mixing Wyandottes and Easter eggers in a new flock

[evekelly]

I am starting a new flock this spring. Based on what I've read, the Wyandottes and the Easter eggers would work get along well together. My other consideration would be maybe an australorp or a barred rock.
We need cold hardy chickens being in the Chicago area. We had 3 New Hampshire Reds in the past with one Americana (which I think may have been an Easter egger, and the dominant hen would peck at the Americana/ would try to keep her from eating, but it wasn't a constant thing. In any case, I feel the New Hampshire Reds were not as friendly as I would have liked, but they were super great layers. Still, the way they interacted with the Americana makes me think I'd do better with a Wyandotte or australorp.
Anybody have experience with this combination. We are in the suburbs so we can only get by with about 4 hens,
Thanks!

 

[song of joy]

Wyandottes should get along fine with Easter eggers. Black australorps are usually pretty good-tempered as well, and very cold-hardy. While barred rocks are cold-hardy and good layers, I've had some that were quite bossy and two that were so aggressive to other flock members that I had to cull them. I had heard that New Hampshire Reds could be on the aggressive side, so thanks for sharing your experience.

Other options would include dominique (similar body size to EE, rose comb), buff orpington (cold-hardy, larger than wyandottes), and welsummer.

 

[evekelly]

I've considered the buff Orpington but because we have hawks in our area, I thought they might be too docile to protect themselves. My New Hampshire Reds, particularly the one who would peck my easter egger, did a great job of protecting the flock and she would squawk to alert me if there was a hawk nearby. So in their favor, the NR earned her keep even though she was a little aggressive. I will look at the Dominique and the australorp a little more closely too. Also does anybody have experience with Buckeyes?
Thanks for your response.