Thoughts on flock possibility?

[Ladybug2001]

It is November and chick season is coming in four or five months depending on where you live.

I started my year out with TEN chickens... because of one dog I now have three lonesome chickens.
My poor rooster has lost all of his hens except two, and while I still continue to get rid of the "issue" they are still in danger.

My chickens love to free range, and when we move I am hoping they will have 5 acres to range with no chance of a dog getting in plus protection from my six horses along with a bigger better coop.

With these thoughts is.... chicks for next year to add to these three remaining chickens.

I've decided to possibly order from www.mypetchicken.com. (Any thoughts on this provider?) I usually buy from Tractor Supply but I have decided I want a variety of chickens instead of my red sex links and my poor orpington rooster.

Thinking of adding 14 chicks in next year, here is my possible list.

(One of each)
Acona
Australorp
Plymouth Rock
Hamburg
Wyandotte
Chantecler
Delaware
Easter Eggers
Rhode Island
Faverolles
Sussex
Welsummer
Leghorn
Cochin

Anyone see an issue with having this big of differing chicks?

13 out of 14 are excellent 5/week or very good 4/week in egg laying as that is all I do with them other then pets. (Main reason I'm very angry a dog keeps murdering them)
Little cochin I want because I had a lovely little hen who would come and sit on my lap and let me pet her. I loved her, I really miss her. D:

Anywho, all of these chickens are cold hardy, because I am in a state that loves to randomly be cold just as much as it is hot. I've read faverolles are very docile so it can lead to getting pecked on, same with the cochin from my experience. Do any of these birds scream aggressive?

I want a flock that isn't going to be extremely differing in aggressive and docile chickens. My cochin got picked on quiet a bit by the others, which is why she may have attached to me.

My rooster is a very docile rooster and I don't plan to have more then one rooster even with 15 hens.
.
This will be my second time merging chicks into a existing flock.

 

[realsis]

You can google reviews of my pet chicken and see what other folks who had used them think of them. I believe they get their stock from certsin hatcheries and are kind of like a middle man.in the reviews online you can usually find out which hatchery is used most from them. You can even search the BYC forum. In the search bar look up my pet chicken reviews and then read what folks have said. I've not personally used them so I couldn't say but if you do a search here you can find others experiences.
as for a breed that's up to what You want and are looking for. I suggest researching each breed then buying the breed that suits your needs.i couldn't comment on those breeds because I have All silkies so I suggest googling which breeds do best with.mixed flocks also look up the a tributes of each breed and purchase the breeds that fits your needs best. I believe my pet chicken has a chicken matcher that asks you which a tributes your looking for and what's important to you then it matches which breed fits you best. Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[Ladybug2001]

Thank you! That did help a little and I will be sure to google some reviews. Like I said, I am just going for egg layers, they don't have to want attention. All of those, (except for the cochin), are very good egg layers and they are all cold hardy. Last year I had two cochins, two buff orpingtons, and six red sex links. They all seemed to get along except the cochins were at the bottom of the pecking order. Though I will try and research more as I do have quiet a few months. Though if anyone else has any thoughts they would be appreciated.

 

[handyman42]

I've read Plymouth Rocks tend to be closer to the "top of the food chain" in the flock and sometimes pick on other chickens lower on the totem poll. But with 5 acres to roam you'll have so much room I don't think you'll have any problems. Only thing I don't like about the list is not seeing my favorite breed Buff Orpintons on it. But to each his own. Good Luck

 

[Ladybug2001]

Cochins are my favorite! Haha. Though I do have a orpington rooster, that counts right? So I just did a little research and found that sometimes when you have a mixed flock if you have one that looks REALLY different it seems to be the main one picked on. Though with many that looks different, it doesn't become as big of a problem. Theory is that the chickens doing the picking think they are helping, when that favorolle has feathers where they shouldn't be, or that cochin!

 

[handyman42]

I've had Cochins and they're pretty nice. Actually just have 2 roos right now. But my girls were nice, just leaning more towards the Buff's right now so maybe later I'll get more.

 

[Ladybug2001]

Started the year with 6 red sex links (hens), a cochin hen and a cochin rooster, along with two buff orpington roosters.

Sex links have never been to friendly. They love treats, but don't want you to catch them. The cochins were very friendly, love to jump on your lap. One of the orpingtons would get on my shoulder. Though while I was gone for a week one cochin, one orpington, and two red sex links were killed. My favorite rooster died, I was very sad. Though this rooster does his job but he just isn't that friendly.

 

[aggiemae]

Because we can only have a limited number of hens I like to get different breeds, I do try to stick to medium to large breeds but it hasn't ever been a problem. We currently have eight chickens 6 different breeds. We have a mixed age flock, a GLW, a SLW, a Wellsummer, a Maran, 2 Buff Orps and 2 RIRs.

One RIR, one Buff orp and the GLW are very "friendly". I can pretty much pick up the SLW any time I want to but she doesn't really like it. The Wellsummer is our most standoffish hen and this was the case from the day she hatched.

 

[bugglesmommy]

I have 12 different breeds of chicken including EE's and a bantam cochin. My cochin is perfectly nice, but I didn't raise her and she was not kept well before me so she's not much for being held. The calmest bird I have is one of my EE's. After that is my silkie hen. Despite the size and breed differences, my birds get a long just fine.

 

[Mrs yellow]

We have to post to make sure you consider putting golden comets onto your list. They are the best breed we have ever had ,they love to be with my kids, when then they hear the bus they come running. I love to garden and "the girls" love to help me out. My flower beds probably do not have any worms but they are wonder company. We have has them for over two years and they have been laying almost ever single day. In August we has a hawk kill four of our hens. Vey troubling for my kids since they could tell them apart. Thank goodness we have at least two left so they can go through the winter together. In the spring we will be getting more.

Henry and mom
Ps not to undermine tractor supply but I have not heard good things
We have Paris farmer unions here in Maine and they offer a great selection