Mixing different breeds in Flock

[and1223]

I have always raised same breeds of aproximately 12 chickens. This year I decided to hatch a handful of mixed breeds plus I purchased 2 day olds . 2 buffs, 2 Silver Laced Wyandotte and 4 Rhode Island Reds. My question is did I do wrong by bringing in the 4 RR Chicks?
I used to have RR and I know they are very aggressive towards other docile breeds. Should I have only gotten 2 instead of 4 RR? Your advise is greatly appreciated.

 

[cavemanrich]

If they are over-aggressive towards your other chickens, there are some solutions.
Rehome the aggressors. Remember, that not all 4 are going to be bad aggressors.
Consider trimming top beak portion. That has a big factor to bring down aggression. The beak is less of a weapon, and does not do as much damage/harm as well as feather grabbing ability.
If you go that route,, I can offer further How To.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Shadrach]

I have always raised same breeds of aproximately 12 chickens. This year I decided to hatch a handful of mixed breeds plus I purchased 2 day olds . 2 buffs, 2 Silver Laced Wyandotte and 4 Rhode Island Reds. My question is did I do wrong by bringing in the 4 RR Chicks?
I used to have RR and I know they are very aggressive towards other docile breeds. Should I have only gotten 2 instead of 4 RR? Your advise is greatly appreciated.

In general chickens prefer their own breed. People don't want to believe this but it is the way it is.
Do not trim a chickens beak. It's a cruel and barbaric practice carried out mainly by the commercial chicken keeping concerns because the over crowded conditions the keep the chickens in produce aggressive behaviour.
You should read this.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/jour...-welfarediv/8FC9E87C0602D759055AC2003DB0EC0A#

and this.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1166494/

 

[Callender Girl]

I always have a mix of breeds in the brooders, and while I believe chickens prefer their own breed, I have seen, many times, that they also bond with whatever chickens they grew up with.

Currently, when all the bird are out foraging in the yard, the Easter Eggers tend to stay together, as do the Columbian Wyandotte and Bielefelder who were brooded together, as well as the Sapphire Splashes, Calico Princesses, Sapphire Olive Egger and Midnight Majesty Marans -- all of which grew up in the same brooder.

I try to make sure there's plenty of room, plenty of food and spaces where gentler babies can hide if they feed the need.

Best wishes with your young ones!

 

[Perris]

I have always raised same breeds of aproximately 12 chickens. This year I decided to hatch a handful of mixed breeds plus I purchased 2 day olds . 2 buffs, 2 Silver Laced Wyandotte and 4 Rhode Island Reds. My question is did I do wrong by bringing in the 4 RR Chicks?
I used to have RR and I know they are very aggressive towards other docile breeds. Should I have only gotten 2 instead of 4 RR? Your advise is greatly appreciated.

I have a mixed flock, which used to include RIR, and they were not at all aggressive. It all depends on the personalities of the chickens involved.

My birds are quite indifferent to breed, perhaps because there is a lot of variety here so none stand out particularly as a group that is 'different'.

Although some people believe chickens do identify with and prefer others of their breed, presumably based on appearance (since what else do they have to go on?), I don't buy it, not only because it doesn't fit with my experience, but because of the sexual dimorphism in a lot of breeds: the males and females have quite different plumage patterns and colours, e.g. brown leghorn

cream legbar

Dorking (red here)

Marsh daisy

Norfolk grey

To the untrained eye, the chickens in the pictures are not obviously two or more members of the same breed, and if they were in a mixed flock, it would be even less obvious.