Which chickens with which other chickens?

[dmwalker1999]

I had two buff orpingtons and something happened to the other the other chicken and now we are down to one, and i was wondering what type of breeds hang out best with buff orpingtons beside buff orpingtons. Thanks for all the help and comments!

 

[DeannaOR]

I have two Orpingtons and I keep them with a whole host of breeds. Australorp, Delaware, EE's, Partridge Rock, Wyandotte, Marans and even two little Sicilian Buttercups.
Are you wanting them more for egg production? That could help you decide. Brown, blue, olive, white eggs?

 

[dmwalker1999]

Well, its not that I want or need more its that i have one lonely chicken now and that i was making sure that other breeds get along with buff orpingons because i was going to get two more chickens.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's more the personality of the individual chicken than any specific breed. Buff Orps have a reputation for being mild-mannered and laidback, but I had one that was the dominant hen over Delaware, Speckled Sussex, and Black Australorp. You can look through Henderson's Breed Chart http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html to see which breeds are supposed to be docile and handle confinement well, but I'd be looking for hens about the same age and size to match her with. I really would not be that worried about breed. Mutts would also work for me.

I'd want two that were about the same age and size so integration will probably go better, with emphasis on age rather than size. Size doesn't matter that much. It's the maturity of the chicken that's more important.

Good luck and sorry for your loss.