What breeds would you get?

[TheSpiceGirls]

I have a Jersey Giant and a Buff Orpington. I had an EE till just a few days ago. I raised the 3 from day old chicks together but the EE always had a tendency to peck at the BO. I had it under control but while I was away last week, it got out of control to the point where I gave the EE away and the BO is still barely eating. I pull her out of the run twice a day and feed her handfuls of meal worms. She's SOOOOO timid. But she's my favorite hen in the world and I'll do anything to save her.

I'd even give away the JG if I had to. But I don't see them disagreeing w/ each other so I think I'm good there.

I want to add two more hens. I'm torn between a BO or a Barred Rocks or one of each. My main concern is that they are docile and friendly. I don't want any pecking going on. I know you can't completely predict that won't happen. But I need these gals to get along so that I know I can go out of town for a few days and that they won't kill each other.

So I'm looking for advice from the group on what you would do. Would you only add in BO's? Or a mix of BO and BR's? I'm tempted to get a few of each even though I only want two more to bring my flock up to 4 hens.

That way, I'm guaranteed that I'll get the two that I want. And that I'll get two hens. I'm happy giving the others away.

I know BO's are so docile, that it makes them easy targets for being picked on. But I've read that BR's are quite docile too. What have your experiences been with mixing the two. Do it? Don't do it?

 

[lizage]

So far (and I'm new to this chicken thing) my black sex link girls have been the most laid back. I also have barred rocks and new hampshires as well as OEG bantams. The BR and NH are more skiddish to me.

 

[Ole rooster]

My BSL is one of the more pushy of my 7. The ProRed is just hateful to the BO's. And what ticks me off is the BO just squeals and runs. Twice I've see the PR get feathers when I was feeding them all meal worms. She's not on top of the pecking order but she does peck the hardest. When they roost at night she'll run the BO's off the roost till she is settled then they find their spot. It sounds like Friday night at the fights in the coop. When they're out ranging all is just fine. But get in tighter and all bets are off. I won't for stand much more of this for sure. She's just to aggressive for my liking.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

So it's sounding like I should ONLY have BO's in my flock and not try to integrate other varieties such as Barred Rocks.

Is that what you are telling me?

I think I'll raise a bunch of BO's and select the ones that I bond best with and see if I can integrate them with my JG. She's pretty mellow. But if that changes, then the JG will go along w/ the extra BO's.

 

[dawg53]

I've had BO's mixed with BR's as well as SF's. If I were to start over, I would only have BR's and BSL's. IMO, BO's tend to eat more than the others. My BR's and BSL's are very friendly.

 

[deChickyHen]

I have BO's , White Rocks, Red Sex links and RIRs, they all get along pretty well,, but I ordered them all together from welp... they arrived together and were in the brooder together and are about 8 weeks old. Besides my special needs ( CRAZY ) RIR, They all get along. I hope this helps

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
What's a BSL?

I only have the two and would never have more than 4. MAYBE 5. So how much they eat really isn't an issue for me. It's more important to me that they get along. And don't start pecking at each other when I don't let them out of their run for a few days. Their run is 20' by 14' so it's not that they are crammed in there. They have things to hop and perch on. Their house is in there and always open. The run is predator proof. And I always toss out seeds for them to hunt for.

I love the looks of BR's. But my current BO is my very special baby and I will not get anything to upset her ever again. And if that means getting three more BO's and possibly giving away the Jersey Giant, than so be it.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
What's a BSL?

I only have the two and would never have more than 4. MAYBE 5. So how much they eat really isn't an issue for me. It's more important to me that they get along. And don't start pecking at each other when I don't let them out of their run for a few days. Their run is 20' by 14' so it's not that they are crammed in there. They have things to hop and perch on. Their house is in there and always open. The run is predator proof. And I always toss out seeds for them to hunt for.

I love the looks of BR's. But my current BO is my very special baby and I will not get anything to upset her ever again. And if that means getting three more BO's and possibly giving away the Jersey Giant, than so be it.

BSL= Black Sex Link, aka Black Stars. Keep in mind that by adding new birds, there will be pecking order issues that they will have to resolve amongst themselves. It sounds like you have plenty of room to keep what you have AND add new birds. Too bad we dont live closer, I'd take your JG if you decided to get rid of her.

 

[cackleberrycoop]

If you can find an honest local breeder, it may be worth asking which breed of theirs is the most layed back and least likely to cause trouble integrating in with your existing flock. In my experience, there is such a wide range of behavior variations between birds from different sources, even among the same breeds. I had a few BO who were hellish to have around and I ended up giving them away just to be free of them (with a warning to the new owners, of course!). They came from a breeder who bred towards the standard, and in his effort to perfect the appearance of his birds, I think he lost track of their natures. I was also told that Dunlap's BOs can be nasty birds. My Marans are the sweetest, gentlest, easiest birds on the planet - roosters also, but I know a couple of other chicken people who bought Marans from other sources and now hate the breed because of all the trouble that they caused.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Quote:
What's a BSL?

I only have the two and would never have more than 4. MAYBE 5. So how much they eat really isn't an issue for me. It's more important to me that they get along. And don't start pecking at each other when I don't let them out of their run for a few days. Their run is 20' by 14' so it's not that they are crammed in there. They have things to hop and perch on. Their house is in there and always open. The run is predator proof. And I always toss out seeds for them to hunt for.

I love the looks of BR's. But my current BO is my very special baby and I will not get anything to upset her ever again. And if that means getting three more BO's and possibly giving away the Jersey Giant, than so be it.

BSL= Black Sex Link, aka Black Stars. Keep in mind that by adding new birds, there will be pecking order issues that they will have to resolve amongst themselves. It sounds like you have plenty of room to keep what you have AND add new birds. Too bad we dont live closer, I'd take your JG if you decided to get rid of her.

I'm really leaning towards just getting more BO's. They are just so sweet.

Although my JG is quite sweet too. If you want to meet her, here's a video of her:

She also LOVES June Bugs and will choke those down. Quite a sight to watch. Giving her away would be super tough but I'd do it if I knew she was going to a GREAT home AND that it would protect my BO. Would probably move the BO to the top of the pecking order and then get her three or four other BO's to hang with and I think I'd have resolved my pecking issues.