Mixing Breeds

[TheFluffyButt]

Hi Chickeroos,

I'm planning on buying 4 new chicks for my current flock of 6 and hand raising them until they're old enough to be in the same coop.

We usually hand raise until 3 or 4 months, then slowly introduce them by fencing off a section where the young ones can play and the older hens can watch, but not attack.

The coop is set up so it's 2 coops together, you can close the inside door to have some hens sleep in the inner chamber sort of area, then have the other hens sleeping in the outer section.
This lets the older hens smell the fresh ones all night
From previous experience I've seen this work pretty well.

Now that I've gotten all this information out of the way, I can get on with the question.
Does anyone have experience mixing these breeds together:
Current hens:
1 x Barnevelder
3 x Australorp (2 white, 1 black)
1 x ISA Brown
1 x Brown Laced Leghorn (At least that's what I think she is, she has the characteristics of a leghorn, but she has a lot of patterned plumage)

I'm thinking of buying the following new hens:
1 x Barred Plymouth
1 x Light Sussex
1 x Buff Sussex
1 x Speckled Sussex

What is the feedback on these chickens?
I've heard pecking order may be an issue with the plymouth, but my barnevelder doesn't hesitate to let anyone know she's on top.

I'm open for any suggestions, my main priority is having all 10 hens laying and living happily with each other.

 

[BirdGirl2004]

They should be just fine! Even though they are different sizes they should act alright with each other. Just give them time to get to know each other before you fully integrate the flocks. Don't worry about it though!

Good luck!

 

[TheFluffyButt]

They should be just fine! Even though they are different sizes they should act alright with each other. Just give them time to get to know each other before you fully integrate the flocks. Don't worry about it though!

Good luck!

Just derailing this thread a little, do you have any pictures of your whole flock? I see in your signature you have a whole bunch of hens, I'd love to see their colors.

 

[av8torcrj]

I'm not sure where your planning on getting your Sussex but my 2018 birds from McMurray have been a bit disappointing. One was an unimpressive runt for weeks and weeks and is still smaller than the others. One has two extra toes. Further, they have been the bossiest birds in the group, very intolerant of younger birds. All of this to say, I'd personally recommend another strain from another hatchery for speckled Sussex. Perhaps you weren't considering hatchery birds at all.

 

[TheFluffyButt]

I'm not sure where your planning on getting your Sussex but my 2018 birds from McMurray have been a bit disappointing. One was an unimpressive runt for weeks and weeks and is still smaller than the others. One has two extra toes. Further, they have been the bossiest birds in the group, very intolerant of younger birds. All of this to say, I'd personally recommend another strain from another hatchery for speckled Sussex. Perhaps you weren't considering hatchery birds at all.

It's kind of hard to find these breeds where I'm currently located, but I found a chicken supply shop that sells day old chicks for a ridiculous price.
Since they'll be so young, I guess they'll have a better temperament than if we were to buy them at point of laying.

The 3 Australorps and ISA Brown though were purchased at point of laying and they're all sweethearts.
Maybe that's because I didn't really give them much of a choice other than to accept how attached I am to them.

 

[BirdGirl2004]

Just derailing this thread a little, do you have any pictures of your whole flock? I see in your signature you have a whole bunch of hens, I'd love to see their colors.

It's so completely dark outside right now, so sometime tomorrow I will post some p ics. I have some pullets, hens, a roo, and a couple chicks i hatched out a week ago!

 

[BlackHackle]

1 x Barnevelder
3 x Australorp (2 white, 1 black)
1 x ISA Brown
1 x Brown Laced Leghorn (At least that's what I think she is, she has the characteristics of a leghorn, but she has a lot of patterned plumage)

From what I see, you have two white leghorns, a barnevelder, a Light Brown Leghorn, a Black Sex Link, and an ISA Brown

 

[TheFluffyButt]

From what I see, you have two white leghorns, a barnevelder, a Light Brown Leghorn, a Black Sex Link, and an ISA Brown

I can definitely see how the two white hens look like Leghorns, who knows, maybe they are leghorns mixed with australorp.
From their behavior though, they're so chilled and not leghorn like at all, I still think they're australorps and their laying patterns are more often than my black australorp.

After looking at pictures of black sex link's they look so so similar to the australorps!
From the shop I bought them from, the man that sold them to me said they were all australorps with a mixed breed. I think he said the black hen had a strand of either lowmann brown or rhode island red, I can't remember.

Thanks for this information, it's interesting seeing the difference in these similar hens.

 

[BlackHackle]

I can definitely see how the two white hens look like Leghorns, who knows, maybe they are leghorns mixed with australorp.
From their behavior though, they're so chilled and not leghorn like at all, I still think their australorps and their laying patterns are more often than my black australorp.

After looking at pictures of black sex link's they look so so similar to the australorps!
From the shop I bought them from, the man that sold them to me said they were all australorps with a mixed breed. I think he said the black hen had a strand of either lowmann brown or rhode island red, I can't remember.

Thanks for this information, it's interesting seeing the difference in these similar hens.

OKay, so I'm gonna add that Leghorns have yellow shanks like your hens and also lay far more eggs than Australorps. Even though leghorns are known to be flighty, there are many that aren't