Pros and cons of having different breeds in one coop

[txnative]

I have 5 - a RIR, Golden Comet, Barred Rock ,and 2 EE. I enjoy the variety and they do seem to get along well as a flock. And, I am getting some lighter brown eggs, darker brown eggs, and now some light greens.

 

[Debs55]

I have 4 separate pens. One has 3 buff brahma roosters and a barred rock rooster. The next pen has barred rock hens, silkie hens, and 2 silkie roosters. The 3rd pen has a barred rock rooster, rhode island red hens, and brown leg horn hens. And the last pen has buff orpington hens, white leghorn hens, barded rock hens, silver laced wyandotte hens, black austrolorp hens, rhode island red hens, and one buff brahma hen. My point is they all live happily together and no one fights regardless of breed

 

[pheasant1]

I feel space is important too. The more room the better.
Standard and bantams can do good together, sometimes the bantam can be
aggressive to the larger breed also. Then there is the docile hen that gets driven
away at the feeder, but if you're just planning four I wouldn't worry.
Then again.....who stops at four?

 

[gander007]

Mixing is a real trick and this took work

 

[packer fan]

I have a mix flock and they all know how to get along. As posted before I think it has more to do with how young they are as they are introduced and how much room they have to rome. Even if you have a pullet that is being bullied if she has enough room to get away and stay out of the way they should all get along.

 

[Marthab1953]

I have several different breeds and they all get along. I separate by breed when I want to hatch out some purebred chicks though.

Welcome to Backyard chickens!

 

[lazy gardener]

I love a mixed flock. My 3 EE are at the bottom, RIR is alpha, and she has a BFF BSL. Plan to add 2 Wyandottes, 2 brown rose comb Leghorns, 3 Dominiques. Hoping the EE will rise up the dominance ladder with the addition of these new breeds, even though I suspect that if comparing all of these breeds brooded together, EE would still be at the bottom!

 

[Chickens R Us]

I have 15 different breeds there is a definite pecking order but they get along fine. My GLW are the most aggressive and my BO's are the most passive.

 

[BrahmaDrama]

I have Brahmas, Polish, Buff Orpington, and a Silkie all together. I have the most issues with my silkie hen. She thinks she's in charge and tries to pick fights with them. Luckily they don't fight back.

 

[pheasant1]

It's nice and colorful to have a layer flock of different breeds.
I have the room and I like to hatch my own pure breeds, so I keep them separate.