about them well here we go besides the obvious reasons of size and beauty they are very doscile birds friendly good layers of a large brown egg varrying in color from light to darker brown very cold resistent and do good with summer to . they will set but not all will go broody on you thety take about 2 years to reach full maturety . the first year they reach there hight but through the second year they fill out and truley become THE MAJESTIC ONES as they are named well to all that posted on this page i dare you to try some brahmas . then whatch out because all your other birds will start to move to the back ground and one becomes 2 and so on soon you will be looking for breeders so you can see what they really look like they are way more beautiful and bigger then hatchery birds well give them a try and dont get mad if after awhile you want a flock of standard brahmas ps nothing plain about the birds in the picture if you want more pics google BRAHMA CHICKENS and click on images you will see all i told you about and more good luck and have fun thank you john

 

[MelissaZeno]

This is a really good post, thank you. I will be ordering my first batch of chicks in Dec and I want a mixed flock. So here is a something I would like to know, most of the chickens I have chosen are regular size, my kids want a black or blue silkie. Does anyone think this will become an issue, with the size and feather differences?
Thank you for you information and help!

 

[Peeps61]

I really enjoy them! The different breeds have different personalities and habits, but they are all individuals too. I'm looking forward to getting my large coop built this weekend. In a few weeks, I can move the chicks to the chicken tractor and have the hens and the chicks together, but with the pen fence in between them. That way, they can integrate into the flock more easily because the hens will know them by that time. I'll have a total of 11 hens then.

 

[mumofsix]

Thanks ! Yes ! Ms .Buffy is a Buff Brahma. She acts shy I think it may be that She knows She is Pretty.LOL I have a few more Brahmas but they are the light brahmas . But really She is My Favorite. .I can say this about My Chickens but Not the Children .

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