The perfect mixed flock...

[DragonOxeWeasel]

I'm trying to establish the perfect mixed flock of 4 or so breeds!

I want my flock to be:
-Large alert fowl,
-Excellent foragers,
-Great layers,
-Duel-purpose birds,
-Of the same disposition.

I also want the breeds to be in demand so I can sell some chicks and one breed to be somewhat broody to perpetuate the flock.
As much as I would like to have a dozen breeds the thought of having a dozen roosters makes me cringe!

Here is the list I have come up with so far:
-Barred Rock
-Leghorn
-Speckled Sussex
-Dominique
-Ameraucana
-Rhode Island Red



So whats in your mixed flock? How do they all get along?

 

[draye]

I don't have a mixed flock per se.
I do crosses on purpose. I pick the rooster and hens that I want to cross together.

As far as you list goes:

Rhode Island Red, red always sells and usually a little higher price than most other colors.
Ameracucana: Is this really the Easter Egger from hatcheries, or from breeders. Blue eggs (green) are good for the colorful egg basket.

Dominique: Barred also sells fairly well.

 

[DragonOxeWeasel]

I don't have a mixed flock per se.
I do crosses on purpose. I pick the rooster and hens that I want to cross together.

As far as you list goes:

Rhode Island Red, red always sells and usually a little higher price than most other colors.
Ameracucana: Is this really the Easter Egger from hatcheries, or from breeders. Blue eggs (green) are good for the colorful egg basket.

Dominique: Barred also sells fairly well.

Hey there! I appreciate your input!


I want these for sure:
-Speckled Sussex
-Dominique
-Rhode Island Red

and either
-White leghorn or
-Blue Wheaten Ameraucana

I want 1 rooster of each and to keep the flock mixed. When I want to breed them I will put the rooster and a some hens of a particular breed into my chicken tractor for a few days.

I just want to make sure everyone will get along!

 

[3littlebirds]

I would add Dorkings to your list- they definitely fit all your criteria-extremely docile and good-tempered, excellent brooders and mothers but also productive layers and among the best breeds for meat. They are rare, especially the white variety. Just make sure you get good farm stock rather than show lines.

 

[Spangled]

U

So whats in your mixed flock? How do they all get along?

I have had good luck with hatchery New Hampshire males and females, hatchery Speckled Sussex females, and hatchery and breeder Buckeyes.

I don't think that Leghorns are usually considered dual-purpose ... too small.

My hatchery Delawares were good foragers and ranged far from the coop. My Speckled Sussex are the same and are better camouflaged.

Broodiness bred into a laying flock can be a hit or miss type of thing. If it's a hit, then you could end up with too many broodies one summer and not enough eggs and no way to fix the situation until the following year.

You may want to consider a broody breed and just using them to hatch and raise chicks for you. For instance, Black Copper Marans (some lines) are broody. With their dark egg color, you would know not to hatch their eggs into your laying flock.

Anyway ... just a couple thoughts.

 

[DragonOxeWeasel]

U
I have had good luck with hatchery New Hampshire males and females, hatchery Speckled Sussex females, and hatchery and breeder Buckeyes.
I don't think that Leghorns are usually considered dual-purpose ... too small.
My hatchery Delawares were good foragers and ranged far from the coop. My Speckled Sussex are the same and are better camouflaged.
Broodiness bred into a laying flock can be a hit or miss type of thing. If it's a hit, then you could end up with too many broodies one summer and not enough eggs and no way to fix the situation until the following year.
You may want to consider a broody breed and just using them to hatch and raise chicks for you. For instance, Black Copper Marans (some lines) are broody. With their dark egg color, you would know not to hatch their eggs into your laying flock.
Anyway ... just a couple thoughts

Thank you!! I like your idea about using some Marans hens for broody mamas! I had added the Speckled Sussex in part for their supposed above average broodiness. Do yours ever go broody?

 

[DragonOxeWeasel]

I would add Dorkings to your list- they definitely fit all your criteria-extremely docile and good-tempered, excellent brooders and mothers but also productive layers and among the best breeds for meat. They are rare, especially the white variety. Just make sure you get good farm stock rather than show lines.

I had never thought of Dorkings! Looks like I have more research to do!

 

[Spangled]

Out of three hens, one went broody last summer. She sat and nothing happened. She finally gave up after about five weeks. She was with a rooster, so that wasn't the issue. Mine have not proven to be good broodies at all.

 

[DragonOxeWeasel]

Out of three hens, one went broody last summer. She sat and nothing happened. She finally gave up after about five weeks. She was with a rooster, so that wasn't the issue. Mine have not proven to be good broodies at all.

Hmmm that's disappointing to hear! I guess its really up to the individual hen if she wants to be broody or not. My Rhode Island Red went broody this year and I'm told that's pretty rare.
But I want a flock of 20-30 hens and maybe 6 broody mamas a year. Gosh who knew perfection would be so hard!!

 

[Maggiesdad]

I'm trying to establish the perfect mixed flock of 4 or so breeds!

I want my flock to be:
-Large alert fowl,
-Excellent foragers,
-Great layers,
-Duel-purpose birds,
-Of the same disposition.

I also want the breeds to be in demand so I can sell some chicks and one breed to be somewhat broody to perpetuate the flock.
As much as I would like to have a dozen breeds the thought of having a dozen roosters makes me cringe!

Here is the list I have come up with so far:
-Barred Rock
-Leghorn
-Speckled Sussex
-Dominique
-Ameraucana
-Rhode Island Red



So whats in your mixed flock? How do they all get along?

It's been one year since I started keeping chickens, and I feel like I have learned a lot. I started out with very similar goals to yours, and have found that to be a bit more than I had bargained for. It helps to have clear goals. If you want to work with a breed and hatch chicks, and this is your first time doing so, pick just one breed. I picked the Basque Hen, sourced from Skyline Poultry out of Tennessee. You can figure on having three roosters in three separate breeding pens to have sufficient stock to create a sustainable flock. If you want to have a multicolored laying flock in a henhouse, buy day old pullets mail order from the reputable hatcheries that will let you mix and match. If you start them at the same time, they will get along fine.

Chicken math will get you every time. All of my cool breed chickens ( Speckled Sussex, Polish, Silkies) were killed by marauding raccoons this summer. Foxes got two of my original Black Giant quartet. Most recently, a black snake killed three of my EO chicks and ate one. The law of averages say half of what you hatch will be roosters, but I'm running at 60% -70% boys. Be ready to eat a lot of chicken. My laying flock is a bunch of rescued Black Australorps, They are finishing their second year of laying, and they are wonderful. 5 out of 11 hens went broody, and all had successful hatches. I hatched a bunch of chicks from the best girls with the hopes of keeping my laying flock going. Also hatched bunches of the EOs to get my feet wet with how working that breed will be. So right now I'm at around 100 birds, and the feed bill is ramping up every week, between them growing and the economy of the failed crops this summer.

Ideally, I will go into winter with 10 more BA pullets coming along to go with my old girls, and twenty new EOs to select from for breeding next spring. The rest of the 100 are headed out to a chicken swap, or my freezer. Just something to think about. It pays to be realistic.

Both these breeds I have did well in 100+ deg F this summer - it also pays to note what laying breeds are doing well in established flocks in your neck of the woods. You'd do better going with what works well in your climate than putting together a laying flock from pretty paintings in a hatchery catalog.

Have fun and don't get too attached to them!

Glen