Mixed size flock

[OHchickens87]

Do chickens all have to be around the same size or will they mingle okay? We have 5 chicken coming and all are standard breeds, I originally planned on all larger size - buff Orpington, 3 types of Wyandotte, and another. I ended up getting an olive egger due to breed availability since we wanted one with colored eggs. I think the olive egger is going to be a bit smaller than the others, will she be okay wi5 them? Chicken math is hitting hard and I keep seeing other breeds I’d love to add that are smaller and I was wondering if they could be introduced in the future or if that will cause issues if some are significantly smaller.

 

[Buckeye Amy]

I've had mixed sizes together with good results. I always gave them time to get used to each other by keeping them separate for about week, but they could see and hear each other. I also prefer to integrate at night while it's dark and I can be sneaky and slip in a few new birds while everyone is sleeping, but only after they've had time to get acquainted in separate pens. Given plenty of space where they can maintain safe distances if necessary, it usually works out well in my experience. But I always have a plan B (I have more than one coop) if the need arises. I find that the little ones are much faster than the heavier breeds and are able to get away quickly when they need to. I've even seen little ones run in between the legs of a large breed!

I think the most important thing is to have plenty of space for your flock, and to be vigilant. If trouble arises, don't intervene unless blood is being drawn. They will need to establish a new pecking order when new members join--and sometimes it gets ugly. It helps to add more than one new bird at a time too, which lessens the amount of attention each bird receives as they integrate.

Good luck!

 

[OHchickens87]

I've had mixed sizes together with good results. I always gave them time to get used to each other by keeping them separate for about week, but they could see and hear each other. I also prefer to integrate at night while it's dark and I can be sneaky and slip in a few new birds while everyone is sleeping, but only after they've had time to get acquainted in separate pens. Given plenty of space where they can maintain safe distances if necessary, it usually works out well in my experience. But I always have a plan B (I have more than one coop) if the need arises. I find that the little ones are much faster than the heavier breeds and are able to get away quickly when they need to. I've even seen little ones run in between the legs of a large breed!

I think the most important thing is to have plenty of space for your flock, and to be vigilant. If trouble arises, don't intervene unless blood is being drawn. They will need to establish a new pecking order when new members join--and sometimes it gets ugly. It helps to add more than one new bird at a time too, which lessens the amount of attention each bird receives as they integrate.

Good luck!

Thanks! When we get more I’ll need to build a different coop so we will have the current coop as a backup option and for seperatoins I needed. I’m glad to hear it works well for you.

 

[Buckeye Amy]

That's great! A second coop is so great to have on hand!

 

[Kgbao]

I don’t see an issue specially since you are getting them all as chicks. Raise them all together from day one and they won’t know a difference.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It should be fine. With lightweight "Eggers" they can usually outrun/outfly bigger, heavier birds, if given the space to do so.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sometimes the dominant chicken in a mixed size flock is a bantam. This kind of stuff is more about personality than size. Sometimes people have trouble integrating bantams into a full sized flock. Sometimes they don't. Sometime people have trouble integrating full sized chickens into a full sized flock, even when they are the same breed. Sometime they don't. Sometimes people have trouble integrating chickens that look different, like the Polish Crest or Silkie feathers, sometime they don't. If they are all the same color and you bring in a new color it might attract attention. Usually doesn't.

In my opinion your integration techniques, age differences, and how much room you have can have much more effect than any of those things. You are dealing with living animals so I can't give any guarantees as to what will happen with yours if you try to integrate.

What age are those chickens, I didn't see where you said. If they are young chicks and grow up together I still can't give you guarantees but it doesn't get much easier than that. If they are still immature but there are age/maturity differences your risks go up. If they are all mature (basically laying) then your risks go back down. None of those risks have anything to do with the difference in possible size in your OE and the others.

 

[Erin80]

We have a mixed flock, and the top of the pecking order for us is a white tiny silkie! I agree it has a lot to do with personality.

 

[OHchickens87]

Sometimes the dominant chicken in a mixed size flock is a bantam. This kind of stuff is more about personality than size. Sometimes people have trouble integrating bantams into a full sized flock. Sometimes they don't. Sometime people have trouble integrating full sized chickens into a full sized flock, even when they are the same breed. Sometime they don't. Sometimes people have trouble integrating chickens that look different, like the Polish Crest or Silkie feathers, sometime they don't. If they are all the same color and you bring in a new color it might attract attention. Usually doesn't.

In my opinion your integration techniques, age differences, and how much room you have can have much more effect than any of those things. You are dealing with living animals so I can't give any guarantees as to what will happen with yours if you try to integrate.

What age are those chickens, I didn't see where you said. If they are young chicks and grow up together I still can't give you guarantees but it doesn't get much easier than that. If they are still immature but there are age/maturity differences your risks go up. If they are all mature (basically laying) then your risks go back down. None of those risks have anything to do with the difference in possible size in your OE and the others.

Those will all be day old chicks. It’s our first flock. So they will all grow up together. So I’m not as concerned about the OE. I was curious more so about integrating more in a year or so.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you can tell us more about your facilities and room we can probably come up with some suggestions to make integration easier. My main suggestion is to size your facilities for what you will have and then make it even bigger. Integration take more room than after they are integrated. Lack of room causes issues.