Mixing breeds with only 4-5 hens

[GoToLeep]

I am going to have 4-5 egg-laying hens. What mix is best. All of 1 breed; 2 each of 2 different breeds; or 4-5 different breeds. I would prefer to have 4-5 different breeds (I think), but will do what is best. Thanks.

Dan

 

[cabot]

get one of each! They will do fine and you'll have a colorful backyard flock. I have a small flock of 6, each a different breed. If there is a breed you feel you just can't live without, you may want to order 2 ( just in case...)

 

[Hottchick]

I have 8. 2 Cuckoo Marans, 2 New Hampshires, 1 buff Brahma, 1 light Brahma, 1 EE, and 1 Leghorn. They're fine together and I like being able to easily identify who is who.

 

[GammaPoppyLilyFlutter]

I suggest getting some Sexlinks. They're great layers!

 

[teach1rusl]

I love having a mixed flock...no two are the same in my little flock. And it makes it easy to figure out which egg came from which chicken. I say look for a variety of breeds known to be decent egg layers, known to be fairly friendly, and weather appropriate for you area.

 

[Rivers]

I have 4 laying hybrids.

I must say my Buff Sussex in particular (buff orpingotn X Light Sussex) is absolutely gorgeous and very brave and intelligent, its much younger than the rest of my birds but is most often the first to do new things and does well to fight off the others for food.

I also have Black Rock, which is extremely healthy, hardy, virgorous and very chickeny (does all the fun behaviour like scratching, worm hunting, jumping, tearing/yanking, bathing in Soil etc. And it has beatiful solid back feathers.

In addition to these I got a bluebell (a grey, cautious and shy bird) and a Hyline Brown (commercial breed, practically impossible to hold, hates snow, grumpy/bully)

I like them all in their own ways, Hyline is my least favourite at the moment, but I expect it to regain my admiration by laying more eggs than the others.

 

[donrae]

Not a problem to mix breeds. Many of us here have several different breeds together, not a problem. Have fun buying your hens!

 

[Pequena Bandada]

It totally doesn't matter if you have one of each, two of each, or all one breed. Personally, I like a rainbow assortment of chickens!

 

[gryeyes]

I deliberately got different breeds, because I could just see me with 8 RIRs, saying, "Good morning, Rhoda!" "And top of the morning to you, Rhoda!" "How are you this morning, Rhoda?" "What a pretty girl you are, Rhoda!" etc. because I was sure I wouldn't be able to tell them apart.

I continued to add to my flock with different breeds, and it wasn't until much later than I had "doubles" of the same breed, and guess what! - I was able to tell the girls apart!

Oh well. I still add new breeds. Love my very colorful flock!

 

[patman75]

I have 11 different breeds. Very colorful and it helping me decide what breeds to keep and get more of.