To mix or not to mix...

[SquawkFlock]

I always would lean towards a mixed flock for the reasons that other posters have said, and also because it is easier to tell if a chicken is hurt as they stop laying (hens only, of course, lol) their colored egg, which significantly narrows it down. I purposefully keep a small and diverse flock for that reason, and also because it is pretty. If you guys (your husband) don't like mutts, you could keep them separated by breed and just have a few of each breed in each area. Personally though, for dual purpose, Buffies are pretty great

We don't really have the space to separate breeds. Can probably separate a pair at a time to breed tho...

 

[Nika B]

Yup that would work better. I haven't had this issue myself but know people that have.

 

[NatJ]

You could have one rooster, hens of his breed, and then a variety of hens that lay other colors of eggs--that way, you could choose to hatch only purebred chicks, but without needing any separate pens.

Example:
Rhode Island Red rooster and hens.
Hens that lay white eggs (Leghorns, Hamburgs, Polish, etc.)
Hens that lay blue or green eggs (Easter Eggers, Olive Eggers, Cream Legbars, etc)
Hens that lay tiny eggs (bantams)
But no roosters except the Rhode Island Red.
Then: only hatch brown eggs. Presto, pure Rhode Island Red chicks!
All from a mixed flock in a single pen

(Roosters cannot be trusted to mate only with their own hens, so that's why all roosters must be the same breed to make it work.)

Edit to add: guineas will mate with guineas, chickens with chickens--so guineas are not a concern when raising purebred chickens.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Build a smaller breeding pen coop... there you put a rooster with a couple hens and you can control your breeding. Yes RIR where impossible to find this year