Mixed Flock or Not?

[PirateFarmer]

Thanks, Photoman! Just what I needed in info!

 

[kathychick]

Okay. It is official.

My chicks are set for April 8th. After a lot of mix or not

We are visiting friends up near Meyer's and we are getting a mixed flock of one each:
Barred Rock
Golden Laced Wyandotte
Buckeye
Welsummer
Salmon Faverolle
Black Australorp
Golden Buff

YAHOO!!!

I finally get to post pics of MY chicks and brooder and coop!!!

 

[Betsy57]

Okay. It is official.

My chicks are set for April 8th. After a lot of mix or not

We are visiting friends up near Meyer's and we are getting a mixed flock of one each:
Barred Rock
Golden Laced Wyandotte
Buckeye
Welsummer
Salmon Faverolle
Black Australorp
Golden Buff

YAHOO!!!

I finally get to post pics of MY chicks and brooder and coop!!!

Yeah! You made the plunge! I've had the BR, GLW, BA and GB and they're all very friendly and good layers. The GB's were the most prolific. Are you getting a rooster? You gotta have one, they're great protectors for your gals and watching their interaction is very entertaining. The BAs make GREAT roosters.

 

[kathychick]

We are not allowed to have roosters but we do have 2 puppies which will be growing up with the girls. Until they can protect them we will be in the yard a lot preparing to open the garden.

When we move next we will watch do zoning so we can get a roo. That will be later in the year. So more questions for me to ask in 10 months.

 

[Betsy57]

We are not allowed to have roosters but we do have 2 puppies which will be growing up with the girls. Until they can protect them we will be in the yard a lot preparing to open the garden.

When we move next we will watch do zoning so we can get a roo. That will be later in the year. So more questions for me to ask in 10 months.

You'll enjoy your gals but be careful! They're addictive! Check out the Chicken Math posts! Theyre fun to watch interact and care for. God bless you and your gals to come!

 

[kathychick]

The girls are finally here. They didn't have any Salmon Favs so we have 2 Barred Rocks.

They are more interested I pecking at the ground than their food but they have only been in the brooder less than one hour.

Barred rock (2)
Golden laced Wyandotte
Buckeye
Welsummer
Black Australorp
Golden Buff

 

[TallChickMagnet]

The girls are finally here. They didn't have any Salmon Favs so we have 2 Barred Rocks.

They are more interested I pecking at the ground than their food but they have only been in the brooder less than one hour.

Barred rock (2)
Golden laced Wyandotte
Buckeye
Welsummer
Black Australorp
Golden Buff

Congrats!!!!​

 

[BrendaJ]

Watch out! Chickens are a gateway drug. Now I have ducks and geese too!

OMG so very true

 

[lazy gardener]

For those with mixed flocks - do certain breeds get along better than others?

Like you, I put a lot of thought into the process. My criteria was: small large fowl bird (that's quite an oxymoron, kind of like jumbo shrimp, but i digress...) non aggressive, non flighty, quiet... not sure how that one will work out, very cold tolerant, tolerant of confinement, but reputed to be good foragers. I also wanted to support renewal of heritage breeds. Heavy laying ability took a back seat. I chose Dominique as my must have, and added Ameraucana, but couldn't get those, so ended up with Dominique, EE, in addition to the Black Sex link and RIR that I hatched to trial success with home made incubator.

My thought process re: one breed vs a mixed flock is: If you're planning to breed and want to produce pure birds instead of mutts, get a single breed. But if you just want the fun of having BYC, get a mixed flock. I'd avoid birds that were terribly different such as the mop headed birds, because I've heard that traditional feathered birds sometimes pick on the odd ones because they look different. If I'm going to make a flower arrangement, I strive for a mixture of colors, textures, and shapes. I consider my hens to be a fowl bouquet. FYI: Next spring, I may get an Ameraucana black rooster to go with my hens. Hoping that he'll produce a sex linked olive egger when crossing with my Doms. BTW: I highly recommend Dominique! Wonderful little birds.

 

[lazy gardener]

The girls are finally here. They didn't have any Salmon Favs so we have 2 Barred Rocks.

They are more interested I pecking at the ground than their food but they have only been in the brooder less than one hour.

Barred rock (2)
Golden laced Wyandotte
Buckeye
Welsummer
Black Australorp
Golden Buff

Nice choices. You'll have fun with them. If they're still not eating well, you might try sprinkling some feed on the paper towels to start.