What breed(s) should I start my flock with?

[dekel18042]

Also, is it better to have a flock of all the same breed or have many different breeds?

I love having different breeds and some I have made myself, so many interesting egg colors. There are different breeds I would have one or two of each. As others have said you can order 6 chicks, the same or different breeds from mypetchicken.com. If you want pets and good egg layers I would recommend Easter eggers. They're not a cookie cutter breed and can lay different color eggs, blue and greenish blue being the predominant colors. My EE eggs are extra large with one of my hens laying a jumbo egg. You could also have olive eggers (considered by some to be EE's) If you like dark eggs I have had marans and marans mixes and welsumers, speckled Sussex, orpingtons. Wyandottes are beautiful birds but not the best layers while faverolles are really sweet birds. Sex links lay really large, brown eggs. You have so many choices.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

You can mux any breed togwther but breeds whi are usually more aggressive do fine.But with any chciken as long as there isnt a weak ine their fine.

BUffd are pretty mean themselves.I cant say for sure if they will get picked on,depends on dynamics in the flockm

 

[Tylexie]

How are these breeds: welsummer, barred rock, black sex link, speckled sussex, buff orpington, silver laced wyandotte, australorp? Are there any that aren't compatible with the others? If the coop is 25 to 30 square feet , would they all get along well (is there enough space)? Are there any downsides to the individual breeds?

 

[boskelli1571]

How are these breeds: welsummer, barred rock, black sex link, speckled sussex, buff orpington, silver laced wyandotte, australorp? Are there any that aren't compatible with the others? If the coop is 25 to 30 square feet , would they all get along well (is there enough space)? Are there any downsides to the individual breeds?

Ok - each large fowl bird (all of your selections) require at least 8 sq.ft/bird in the coop if they are confined to a coop and smallish run. If they can free range or have a very large run, you can get away with less. Why? I hear you asking - well, in NY winters if they are all confined together and cramped for room they will get into mischief - vent picking, feather picking, pecking at combs etc. they need space.
Australorps are a fine choice I believe but can't speak from experience, I'm not impressed with SL Wyandottes - few eggs and quite stand-offish. Speckled Sussex are supposed to be good, mine weren't. If you are considering all of them I think I would be cautious about adding Orpingtons to the group. Although they are usually big birds, they are very docile and would be the first to get picked on.

 

[Tylexie]

I need to narrow down my choices to 6 chickens, so which of these three would you recommend dropping: welsummer, silver laced wyandotte or speckled sussex?

 

[SueT]

I have all different breeds so that I can easily tell them apart, but in general some breeds do tend to be more agreeable or aggressive than others. We used to have a Buff Orpington and she was picked on by all the others. She laid less eggs than any of the others. But I've only had one of each so mine might not be typical--the others were Rhode Island Red, Black Australorp, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Barred Rock and Speckled Sussex, all from a local hatchery. Read breed reviews for more information.

 

[SueT]

I need to narrow down my choices to 6 chickens, so which of these three would you recommend dropping: welsummer, silver laced wyandotte or speckled sussex?

My SL wyandotte was standoffish. I've only had the one. But Boskelli above said the same thing about being standoffish. But ours was a good layer. My Speckled Sussex pullet is picked on by the others. She is very sweet, lays less eggs than our Barred Rock of the same age. In Feb, our Barred Rock pullet laid 23 eggs, and the Sussex laid 17.
Let us know what breeds you get! Good luck!

 

[boskelli1571]

I need to narrow down my choices to 6 chickens, so which of these three would you recommend dropping: welsummer, silver laced wyandotte or speckled sussex?

I'm a big fan of Welsummers....so you know

. I haven't had good luck with Wyandottes or Sussex. Folks tell me the Sussex are a good breed so I go with people I trust. So the biggest loser id Wyandottes.

 

[jas humbert]

From your list: I've owned silver (and gold) laced wyandottes, speckled sussex, australorp, welsummer and rhode island red (as well as a bunch of breeds not on your list).

I think the rhode island reds are very good layers but flighty with me and they were the most aggressive with other chickens. Although my experience is limited to regular old production kind you get at feed stores rather than the heritage. I hear the heritage are nicer. Mine were too much like a leghorn in personality for my taste. I ended up getting rid of my wyandottes (one gold laced- one silver laced) because they were picking on the smaller breeds. Very nice the first year, got meaner in year 2.

I love my australorps- good layers of big brown eggs- big calm friendly chickens- good middle of the road birds for my mixed flock. The oldest australorp is top hen but she's not mean to the others. . . Love my speckled sussex. Middle/ lower of the flock - okay if you don't have much larger more aggressive breeds. Not at all aggressive, friendly and liked to be picked up- avg layer. The welsummers are a little standoffish with me (both of them) but not mean or flightly and get on well with other chickens- good layers of nice dark brown speckled eggs. I would say over all the australorp is my favorite breed for a primarily egg layer mixed flock. Friendly birds (my australorp, Fannie Mae, jumps in my lap if I sit down in the pen and talks to me for 5 minutes or so and will take treats out of my hand) and good egg production.

 

[TheTwoRoos]

How are these breeds: welsummer, barred rock, black sex link, speckled sussex, buff orpington, silver laced wyandotte, australorp?  Are there any that aren't compatible with the others?  If the coop is 25 to 30 square feet , would they all get along well (is there enough space)?  Are there any downsides to the individual breeds?

If you free range,dont be concerend about space,so you do not need an exact measure.But,the coop should match the sq feet for hiwever many you have,run isnt an concern.

I have had Black sexlinks and they are great,I hate Wyandottes.I tried so hard to make my Silver laced a friend but she never changed.Austrolourps arr great too.