One breed or many?

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

At the risk of hijacking the thread,

The rabbit is an American Chinchilla Rabbit. They say rabbits shouldn't live with chickens because they can die from coccidia. But he's been here since May freeranging and we got lucky. Others keep rabbits with their chickens too, but there's definitely a risk to the rabbit. The average lifespan of chin's is about 5 years anyways, so his life will be short and sweet no matter what. Our rabbit lives more like a dog, he comes and goes indoors and outdoors all day, he's a real gentleman in the house, has a litterpan which he uses fastidiously.

Coccidia are internal parasites that infect chickens, rabbits, dogs, cats, and humans. However, the various coccidia species are adapted to life inside a particular host species. I would be more concerned with your rabbit getting sick from wild cottontails visiting your yard.

Enjoy your "mixed flock" (or herd) of rabbits and chickens! Our rabbits are in wire cages, and the chickens scratch amongst their droppings, as practiced by Joel Salatin in his "Raken" (rabbit x chicken) house pictured below.

 

[6chickens in St. Charles]

At the risk of hijacking the thread,


Coccidia are internal parasites that infect chickens, rabbits, dogs, cats, and humans. However, the various coccidia species are adapted to life inside a particular host species. I would be more concerned with your rabbit getting sick from wild cottontails visiting your yard.

Enjoy your "mixed flock" (or herd) of rabbits and chickens! Our rabbits are in wire cages, and the chickens scratch amongst their droppings, as practiced by Joel Salatin in his "Raken" (rabbit x chicken) house pictured below.

Wow I really like that hoop. Is it a tractor? Your flock is very coordinated with the grey, white and black with touches of red.

 

[mlm Mike]

We started with a mixed flock for a variety of egg color. We are in the process of starting 2 more flocks of a specific type.

 

[GardeNerd]

When I first started out with backyard chickens, I kept a variety to be able to tell them apart and to get a nice egg assortment.

Once I started keeping bantam Cochins, I was hooked. I keep Cochins almost exclusively now, but it looks like I have a variety when they are out in the yard. They come in so many wonderful colors.

 

[Illia]

I couldn't imagine having just one breed. Well, if I did though, I know what breed it would be. But still, it would be hard.

I have a lot because I like seeing the variety, there's several out there I truly do just love, having more means having more egg colors, and different breeds offer different good traits and products. Whether it be egg, meat, aesthetic, or other qualities that trump one another.

 

[rittert3]

I didn't read much of this thread but just wanted to add my input to the OP's question. I find many breeds/ varieties attractive and/or desirable. I also live in a location were there are quite a few oppertunities to trade poultry so I also look at what other people find attractive/desirable (some of which I don't personally, for example, turkens). My goal is to set up 2 small pens in which I can keep a rooster and 2 or 3 hens that will produce desirable offspring, that way I can keep more than one breed/variety at a time. I also plan to cycle through them and change the breeds/ varieties I have every year or 2 that way I can experience keeping more of the birds I like in the small amount of space I have to work with. I have a little more space than it takes to keep 2 quads of chickens but I also enjoy keeping pigeons, quail, and want to eventually have ornamental pheasant and ducks. Just my veiw point of bird keeping.

 

[twisted troy]

I started with a flock of hi line brown hens and then my friend dropped off an ugly young brown/red rooster and I found a mixed batch of bantams at the right price. That ugly rooster grew to be pretty handsome. The hi lines wouldn't sit but the bantys would and I ended up with a mixed batch of big and little chickens that looked and produced pretty good. I've had good luck with just plain yard birds.

 

[lolita117]

I've noticed here in my browsing around and getting to know folks that most of you seem to have a variety of breeds in your flocks. Is this because there are just so many beautiful chickens and you want some of many? Do any of you have just one breed? I started out thinking I was going to get Black Australorps and now am wondering if a mix of 3 or 4 breeds would be better. There are so many wonderful looking and sounding chickens out there.

Thanks!

I started out with 6 Black Australorps but quickly added some variety. I love all the different color of plumage, makes for a beautiful flock. I now have 28 chickens with all the various breeds you see below in my signature. 10 different breeds I think, also I'm added 8 additional breeds this March, including brown leghorn, dominiques, silver laced wyandottes, Ancona, plus more. I'm excited about my additional colors to my flock. Here is a picture of my flock with most of my chickens in the picture. I just like all the variety of breeds.

 

[WalkerH]

When I started I didn't know exactly what kind I wanted. Thought I was getting RIR when I got the chicks, as they grew I discovered they were GLW, see how little I knew. But they were mine all the same. Now I have 6 GLW, a splash, and a blue one, along with two leghorns. Just get Wyandottes, you can get any color you want, pretty much. That is what I'm gonna do, not so much stick with one color, one breed...but one breed is better then going crazy...I want to believe.

 

[dolly85]

I personally like to have several breeds so I can show off their rainbow colored eggs to my family and friends. The green eggs are always the biggest hit! Out of all the breeds I have owned I would say Austrolorps and EE's are my favorites.