Mixed flock versus single breed flock - pros and cons? Which do you keep?

[chkva]

I have a mixed flock, I like variety and seeing all the different patterns and colors among my flock. I have an Oliver Egger, Red Sex Links, Barred Rock, Delaware, and Jersey Giants. I also like collecting a variety of eggs for my family and everyone knows what egg comes from what chicken. We actually all prefer a certain chickens egg so it's like our own personal chef in the yard I'm most likely going to keep adding every year a new breed just to make sure I always have new layers and old layers, but then I'll have the problem of too many eggs.

We are thinking about doing ducks, but I don't want males because I have no use for them. And I heard getting a goose is good for protecting your flock, I've never had a goose so I'm unsure how they truly are.

 

[Chickassan]

I have a mixed flock with the option to have more purebreds if I wanted due to the rooster having ladies of his own breed.
Iv'e had purebred flocks many times but found it extremely difficult to properly keep tabs on them even with banding.
I don't have that issue whatsoever now.

 

[danceswithronin]

I have a mixed flock with the option to have more purebreds if I wanted due to the rooster having ladies of his own breed.
Iv'e had purebred flocks many times but found it extremely difficult to properly keep tabs on them even with banding.
I don't have that issue whatsoever now.

Being able to tell them apart is definitely a concern of mine, I had two white silkies last year and the only way I could tell them apart (without looking really closely anyway - at night, forget about it) was because I had dyed one of their top knots with Pick No More, so one always sported a big pink afro.

 

[Rooster_Tyranny]

I have yet to see any evidence that keeping a mixed flock benefits the chicken in any way and there is now mounting evidence that in fact the opposite is true and mixed flocks engender behavior and breeding problems not found in single breed flocks, I intend to add to this 'mounting evidence' as do a few other chicken keepers.

Interesting! You mind telling me what those benefits and non-benefits are? Your idea of an "issue" may be very different from what other people would consider one.

 

[OsceolaMomma]

Some EE's I bred by mixing various hatchery breeds, Speckled Sussex, Black Austalorp, Delaware, Buff Orpington, Buff Rock, plus I got some Ameraucana from a breeder to get the blue egg gene. It took a few years of selective breeding but these hens laid a lot of decent sized blue and green eggs and practically every one went broody at least once a season, traits I bred for. EE's are not a breed. There is no SOP for an EE. They are going to take on the traits of their parents. I made mine to be the way I wanted.

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Since playing with genetics was one of my goals, I had a lot more fun with my mixed breed flock than I would have with a purebreed flock. What works best for you, purebred or mixed, will depend on your goals and desires. What works best for me doesn't matter to you, it's your goals that should matter to you.

Your ladies are beautiful, you have done a great job.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

I had a flock of just Buff Orphingtons for a long time. As they started to die due to old age, I had to make a decision. Do I want to think beyond the orphingtons or just get more "Golden Girls" as I called them.

Knowing that I had to get more chickens I started researching breeds that I admired that I might want to keep. Over the next few year I added a few of each breed that I wanted to keep. So now I have a large mixed flock of about 50 guys and gals.

I have added several breeds...

White Crested Polishes

Silkies

Black, Frizzle, and Motted Cochins

And this year I have added... Black Australorps, Easter Eggers, and Buff Polishes.

After researching different breeds and adding them to my flock I will have to say I love my mixed flock.

I enjoy all the different colors, behaviors, and personalities of all the different breeds. I can say that now my favorite breeds are Polishes. They are such a fun breed to have.

Along with all the different breeds that I added I also added coops to house all the guys and gals. So now my coop count is 7 and my chicken count is around 50.

I hope this helps

 

[Shadrach]

Interesting! You mind telling me what those benefits and non-benefits are? Your idea of an "issue" may be very different from what other people would consider one.

I wouldn't mind at all, I just don't have the time to drag up all the relevant papers and type out all the arguments only to be told that we all keep chickens in different ways and everyone should do what's best for them and their objectives.
When my book gets finished you can read that.
It's not my intention to appear rude, it's just the way it is.

 

[Ribh]

People keep mixed flocks because that's what they want (I've never understood this) and because they can. The prevalent hatchery and breeder arrangements in the US in particular allow people to do this.
I have yet to see any evidence that keeping a mixed flock benefits the chicken in any way and there is now mounting evidence that in fact the opposite is true and mixed flocks engender behavior and breeding problems not found in single breed flocks, I intend to add to this 'mounting evidence' as do a few other chicken keepers.
Unfortunately but not unexpected, the 'experts' are, as they have been throughout history, resistant to any new knowledge; it undermines their credibility and authority.
Here in rural Europe mixed flocks are not the norm and looking back historically the opportunity to acquire a mixed flock was limited.
While for example there are four recognized species of jungle fowl from which the 'domestic' chicken is derived that live in close enough proximity to interbreed, studies so far have suggested this rarely happens.
Current literature has already taken a step in the direction of questioning the wisdom of mixed flocks. Look through any authoritative literature on differing breeds and you will find recommendations on breeds that work better together than others.
The list of advantages in single breed flocks is extensive while the opposite is true for mixed breed flocks.
The average chicken keeper rolls around the floor laughing should you suggest that a chicken 'knows' which breed it is and to who it is related.
If you mention that at present the ability of a chicken to count to 109 is proven, you'll get laughed at.
Suggest that a chicken has abstract problem solving abilities and people will think you are mad.
Mention that in fact the egg song isn't some celebration of female fertility and you get the feminist movement throwing rocks at you.
I could go on, but my suggestion here is single breed flocks tend to fare better and if given the choice many breeds will gravitate to their own breed and genetically related individuals.

I have a small mixed flock of 12 hens. I am not breeding & have no intention to breed. I have noticed similar breeds tend to buddy up but no significant flock problems, more what I describe as flocks within the flock, so am curious. Let us know when the book is available. I also read your article on the egg song & have noticed the song usually precedes the egg & that in an all hen flock there are often multiple escorts.

 

[Shadrach]

I have a small mixed flock of 12 hens. I am not breeding & have no intention to breed. I have noticed similar breeds tend to buddy up but no significant flock problems, more what I describe as flocks within the flock, so am curious. Let us know when the book is available. I also read your article on the egg song & have noticed the song usually precedes the egg & that in an all hen flock there are often multiple escorts.

It's interesting what happens in all female flocks and an area i have no direct experience in.

 

[Roo5]

I only mix because I wanted egg variety, and eye candy, and because some make great farm pets.I feel like when you have one group of one breed,even though every bird has an individual personality, that birds will all likely get along because they probably have a similar attitude personality.Mixed flock could have very different attitudes and personality.Super aggressive to overly calm.Same thing with different poultry,a lot of poultry are bigger and more aggressive then chickens.
So some things to consider are what you plan to mix.
I’ve kept soo many breeds of all different colors, shapes and sizes,Ive only ever had one issue, and that was with Rhode Island Red hens, which are typically aggressive.I have kept Rhode Island’s,Easter eggers,Cochin bantams, barred rocks,Wyandotte’s,Buff Orpingtons,Mixed breeds of all different kinds,New Hampshire reds,Austrolourps,silver dorking, and Red sexlinks, probably more breeds I forgot about.Turkeys,ducks and geese.