I guess I'll chime in too!
I have a small flock of 6 chickens, who up until a few weeks ago, all lived at my house...I have 3 RIRs (2 hens and a roo), 2 silkie mixes, and 1 GL cochin...I got everyone in April of this year (silkies and cochin at a swap, RIRs off craigslist a week or so later...lol)...everyone was fine together at first, then as they started maturing, the RIRs began beating up on everyone else...Thankfully my BF has allowed me to put half of my flock at his house (he even built a coop, to go inside their caged run in his backyard!), so I have the silkies and cochin at his place, with my favorite RIR hen...they go outside of the coop/run in the mornings and are allowed to free-range all day until evening when they are locked up for their safety....The other RIR hen and roo are at my place...the ones at my house free-range during the day in my backyard, and come in during the afternoon / evening and reside in a large dog crate with a nest box...
I'm thinking of adding a few more RIR hens, or maybe some white leghorn or EE hens to my flock at my house, because my roo was very upset I took one of his ladies away...she's one of my favs, and I spend more time at my BF's house than my own, so I wanted her nearby...do you all think it's a bad idea to add a few more young, almost laying age hens to my home flock? I will eventually have an outside coop for my house for them, but until then, everyone comes in at night...I just feel my roo would be happier if he had more girls to care for...everyone is my flock is btwn 6-7 months of age, and all the hens are now laying as of this week...thoughts?