What chickens should I add?

[calebc311]

I raise two almost-5 month old chickens in my suburban backyard, and I'm planning on adding two more. I have a Plymouth rock and a golden comet. They're both hens and are like sisters - they have small quarrels, they always stick together, and they're always doing the same thing at the same time and place. I live in California where the sun is very strong and the weather is very hot. My chickens pant with their wings apart a lot. I always wanted a silkie but I know they will suffer under the larger chickens. What chickens would be right for my conditions? And how should I introduce the new chicks to the chickens?

 

[missnu01]

Well you would wait until the chicks are fully feathered and then allow them to see each other but not get to each other. If you can screen the babies in a spot and the hens on one side and the babies on the other and then feed them in the same spot on opposite sides they will become used to each other faster. I've always had great luck adding new members to the flock. I have a lot of land and a really big coop and I just let the babies out with the big chickens and that works out great. They all meet and then the babies can run if need be until everything gets figured out.
You can mix large fowl and bantams. I actually have quite a few half tiny game bantam half huge buff Orpington mixes. So my huge rooster is actually mating with my teeniest tiniest hen..she Is smaller than the 12 week chicks I have by half. Anyway you could do bantams I would go for something with clean legs or anything that says it isn't cold hardy... because you don't need something made for a new York winter. So nothing super heavy or terribly fluffy and no extraneous feathers would be the most comfortable. Leghorns may great and are a light bodied hen that does well in heat, or cold for that matter.

There are two many different chickens for us to pick 2 for you, Just know that your possibilities are nearly limitelss

 

[calebc311]

That's true, but my city has a limit to chickens I would consider bantams and leghorns but I heard they could fly. I free range my chickens within my 5ft fence enclosure.

 

[missnu01]

I have not seen any chicken actually fly..I mean they can all get a good bit of air, or jump out of a 2 story window, but as for flying like birds...doesn't happen. Nope. Not even bantam or leghorns. But really it is up to you, but I would go with light birds without excessive feathering

 

[calebc311]

Well, bad part on me. I used the word fly but I meant being able to flutter higher than 5 feet. My chickens right now jump up in the air but they can't get more than 3-4 feet. I'm afraid bantams may have the potential to jump over my fence or something

 

[missnu01]

It's possible.. my turkeys I never see even try to fly, but see them dismount from the roof. Never see them get up there though but see them crash to the ground in the morning. Most chickens are deterred my fencing even short. I use 4 ft fencing around my gardening spaces and even though they could jump it they never seem to think of it. Even the turkeys that I know must be able to get some pretty good air since I see them crash 20 feet to the ground.. but if they figure it out I will lose some veggies so no big deal..I have leghorns and bantams and well any chicken can get over a fence if it has to. Let's say if there's food outside the fence but no food inside the fenced area. But anyway. I get what you are saying. But bantams and leghorns are no more likely to fly over your fence than buff orpingtons or australorps. If I was you I would Google what chickens are not cold hardy or tolerant and see what that says because if they can't survive cold must mean they are made for warm

 

[ShockValue]

Of course you don't need to buy from them, but I find this tool to be handy. Not the definitive guide, but a good starting point:

http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/chick_selector.html