What chicken breed best gets along with Brahmas and Orpingtons

[Jesus loves me]

I'll second this. I think EE's are the best all-around chickens. Having said thst, though, I just don't know of any breeds thst DON'T get along well together. In their world (IME), "chickens is chickens." The only problems come when introducing NEW chickens, of any kind or color, into an existing flock. And when done properly, it can be done fairly easily and seamlessly with a minimum of fuss. Chickens don't know what they look like, they don't have mirrors. So when a chicken of a different color comes in, they don't freak out over that. "EEEEK, your feathers are a different color/ texture/ length than mine, you are alien, you are the enemy!" No. They just think, Where are you going to fit on the social ladder, the pecking order? So there may be scuffles over that. So get whatever chickens you want in your flock. And read these articles.

Integrating:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-a-pictorial-guide.79343/


This is another excellent article on integrating flocks:


https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-chickens-step-by-step.72815/

Thank you for the information! This is very helpful! I think I have narrowed it down to Delaware or Speckled Sussex. Would you recommend one more than the other?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you for the information! This is very helpful! I think I have narrowed it down to Delaware or Speckled Sussex. Would you recommend one more than the other?

I have a couple of SS but have never had Delawares. SS are very funny people. They seem to get along fine with the other chickens, but they're very nosy, curious girls, always "all up in my business," wanting to know what I'm doing and why, and questioning when I'll be done and whether I'm doing it right. Yes, I'm serious.

 

[Jesus loves me]

I have a couple of SS but have never had Delawares. SS are very funny people. They seem to get along fine with the other chickens, but they're very nosy, curious girls, always "all up in my business," wanting to know what I'm doing and why, and questioning when I'll be done and whether I'm doing it right. Yes, I'm serious.

Would you recommend them? Also how are they for egg laying? Thank you!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Sure I recommend them although for my money you can't go wrong with EEs. Eh, I don't really know how productive the SS are. I have a bunch of brown egg layers so I don't know who lays what when. I have 20 birds. Sorry.

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

Definitely totally depends on bird. We started with Black Australorps, added Brahmas and OE(olive eggers) and Orpingtons. Three Orpingtons were nuts and meaners. They found new homes. As did a few of our BAs. OE and EE seem to go great with our Bahamas, BA and Orpington. We had a wyandotte/Australorp cross, she was crazy lol

 

[Bawkbok]

You asked about red production breeds. We have had several RSLs, all have had or still have health issues, save one. In terms of temperament, they are friendly and docile, nice to others, just charming personalities. We know others who have had great luck with RSLs so it is just the luck of the draw. We have a new Cinnamon Queen pullet, too young to lay yet so the jury is still out on her. She is a RIR / RIW hybrid and as has already been mentioned RIRs tend to be mean to flock mates. She is a bit timid and prefers to be by herself. Thus far, no health issues, so fingers crossed.
We have three Orpingtons, one is highly food aggressive, the other is a bit of a bully and one is afraid of her shadow.
We've also had EEs, good layers but also health issues.
The Australorps we experienced are calm, quiet and have sweet personalities.
Every bird is an individual with distinct personality quirks, no matter the breed or mixture. The point is eggs, right? Get what you want for the yield you desire and the rest will work itself out.

 

[Jesus loves me]

You asked about red production breeds. We have had several RSLs, all have had or still have health issues, save one. In terms of temperament, they are friendly and docile, nice to others, just charming personalities. We know others who have had great luck with RSLs so it is just the luck of the draw. We have a new Cinnamon Queen pullet, too young to lay yet so the jury is still out on her. She is a RIR / RIW hybrid and as has already been mentioned RIRs tend to be mean to flock mates. She is a bit timid and prefers to be by herself. Thus far, no health issues, so fingers crossed.
We have three Orpingtons, one is highly food aggressive, the other is a bit of a bully and one is afraid of her shadow.
We've also had EEs, good layers but also health issues.
The Australorps we experienced are calm, quiet and have sweet personalities.
Every bird is an individual with distinct personality quirks, no matter the breed or mixture. The point is eggs, right? Get what you want for the yield you desire and the rest will work itself out.

Thank you for the information! Have you had any health problems with the Orpingtons? Yes, they will be used for eggs. Right now, I am for sure planning on getting Orpingtons and Brahmas but am trying to decide if I should possibly get some Delaware or Speckled Sussex with the Orpingtons and Brahmas. Do you have any recommendations? I have looked at the Australorps but have not looked into them too much would you recommend them? They sound like a good breed! Thank you!

 

[Jesus loves me]

Sure I recommend them although for my money you can't go wrong with EEs. Eh, I don't really know how productive the SS are. I have a bunch of brown egg layers so I don't know who lays what when. I have 20 birds. Sorry.

Okay, Thank you!

 

[Bawkbok]

I have looked at the Australorps but have not looked into them too much would you recommend them? They sound like a good breed! Thank you!

Personally, I love the Black Australorps. The one we had was a good layer. She laid consistently for five weeks, then she suddenly became egg bound and suffered a prolapsed vent. It was 84 degrees that day, which didn't help. She did not survive. She was seven months old. She was our favorite bird. If that wound wasn't so fresh, we would have more BAs. They can sometimes have small vents; hers was tiny. Her eggs were getting larger and larger as the weeks progressed. I think she produced a good size one and simply couldn't pass it through. It happened in a three hour window of time so I didn't have time to react to help and possibly save her. I still miss her elegant calmness in the flock.

 

[malirae]

I have a lot of different breeds, and they all vary between semi aggressive and docile and we’ve never really had a problem. I have a Orpington rooster who picks on my leghorn, but none of my other Orpingtons do. I’ve never owned Baramas though, so I can’t really I put on that one, but I have an Austrolrp (I might’ve spelt that wrong) who gets along with everyone and is super pretty (though I personally wouldn’t recommend them for egg production). And, like everyone is saying, you can’t go wrong with Easter Eggers, we have 5-8 of them and they are very docile. Of course I wouldn’t put a super aggressive hen with a docile hen any day. I hope this helps and I wish you luck!