Breeds ok to mix with my flock?

[ChickenGirl555]

The breeds I have now are Barred Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, polish, and Easter Eggers. I want to add 1 of each: Patridge Cochin, Welsummer, and French black copper maran.

Are any of the new breeds aggressive, or would be to any breeds I have now? Also, I've heard Speckled Sussex are aggressive, but is it true? Otherwise I really want one of those.

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

The breeds I have now are Barred Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, polish, and Easter Eggers. I want to add 1 of each: Patridge Cochin, Welsummer, and French black copper maran.

Are any of the new breeds aggressive, or would be to any breeds I have now? Also, I've heard Speckled Sussex are aggressive, but is it true? Otherwise I really want one of those.

you want speckled Sussex? Get one then, it doesn’t really matter what breed you get unless it’s a polish or silkie. You already have an aggressive breed (barred rock)
All birds have different personalities, you could have a real sweet barred rock (aggressive breed) and have a real mean buff Orpington (gentle giant)

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

You may hear different opinions, but I had to rehome my barred rock and RIR for being too aggressive with my other hens. I can’t free range due to living in wooded area and owning 2 bird dogs!!!! I rehomed them both after they were cannibalizing my sweet Cochin. It started with feather pecking then after they got the taste of blood they wouldn’t stop pecking her! They were both rehomed after sever attempts of separating then reintegrating....they are now on a farm where they free range all day without any issues.
Mixing breeds is perfecting fine. I have multiple breeds in my flock. I don’t want to give any breeds a bad name, b/c it all depends on each chicken and their own temperament. Mine just happened to be a barred rock and RIR. Good luck with your flock and integrating new birds!

 

[BirdGirl2004]

Honestly, I think that it all depends on the individual bird, and also how you introduce the flock. I think that you (obviously) needs to rid of the ones that are nasty already... and then make sure the new chickens are in a "see but don't touch pen" that they can get used to the other chickens.
Something like this:

Keep them in their for quite awhile until the are about the same size, or a month or so. I don't think that it matters so much on the type of bird, but of the characteristics of the individual birds. You just kinda have to read their behaviors.
Hope this helps, and I hope that your your flock gets along with each other...

Love your breed choices!
Good luck!!

 

[ChickenGirl555]

Honestly, I think that it all depends on the individual bird, and also how you introduce the flock. I think that you (obviously) needs to rid of the ones that are nasty already... and then make sure the new chickens are in a "see but don't touch pen" that they can get used to the other chickens.
Something like this:
View attachment 1507295
Keep them in their for quite awhile until the are about the same size, or a month or so. I don't think that it matters so much on the type of bird, but of the characteristics of the individual birds. You just kinda have to read their behaviors.
Hope this helps, and I hope that your your flock gets along with each other...

Love your breed choices!
Good luck!!

Actually I am going to introduce these new chicks with a broody mother. One of my Buff Orpingtons, Nugget, will be the proud mama if she passes the one week broody test. But last time she was broody she went for two months before we stopped her with a cold bath.

 

[BirdGirl2004]

Actually I am going to introduce these new chicks with a broody mother. One of my Buff Orpingtons, Nugget, will be the proud mama if she passes the one week broody test. But last time she was broody she went for two months before we stopped her with a cold bath.

lol okay! That's a good idea! Broodies are so much easier than taking care of them your own!

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

lol okay! That's a good idea! Broodies are so much easier than taking care of them your own!

I have a brooder full of guinea keets in the garage.
The smell is revolting

 

[BirdGirl2004]

I have a brooder full of guinea keets in the garage.
The smell is revolting

lol...been there done that... actually still doing it at this moment

 

[ChickenGirl555]

I have a brooder full of guinea keets in the garage.
The smell is revolting

lol...been there done that... actually still doing it at this moment

When I went to a swap meet once, the whole place stunk from a dozen guinea fowl!

 

[alexa009]

It can also depend on the chicken itself too. My barred rocks, white rock, easter egger marans and buff orpington weren't a problem at all when integrating new chickens into the flock. The brahmas and red sexlink I had to watch out for because I was noticing aggression problems with them. As long as you don't have the delaware and Australorp you should be ok because mine are horrible bullies! They were drawing blood and tearing out feathers from the new flock. The delawares are so aggressive that mine ended up being boss over my rooster who is a lot bigger than her.