Mixed or pure breed?

[Aussie Roast]

Hi everyone. I am new to chickens and have been researching online but need to make a final decision tomorrow as to what breed/s I want. I am thinking that I will probably get 5 hens and a rooster. My plan is to start with laying chickens for eggs and then at a later stage I would like to venture into breeding chickens for the meat. They will have a coop and a run, but I will also freerange them on just over half an acre.

I can get the following breeds:
Light Sussex
Plymouth Rock (dark barred)
Australorps
Welsummer
Barnevelder
Couchin
Rhode Island Red


My first choice is probably the Light Sussex as I've heard they make excellent mothers, don't have pin feathers and would be good with my young children. I'm also really tempted by the Plymouth Rocks.

The big decision I have to make is whether I get a mix of breeds or if I should keep them all the same breed. So can you please tell me what are the pros and cons of having a mix of breeds? Is there a benefit either way?
Thanks

 

[dawg53]

It's your choice what you want to get. You have to take into account what your weather is like where you live. Is it real hot or real cold. Australorps and RIR's can handle the heat. Barred rocks and sussex's can handle the cold. I dont know about the others. Also , if you're getting them as chicks,all the same group,you wont have any issues raising them and the pecking order should be already established. Good luck and enjoy whatever chickens you choose.

 

[houndit]

The more breeds you have running together, the less discrimination I see around the feeders and water pans. I like seeing lots of different breeds running together. If you have more breeds, hopefully some will lay more in the summer and others more in the winter so you get more eggs. I used to have only sexlinks. Now we have at least 10. Enjoy your chickens!

 

[Aussie Roast]

Thanks dawg53!
Our Our average minimum in winter is about 4 degrees Celsius (which is about 39F) but it can get down to about -2 (which is about 28F). Our average maximum in winter is around 12-15 degrees C (53-59F)
In summer our average minimum is about 12C (or 53F) and our average maximum is about 28C (or 82F) but we usually have several heatwaves of more than a week over 40 degrees C (over 104F).

All the chickens have been bred by a local with the same conditions.

 

[pdsavage]

My Sussex all seam to handel the cold here in Missouri well,and its get very very cold here in the winter...Now i don't know about the Light Sussex yet as mine are to young for no heat.But my Red and Speckled do well.
So you could get Light,Red and Speckled.Be a nice mix of colors.....