Will I ever have one big happy flock??

[WhoDatChick]

You KNOW she's an RIR!

Only my Americana, Puffy Peepers, really has a shot at taking Alpha from Miss Ruby and that's only because she can fluff her entire neck and head simultaneously

ETA- I have 3 big girl layers and my Buff Orp Henrietta was getting bullied but ever since the arrival of baby peepers last month there is peace in big girl land due to their unified betrayal and hatred of the littles

Oh gosh!! Yes! I can believe it!! And ya know, my BuffOrp has ALWAYS had a bald head and I could not figure out why ... well, just recently I’ve noticed her feathers growing back... I think it’s because I got rid of the bully/#2... I felt so bad getting rid of her and a little dumb at the same time.. for getting rid of a perfectly good layer... but now that I have concrete evidence of her bullying... besides what I would see her do.. that I don’t feel so bad/dumb anymore!

 

[Henriettamom919]

Oh gosh!! Yes! I can believe it!! And ya know, my BuffOrp has ALWAYS had a bald head and I could not figure out why ... well, just recently I’ve noticed her feathers growing back... I think it’s because I got rid of the bully/#2... I felt so bad getting rid of her and a little dumb at the same time.. for getting rid of a perfectly good layer... but now that I have concrete evidence of her bullying... besides what I would see her do.. that I don’t feel so bad/dumb anymore!

Yup! My Buff Orp doesn't have any of her long, swooping tail feathers. I was sure she had lice or something but it turned out to be my Alpha snipping them off at bedtime when my neutral gal and my BO would try to cuddle

Fortunately a few days of behavior tricks I learned here combined with baby chicks and their unified hatred of them mellowed my layers out; I was looking into getting rid of my bully, too, and would have if things hadn't improved or Henrietta would be tail-less AND bald, I'm sure

 

[Shadrach]

I got my first flock of eight babies... 7 standard and 1 Silkie.. Spring of 2018... March 1st of this year I got three new standard babies... then March 29th I got 4 Cochin bantam babies for my Silkie to raise.. then May 3rd I got 3 EE babies. I have integrated the first 3.. then a few weeks later integrated mama and babies... the three EEs are in the “see no touch” section of the run still. What I want to know is.. will they ever be one family/flock? Right now the original eight are together... mama went back with her group.. the 3 stay only together in their group and the four Cochins stay in their own group... and for the most part they all stay very separated into their own groups.. especially the first three...? And now I’m guessing the three EEs are gonna be their own group.. how long does it take for them to all be one flock? Or will they ever?

If you had just one of each breed you might be in with a shout.
Very few people want to believe and I have yet to find a single Internet site that doesn't try to promote the 'sure you can pick and mix your chickens', for various reasons, but chickens, given a choice will group by breed.
This doesn't mean you'll have constantly waring factions and as small separate groups they will rub along together most of the time. The heavier breeds will probably control the resources unless you level the playing field.
There are other studies but the notion that breeding for particular characteristics has bred the jungle fowl out of the chicken are dated and misleading.
There is a world of difference between 'domesticated' and 'tame.' Most breeds left to go feral return to the behaviours of their ancestors.
https://books.google.es/books?hl=en...dfLNk2w5qg6ZY&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
https://brill.com/configurable/contentpage/journals$002fbeh$002f137$002f6$002farticle-p705_3.xml

 

[Shadrach]

Shadrach would say like is attracted to like. Me, I think you need to define your terms/expectations a little better. If you mean by *one big happy flock* will they all potter along together with minimal jostling & pecking, I would say YES! If you mean will they all like each other & socialise with each other ~ probably not.
Just like people chickens have personal likes & dislikes & some chickens will never get along with each other. Others tend to be more distant. Some get on with anybody. Some of how your flock settles will depend on breed characteristics & then individual personalities.

As you know, I've just done an integration. My flock has settled really well & I am happy with how it is functioning. It is calm & peaceful but the pecking order is rigid. My Rocks are on top @ present & then the Australorps. The Rocks hang with the Rocks but are OK with the Australorps ~ they were my original flock. Those 4 are ok with the Favorelles [who are pretty calm & docile] but can get savage with the Campines if they consider they've stepped out of line. Everyone harries Lottie because she is tiny & the Campines get harried as well but aren't on the bottom ~ just the other chickens find them pushy. Lavender & Patricia are sort of outsiders but accepted overall. They are usually last to eat or get tid~bits. No~one is outright ostracized, but within the flock friendships are forming ~ usually like with like. Give it time. All will be well.

Shadrach would indeed say that.

 

[Henriettamom919]

If you had just one of each breed you might be in with a shout.
Very few people want to believe and I have yet to find a single Internet site that doesn't try to promote the 'sure you can pick and mix your chickens', for various reasons, but chickens, given a choice will group by breed.
This doesn't mean you'll have constantly waring factions and as small separate groups they will rub along together most of the time. The heavier breeds will probably control the resources unless you level the playing field.
There are other studies but the notion that breeding for particular characteristics has bred the jungle fowl out of the chicken are dated and misleading.
There is a world of difference between 'domesticated' and 'tame.' Most breeds left to go feral return to the behaviours of their ancestors.
https://books.google.es/books?hl=en...dfLNk2w5qg6ZY&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
https://brill.com/configurable/contentpage/journals$002fbeh$002f137$002f6$002farticle-p705_3.xml

I learned this the hard way when I chose two Barred Rock and ONE Buff Orp. Shockingly, the two were an immediate set and the one different got bullied! I had no idea but then I didn't know of BYC then, either

 

[Shadrach]

I learned this the hard way when I chose two Barred Rock and ONE Buff Orp. Shockingly, the two were an immediate set and the one different got bullied! I had no idea but then I didn't know of BYC then, either

It's an extremely unpopular message unfortunately.
Many of the problems I read about on BYC are exactly because of this idea that you can pick and mix breeds like sweets at a store.
Here they've been keeping chickens for centuries and mixed flocks are rare and those that exist are mixed with temperament in mind.

 

[Henriettamom919]

It's an extremely unpopular message unfortunately.
Many of the problems I read about on BYC are exactly because of this idea that you can pick and mix breeds like sweets at a store.
Here they've been keeping chickens for centuries and mixed flocks are rare and those that exist are mixed with temperament in mind.

I'm not sure why that would offend anyone It is what it is. Sure, you can mix your flock but just assume some will probably squabble. It's no different than any other forced gathering of personalities (school, workplace, etc).

 

[Ribh]

Shadrach would indeed say that.

I already had a mixed flock but have read your take on it & think you are not only wise but right. Therefore I have adjusted my expectations.

 

[Henriettamom919]

I already had a mixed flock but have read your take on it & think you are not only wise but right. Therefore I have adjusted my expectations.

Preach!

 

[WhoDatChick]

If you had just one of each breed you might be in with a shout.
Very few people want to believe and I have yet to find a single Internet site that doesn't try to promote the 'sure you can pick and mix your chickens', for various reasons, but chickens, given a choice will group by breed.
This doesn't mean you'll have constantly waring factions and as small separate groups they will rub along together most of the time. The heavier breeds will probably control the resources unless you level the playing field.
There are other studies but the notion that breeding for particular characteristics has bred the jungle fowl out of the chicken are dated and misleading.
There is a world of difference between 'domesticated' and 'tame.' Most breeds left to go feral return to the behaviours of their ancestors.
https://books.google.es/books?hl=en...dfLNk2w5qg6ZY&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
https://brill.com/configurable/contentpage/journals$002fbeh$002f137$002f6$002farticle-p705_3.xml

In my first set of eight only two are the same.. and I didn’t find them particularly sticking together.. now I have the four added Cochins and the next group of three new EEs.. I imagine each in those groups will stick together as they came together.. my middles group.. we’ll see what happens with them.. they are inseparable and all different.. but they came as a group.. thanks for the info