We have a small flock (5 or less) but we have never seen an issue with mixed breeds. The two closest birds are a Dominique and an Americauna.
We have a 5x10 wire pen that we put the little ones in to get socialized with the older birds. They all run around and get used to each but the wire stops any physical confrontations. When the little ones are old enough we open the door and things settled out pretty soon.
I was cautioned when I started with chickens to watch out for mixing things like Silkies or Polish into a more "standard" flock. The odd head feathers and what not can be an attractive target for the other birds.
On Oct 11, 2013, at 12:24 PM, Margaret Panciera wrote:
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> I'm seeking more experienced folks' take on adding new chicks to the flock. We added two cochins last year to a flock of eight. It was supposed to be 4 we were adding, but two got eaten by a coyote. The two survivors had a really hard time assimilating. Even now those old girls will not let them sleep on the perch, though there's plenty of room. We did not put them in with the larger flock for 5 or 6 months because they were picked on so much even though we doubled the food. Unfortunately, we don't have a lot of room in the shed and it is something of a hassle to keep them separated, so six months was a LONG wait... Anyway, none of the oldies are laying much of anything anymore - at year 3, we may get one egg every other day from the entire group, so we figured we have main pen room for another six this spring. I was planning on four different breeds, but DH is wondering if a single breed instead would give them more solidarity and make them better able to cope with the adjustment of moving in with the others. Thanks in advance for your advice.
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