Are their any certain types of chickens that just don't get along well with others?

[Sparksz]

I'm still pretty new to the chicken community, and I'm already beginning to acquire a wide variety of pullets and cockerels. I have Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock, Easter Egger, Bantam Cochins, Leghorns, Orpingtons, and Australorps as of right now, but my family is really wanting some Silkie . My question just really seems to be, are their any breeds I shouldn't incorporate into my flock, and if so, why? Any tips are surely appreciated!

 

[lazy gardener]

The most important thing is that you have enough room, especially if you are adding new birds. Integration requires extra space over and above that which is usually required. Do you let your flock free range? Birds with the extra fluff around their heads are at a visual disadvantage. I also think they are more prone to being bullied. I'd also be concerned about adding new birds b/c that can expose your entire flock to some very nasty diseases, some of which are "forever" It can also bring in some "hitch hikers" in the form of lice and mites. For all of these reasons, I keep a closed flock. I allow day old chicks or hatching eggs now and then, but never bring any other birds onto my property.

 

[Mrs. K]

^^^^ good advice
Lazygardener has very good advice on disease and parasites.

Young cockerels are going to give you quite a bit of problems. Unless you have multiple coops, and a great deal of space, too many cockerels will beat up and over-mate your pullets.

Size is another big influence on dominance, so silkies and bantams often times will be picked on if there are full size birds in the flock.

I don't think it is so much the breed of the birds, but rather the size of the birds and the amount of space that you have. You really need to measure your set up, because what can look like more than enough space for chicks, rapidly becomes way too small for full grown birds.

Mrs K

 

[Sparksz]

The most important thing is that you have enough room, especially if you are adding new birds.  Integration requires extra space over and above that which is usually required.  Do you let your flock free range?  Birds with the extra fluff around their heads are at a visual disadvantage.  I also think they are more prone to being bullied.  I'd also be concerned about adding new birds b/c that can expose your entire flock to some very nasty diseases, some of which are "forever"  It can also bring in some "hitch hikers" in the form of lice and mites.  For all of these reasons, I keep a closed flock. I allow day old chicks or hatching eggs now and then, but never bring any other birds onto my property.

I let all of birds free range, and then at night the hens go into my coop while my Leghorn Roo decides to roost in our Maple tree. We live on 40 acres so there is plenty of room for them, and our coop is 10x10, so I haven't seen much problem there. All of my Pullets and cockerel are around 5 months old, and they all seem to get along pretty well as of right now. I just wasn't quite sure how Silkies would do with my other birds. My Bantams and Orpington seem to have a flock of their own, while my others usually stick together.

 

[centrarchid]

You are probably going to get clobbered by a predator at some point. Start thinking about combating that which is where the space limitation will become an issue.