Mixing breeds

huffy · **Joined:** Sat Jan 26, 2013 3:24 pm **Posts:** 6

Hi there I was wonder what your thoughts are on mixing large fowls together with no rooster. Would one breed try to dominate the other breeds or would they all know there space

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

Hi huffy and

I see this ^ is your first post

mixing breeds is not so much of an issue it is usually mixing ages that can be an issue

each hen has its own personality and they need to sort out who will be boss etc

as with all things patience is needed

PlayingGames · **Joined:** Sat Dec 15, 2012 3:35 pm **Posts:** 121

should go ok, but i depends on breeds as well.
like you cant go and keep malays with silkies. but most breeds should be good.

huffy · **Joined:** Sat Jan 26, 2013 3:24 pm **Posts:** 6

Thank you both so would I be best to stick with all 1 size like all bantam or all large breed?

Bobkat · **Posted:** Thu Feb 07, 2013 3:18 pm

I'm fairly new to chickens so no expert, but I'd suspect it's best to keep them similar in size. I have one each of four standard sized chickens and they get along just fine. As others have said, it's more important they're close in age. I got all mine at 8 weeks old. The RIR, Australorp and Barnevelder are all similar in size. My Silver Campine is a little lighter in body, but she keeps up with the gang. I wouldn't have added a bantam though.

Good luck with all the choices ahead of you!

flyingm · **Joined:** Fri Jan 25, 2013 10:44 am **Posts:** 6

If you free range your chickens, it shouldn't be a problem. I have had Malays, Sebrights, Old English Game, Leghorns, Sussex and a bunch of mixed breed hens and roosters of differing ages all get along famously. Mind you, they have ten acres to roam during the day.

huffy · **Joined:** Sat Jan 26, 2013 3:24 pm **Posts:** 6

I can't free range them because we have too many foxes around here

Bobkat · **Posted:** Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:42 am

Don't get a Silver Campine then, they don't like too much confinement!

I find the Barnevelder, RIR and Australorp all good with each other and happy enough in the coop. Mine only free range from about 3pm till bedtime (or the garden would be completely trashed....). Depending on where you are and how hot it gets, I have found the RIR less heat-tolerant than the others. The first to pant and need to find shade. She still copes though, with plenty of cold water, ice blocks etc.

I found the Henderson chart of chicken breeds useful when I was first tyring to work out what I wanted. Just Google Henderson's chicken chart. I was looking for standard sized, good egg producers, friendly to some extent, not especially broody and fine with confinement. (OK, then I broke the rules and got the Silver Campine as well on impulse as she is so pretty). I could check the breeds against the parameters in the chart of interest to me, and it was really helpful. Then checked that breeds list against what I could actually find to buy.

I must say I'm well impressed with the Australorp. She's friendly, barely misses a day laying since she started 3 months ago, healthy, great looking and doesn't blink an eye at heat or cold. They have "average" broodiness - not sure if you want them to go broody or not - but so far I have found her fine.

I think it's nice having a mixed flock, with all their colour variants. One other advantage is that I selected breeds with some variation in egg colour so I have a very good idea who is actually laying. The RIR and Australorp are the closest in egg colour but the former has a pinker tinge to it, so now I always know who has laid an egg. The Barnevelder is dark brown and the SC lays a white egg. Easy! Somehow, I find it adss to the fun to know whose egg it is!

Good luck with this interesting phase of the chicken learning curve!

huffy · **Joined:** Sat Jan 26, 2013 3:24 pm **Posts:** 6

Thank bobkat sorry I should have mentioned that from the start. I have been looking up all the breeds and pictures did not realize there were sooooooo many wow hard to pick but you have help enormously and I can't thank you enough I do like the rir and the black australorp for some reason I do like black chooks they have a nice sheen to their feathers

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

a mix of Black and Red would go well together
word of advise tho = dont put White in the mix - many have found that the Whites get picked on for some unknown chooky reason

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Mixing breeds

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