I prefer a mixed flock. Mostly for the different colors of the breeds and of the eggs. I also have guinea fowl for their meat and warning of predators and a pair of African geese. They all sleep in the same coop and free range all day. The one thing I like most to do is watch them all run toward me when they see me coming with their scratch at the end of the day! They all look so cute! They are also either hybrids like EE or heritage breeds. So I really don’t want any babies from this gang since I would not know what they would be. I would like to breed them but then I would prefer to keep the breeds together and pure, but then they would not be able to free range and do what is natural for them. Especially since we do need to preserve the heritage breeds for future generations. Anyway right now here is a picture of my guys! In the future I’ll think about a way to do both! Mixed flock and pure heritage breeds.
The same thing happens with horses and cattle. A friend of mine raises thoroughbreds. She finds that, when a group of yearlings is turned out into a common pasture, youngsters from the same sire tend to pair up as grooming and grazing "partners." She's convinced that they inherit enough personality/temperament traits from their common parentage to make them compatible in a herd. In my sister's dairy herd, the heifers tend to gravitate towards the heifers they were raised with - usually in groups of about five. In a mixed group, the Guernseys and Holsteins do seem to pair off more readily with their own breed. It's pretty cool to see!
Hi! My flock is also mixed heritage breeds. I would like to breed them but like I said in a previous post, hate the idea of mixed breeding and diluting the breed. I saw you said you separate the pair into a different area and wait to make sure the chicks are true breeds. How big are these areas? Are they big cages? Like dog kennels? Or just separate chicken coops? Or big cages, for example 5x5x8” that can be hung of the ground? I am curious about your set up? Like I said, I have all heritage breeds, or EE, 21 hens 2 roosters, all free roaming right now and they love to do that so I would like to do something similar with the pairs so that I don’t feel guilty of separating them. Also. For how long do you separate them? What type of nest do you provide them to lay the eggs? Sorry for all the questions. I am new at this in big scale, and do not want to make mistakes. I appreciate all the advise that can be provided.I currently have a mixed breed flock of purebreds and I love the variety(cemanis,silkies,BCM,Mosaic), but each breed has its own roosters and hens. I do breed my chickens and sell them as a purebred chicken, but I put the pair I am breeding in a different location so I know who is breeding with who. I do have Olandsk Dwarf chickens as well, but they are separated because of the size. I would have to say that I do enjoy having a variety of chicken breeds, especially my silkies. I do not mind having to separate them for when I breed them, but I do collect the eggs for a little bit from the breeding pair just to make sure I do not end up with an unintentional crossbreed. Usually I will wait 1 month just to make sure. The picture is all of my 18 week olds.
@Shadrach has his own thread @:
You're going to get me into trouble.@Shadrach has his own thread @:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shadrachs-stories.1263724/
& lots of articles if you do a search. That should answer most of your questions. He has a very interesting set up & more space to play with than most of us.
Well, I really enjoy your stuff. Makes more sense from my own observations than some of what I read.You're going to get me into trouble.
I only have a small all hen flock though & limited space ~ but then all knowledge is useful. Nothing is ever wasted.
Well, I really enjoy your stuff. Makes more sense from my own observations than some of what I read.
