Variety Chicks

[Sirena_v]

Hello,
So I'm new and appreciate any advice. I am getting just a few chicks for my backyard. I was putting in an order just one of each, orpington, speckled Sussex, and ayam cemani, but I was told I should get at least two of the ayam cemani. The reasoning was so that the ayam cemani isnt bullied for being different. But I'm confused since they are all chicks same in age and will be raised together. Am I missing something? I don't have any chickens currently.

 

[nuthatched]

She very likely wont be bullied.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You don't get guarantees with behaviors of any living animals. Anything can happen. That's why Nuthatched and I use weasel words like very likely, if, might, can, and seldom. We've learned that anything can possibly happen.

If you get all the same breed of the same age and raise them together you might get bullying. That's mainly due to the different personalities of the individual chicks. If you get an assortment the same age like you propose and raise them together you seldom get bullying, but it is possible.

If you try to integrate new chickens, whether chicks or adults that are different you are more likely ot get bullying, but you don't always. The types of differences that can attract bullying are different feathering like Silkies or Frizzles, the feathering around the head like a Polish, or even different colored feathers or patterns. More often does not mean always, often it does not happen at all, but it can.

Another part of this is what some people call bullying. They may consider a normal part or chicken interaction to be bullying. Any flock of chickens is going to determine the pecking order, even a flock or all girls. Sometimes you don't see this happen, it just does. Sometimes it can involve fighting, even between girls though boys are more likely. A male is going to try to mate females. That can look like bullying to some people.

So, can you experience bullying? Yes. Would I worry about it in your situation? No.

If you are ever uncertain about something post on here. Maybe we can help you decide what you are really seeing. And welcome to the forum from Louisiana. Glad you joined.