Mixed Flock or Not?

[raycrlsbd]

I have a small flock 2 of each breed. It is wonderful having different girls. They tend to lay different times. They have a variety of personalities and habits. All in all quite the entertaining flock.

 

[momsp8]

Mixed flocks are fun. I love watching the different colored hens running around. And, with my small flock (4 hens) I know exactly which hen lays which egg, which is fun, too.
One note, if you live close to a hatchery, that's great, but for us poor folks, it saves a LOT of money in shipping to just get chicks in the late winter/early spring from a local farm store. Of course, if you want to get them to raise over winter so they will be laying in spring, then you gotta do what you gotta do...as long as you have somewhere set up to raise chicks all winter.

 

[tammyfarms]

I have a mixed flock which I adore. The adults include an Americana roo which is very docile, Americana hen, barred rock hens, dominique hens, rhode island hens, a few rhode island red mix hens (probably mixed with game birds). All are very docile and friendly to each other except the RIRs and RIR mixes. This fall I purchased three light brahamas which are by far the friendliest most curious birds I have had. They are about 8 weeks old and getting huge. I love them and can see why John has been praising them so highly. Thankfully when I bought straight run chicks one was a roo and two are hens. I am lucky in that I have an "old coop" and seperate run so I can keep them seperate and not worry about mixing breeds. When I hatched eggs earlier this year, I hatched only americanas as the eggs are easy to tell from others.

If you want to raise chickens, then probably only one type or multiple coops is recommended. Someone else mentioned cross breeding, there are many different schools of thought on that, and I suppose that raising even one breed could be just as bad if you don't know what you are doing. What i am thinking is that breeding poor quality birds of one breed might be as bad as cross breeding. Does this make sense? This is something I am personally struggling with as my birds came from local folks and I don't know enough about birds to really know what their quality is. I really am not sure where to start. I don't want to change the topic of this post, but is there a section for breeders? Even if someone lists themselves as a breeder, how do you know if their birds are quality birds?

 

[Phottoman]

I started out with two RIR's, but the dog found them that night so I went back to the feed store the next day and bought two more RIR's. Then a week later I went back to the feed store and bought seven more, mixed (I thought) and was really pleased with what I got. I "lost" one of those and wound up with eight chickens, 2 RIR's, four light Brahma's, one dark Brahma, and a golden brown Brahma bantam. The color of the eggs is from light green and darker green (the RIR's turned out to be a mix with some EE thrown in) to light brown and dark brown, none with speckles.

At eight weeks old these went out into the yard and I replaced them in the brooder with five leghorns and five Black Australops. These are now in a separate coop and I get white eggs from the leghorns, and dark brown eggs from the Australops. I lost one of the BA's, in the brooder, but all the rest are just wonderful birds.

They all free range together for most of any day, one huge heard of chickens roaming around the yard together all day, then at night they all go to their separate coops and wait for me to lock them up.

I talk to all of them, they answer, and all want to be picked up. They ALL come running when I call out "Here chickie, chickie." It's really fun to watch.

The Brahma Bantam has been broody now for several weeks, and if I knew where to get some day old chicks RIGHT NOW, I would replace her golf balls (she puts ALL of them under her, even when I take them all away and replace them in the various laying boxes), and I think it's going to break her tiny little heart when she doesn't have REAL chicks to mother. She is from the first group I bought in late March, so she is just eight months old.

(edited to include the following)

My vote HAS to be get a mixed flock.

I had to come back to this and tell you all about the eggs I get. I have been keeping track for several weeks now, but in the past FOUR DAYS I have been gifted with

11/15 7 brown 7 white 2 green
11/16 12 brown 6 white 2 green
11/17 6 brown 5 white 1 green
11/18 7 brown 5 white 2 green

I have NO IDEA how I got 20 eggs in one day from 17 chickens, especially when one is broody and not laying,. but that's what my records are showing.

And remember, days are shorter, and they are only eight and six months old.

Skip

 

[dlgd]

Mixed flock...you betcha! I have mostly bantams...let's see...Amerucania, brahaman, seabrite, cochin, mixed spanish white face/cochin, mixed spanish/leghorn(NOT a preferred mix!) Mixed Amerucania/ Spanish, partridge rock, Polish. They get along because I tell them they HAVE to get along (yes, I'm grand-puba) My leghorn mix are the hardest to train, but they know the rules...NO FIGHTING ALLOWED! They complain about the others ALL the time, but they "listen" to Mom.
I LOVE their different personalities and wouldn't have it any other way...even the leghorns!
Does it make for an interesting mix...yep...but they're worth it!
I love my girlies.

 

[dlgd]

Dunlap hatchery out of Caldwell, Id. is a good place to order chicks. One of the oldest in the nation.
dldg

 

[cortner1195]

I too, have a mixed flock. I started last spring with 8 pullets. 4 RIR's 2 Barred Rocks, 2 SLW's. Of the original 8 we had 3 roosters. I found homes for all three. My husband then purchased 6 chicks. 3 buff O's, 3 leghorn cross?. We lost one buff to dog attack. All three whites turned out to be roosters.

When I started the second group of chicks the plan was to use them to fill out our flock, and two other new chicken owners, rooster loss. All of us had near 50% roosters from pullets. We all bought form a local feed store. When the six were fully feathered out I closed off half of my coop with chicken wire. I put three of the chicks there, and three to a friend to finish out. My five original hens were on full attack mode. The wire was nearly destroyed. I kept them separated by wire for at least a month. Once I mixed them together the olders were still on attack. They trapped my three youngers under the house. Now that all are full size, the younger ones still will not leave the house into the enclosure. They will come out into the pasture with the others, but always on the outside of the flock. Never part of the mix. I have clearly made a huge mistake here and need help for this coming spring!

I don't really want to go back to the feed store, but I only want 5-6 more chicks. My group of friends all bought from the same source, and we all had nearly 50% roosters. We have two feed store chains in our city, and they both use the same hatchery. It may be the one listed on an earlier post here. It is supposed to be the largest hatchery in Idaho. I REALLY don't want to have to find homes for more roosters. What is my best option for finding healthy, happy hens??

Most importantly: How do I integrate the new ones next spring into my flock and have them blend in? I gave my remaining buff to my boss to be with her remaining buff. They never blended in well with our flocks. At least they can be together. I have put lots of time and effort into raising these chickens. 14 in all and I have 5 hens to show for it. I am a bit heartbroken, if also a bit realistic.

Any advice would be most appreciated.

 

[TallChickMagnet]

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?

My signature says it all. As for the why: I think that you learn more and get to really figure which ones will be your favorite.

 

[hennotrooster]

I have 2 Sussex hens (Rachel and Phoebe) and they are the meanest creatures I have ever seen. They would come running up on us from behind and take a good poke at the back of our legs, drew blood more than once on me. We did have a roo that became too aggressive during feeding and just in general with the new hens, he is no longer with us.

Now that the roo is gone Rachel mounts the new hens while Phoebe pokes at their heads pulling feathers out. We tried separation no luck but they do this when I go out to the yard and it is to my Speckles RIR/BO as are her sisters and they do not fight back. These are friendly girls and do like to be petted but Speckles comes to you for this attention. Rachel and Phoebe have chased and taken a good poke at my dog (yorkie chihuahua mix) so she is afraid

of all chickens. Rachel has always been mean she would from the time we got her home poke at my finger thought it was cute at first and she claimed her position as head hen within a couple of days. Phoebe was much calmer but not any friendlier. Never would buy another Sussex again but they are excellent layers and laid straight through last winter Phoebe stopped in April.

Even with the problems they are great to watch and very entertaining. Love my hens and the bonus daily eggs 5 of my 6 lay every day.

 

[aoxa]

I like variety.

Just a few of the breeds I keep