Small backyard flock - what’s gets along with BR?

[thatchickenmama]

We have a small flock of 4 backyard laying hens. We are looking to add another 2 hens (live in city limits, so we can have 6 hens total, and hopefully on the quieter end, pullet chicks). We have 2 Barred Plymouth Rocks, a Sapphire Gem and a Sapphire Olive Egger. All are pretty great foragers. One of the BR’s can be a bit of a bully, plucking feathers or bumping the other girls out of the way for whatever they’re eating, but the other three are pretty sweet and good together. Autosexing is definitely helpful, can’t have roosters right now. Maybe 4 eggs per week? We’d love it if we could have some that are sweeter, on the quieter end, and can mix well with an existing flock. Maybe Orpington or English Orpington? Australorp? Cinnamon Queen? Are Wyandottes noisy? Welsummers? Brahmas? We are planning on raising the chicks separately until they are big and old enough, 12 weeks or more, and doing a slow transition where they see each other and do not mix, etc.
Thanks!

 

[DobieLover]

I've never had an issue with a highly mixed flock. I would introduce any but the CQs to your flock only because I am against any mix designed to be high production as it shortens their lives.

You would have a much easier and faster integration if you set up a brooder inside the coop and brooded the chicks with a brooder plate or a momma heating pad. Integration can begin within 4-5 weeks old by fashioning chick sized doors to the brooder that only the chicks can fit through.

I did this with my second batch of chicks and they integrated into the flock as their own sub-flock by 7 weeks old. The pullets are all at the right end of the roost and on the perch in front of the nest boxes.

 

[thatchickenmama]

I've never had an issue with a highly mixed flock. I would introduce any but the CQs to your flock only because I am against any mix designed to be high production as it shortens their lives.

You would have a much easier and faster integration if you set up a brooder inside the coop and brooded the chicks with a brooder plate or a momma heating pad. Integration can begin within 4-5 weeks old by fashioning chick sized doors to the brooder that only the chicks can fit through.

I did this with my second batch of chicks and they integrated into the flock as their own sub-flock by 7 weeks old. The pullets are all at the right end of the roost and on the perch in front of the nest boxes.
View attachment 3524101

Thank you so much for the tip on integrating them! We want a nice peaceful integration.

I tend to agree, I’ll try to stick with heritage breeds or at least not high production breeds, I don’t want to support stressing out their little systems. My neighbor said that her cinnamon queens are sassy too, and I want sweet.

 

[aart]

We’d love it if we could have some that are sweeter, on the quieter end, and can mix well with an existing flock.

You can't predict behavior based on breed.
Even the 'sweetest' bird can turn demonic when an intruder(any new chicken) appears in their territory.

Integrating young can help for sure, but still need good space.
Here's some tips about....
Integration Basics:

It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[Saveria]

You might just want to adopt some mature hens, where someone can vouch for their personalities and noise levels, but I have yet to find a comprehensively quiet hen. It seems like they all take turns being super loud and squawky.

 

[Party_Chicken]

RIRs would be a good fit for your rocks but they might be aggressive to your other hens. I would get some wyandottes they are more maturely temperd I have a wyandotte chick that’s almost 9 weeks and she follows around the hens and acts full grown. What are your sapphires temperd like? That could help you. If they are friendly I would go with the wyandotte if they are a little meaner and aggressive I would go for the Rhode Island Reds

 

[Iluveggers]

I would avoid Welsummers if you can’t have noise. A WONDERFUL breed, but I read they were noisy and mine is much louder than the rest of my flock.

Australorps are very sweet but not super docile, and Bielefelder are autosexing and supposedly super sweet. Speckled Sussex are a sweet and beautiful breed also.