Orpingtons too nice?

[Honora]

So the more I hear about BO's the more I like them! I am thinking of getting a chick in May, but I am worried about it getting along with the other hens. I am also expecting 2 Golden Laced Wyandotte chicks, and I have 2 EE hens right now.

My EE hens are not aggressive to humans (not particularly friendly either), but they attacked and killed my Silkie hen a few weeks ago. From what I hear about Wyandottes, they can be aggressive to other chickens as well. I have read that Orpingtons are meek & can be picked on by other chickens, and I wouldn't want a repeat of the situation with my Silkie. I really like the idea of having a friendly pet chicken, though, and it sounds like the Orpingtons are really friendly.

So should I just get all Wyandottes to minimize the possibility of aggression, or should I risk it and get 1 Buff Orpington chick? Thanks!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I would not add any birds to a flock with the existing known aggressive birds - meaning I would:
1)dispose of the aggressive birds
2)house the aggressive birds completely separate from any other birds
3)just keep the aggressive birds and have no new birds until those birds were gone....which, since you have already have other birds coming is not an option.

 

[Honora]

I see your point, but I'd like to try some other strategies before I get rid of the aggressors. To explain a little more, the boss hen was the more aggressive one, and only toward the silkie, not toward the other EE. I normally let them free range in the back yard, but the day they attacked the silkie, a visitor had shut them inside the run and the silkie was unable to get away.

So I'd like to try them with some other chickens & see how they do. If things don't work out I can get rid of the more aggressive EE or both EE's. We will definitely keep them separated for the first while anyway.