These Breeds Will Give You Flock Harmony!

in this video I'm going to show you which 15 chicken breeds are great to keep together for your backyard flock and at the end I'll talk about some tips for raising and mixing the friendliest chicken breeds together and give you some tips on how to mix old and new chickens hi there welcome to the Happy Chicken Coop thanks for joining me today please be sure to like the video subscribe to the YouTube channel also be sure to subscribe to our website thehappychickencoop.com if you subscribe using the link in the description you'll receive a free ebook on the 10 best egg-laying chicken breeds alright without further Ado let's get into it so there are a few things you need to know as much as you want to keep chickens together some breeds do not get along each species has unique characteristics and can Clash with others if you want to start a mixed flock choose breeds with similar personalities so they can quickly get along with each other just a quick note raising a mixed flock requires specific consideration for certain breeds like I said and why don't we just go ahead and dive into the top 15 chicken breeds that you can keep together number one Jersey a giant they're large chicken breeds that can stand at 26 inches and weigh about 15 pounds but don't get fooled by their size many consider them gentle Giants Jersey Giants are one of the friendliest breeds that can quickly get along with other breeds they are also known to be friendly with pets and humans especially children despite being gentle Giants this breed can easily stand for themselves when bullied in fact Hawks stay away from them due to their large size the Jersey Giant makes an excellent choice for people looking for a productive bird or a friendly fowl number two the Sussex chicken considered one of the favorite breeds of all time the Sussex is an easy going and friendly bird they are naturally welcoming and can quickly hit it off with other breeds in the flock you might even see them following you around or running up to you you can trust them with your children unfortunately this breed is susceptible to bullying so better keep an eye on them number three is the orpington orpingtons are friendly sweet and love attention this kind gentle breed loves being pet and enjoys hugs and Cuddles although they mind their own business it's best to avoid mixing them with aggressive breeds as they can get bullied pretty easily their submissive nature often puts them at the bottom of the pecking order number four is the Brahma chicken they're another gentle fluffy giant breed you should add to your mixed lock this breed has a way of keeping peace in the flock making them rank higher in the pecking order we're almost stroll calmly through the backyard while keeping a watchful eye for trouble their Majestic air compels other breeds their utmost respect like the Jersey Giants brahmas are a large breed that don't take nonsense from aggressive birds number five is silkies in addition to being one of the best chicken breeds to keep together silkies have captivated the hearts of many because of its adorable looks although they're smaller than most chickens don't get full by their size they may not be aggressive but they can be adamant in a mixed flock silkies are among the best Bantam breeds to include in your backyard flock they're fun and they get along with other chickens and they also make great mothers and raise youngsters well number six is the Cochin chicken these are another breed of gentle Giants you should incorporate in your flock making them a good mixer breed due to their friendly nature coachings are calm and good chickens that love to sit on your lap their gentle disposition makes them safer on your children they also make great Foster mothers even the small animals that look nothing like a chick despite their large size cochins are susceptible to bullying so just keep an eye out for it number seven is the wyando or Wyandot as one of the most common chicken breeds they make a great choice for many people who want to start a mixed backyard flock known for their easy-going character wyandotes or wine dots are naturally friendly and curious although they can be a little loud sometimes they can easily get along with other breeds however they tend to get Broody sometimes making them Snappy and protective like coaches wyandottes make good Foster chicken mothers who are happy to sit any other chicken's eggs they are a great choice if you want to breed chickens as well if you encounter any problems raising them poultry enthusiasts can definitely provide you with helpful information about these breeds and on raising them because they're so common number eight is the Polish Chicken in addition to being wonderful all-around chicken breed the quirky nature and weird antics of the Polish chicken can keep you entertained for hours their common gentle temperament enables them to get accepted into the flock quickly without trouble making them a great addition to your mix flock for a backyard Homestead or Farm Number Nine is the Australorp if orpingtons appeal to you you'll surely fall in love with australorps also this large heavy bird is known for its soft black feathers can tolerate lots of handling and easily adjust to spending a week on display in a children's fair project or at a County Fair they're adaptable nature makes them a great choice for beginner chicken owners they're docile and easy going traits can bring Delight to the flock as well if you're looking for a wonderful egg-laying breed australorps can give you an average of 250 eggs per year number 10 is the salmon federals is one of the family-friendly favorites and should be included in your backyard flock if you're going to mix chickens this heavily feathered breed has beards and moths making them look slightly like a toy their beautiful plumage makes federals stand out its feathers feature a rich honey salmon Hue over its head back and wings salmon febrile have a white or cream colored breast Speckles it's breast muff and lower half of the body sport lighter golden and cream colors they're also a joy to watch and be around the chicken is comical and can charm its way to your heart these are just one of the reasons federals are extremely popular among people who love interacting with their chickens while federals are easy going that love to spend time in a run they also enjoy their time at home foraging in fields they're also one of the best egg producing breeds that can lay an average of 180 to 200 eggs per year or roughly 4 eggs a week they lay medium-sized tinted or light brown eggs and number 11 is the Barred Rock chicken this is among one of the most popular breeds in America although barred rocks are hearty reliable and fuss-free birds they are also sweet quiet and easy to be around these qualities make them ideal for backyard mixed flocks the Barred Rock is a Heritage breed created by breeding black Javas and Dominics in New England around 1869. it was initially used as a production bird to provide Americans with meat and eggs during World War II this free-range black and white striped chicken can easily Thrive and produce a good number of eggs as well number 12 is the Pearl star Leghorn it's a cross between a Sussex and a partridge rock some consider them as an anomaly among hybrids they Feature A striking variegated Feathering the sweet and Mild mannered Birds often bear the brunt of dominant Birds making them more prone to bullying so be sure to keep an eye out for that as well I know there's a couple of these on this list classified as a small to medium chicken breed a pearl star Leghorn can weigh around five pounds they are great egg producers laying around 220 to 300 large eggs yearly number 13 is the Barbara dukley Chicken that's a true Bantam chicken while this small sized Belgian breed is popular for its adorable beards muffs and Boots the barber dukeley has a big personality they are friendly and great with kids this sweet little bird enjoys getting held and petted while they make an excellent addition to your flock just watch out for bullying bigger breeds can pick on bantams just in general number 14 is the Plymouth Rock it's a long-term egg-laying chicken that can live up to 11 years this Heritage breed is an excellent Dual Purpose chicken making it a Top Choice for backyard chicken owners for many years not only are they good egg producers they also provide quality meat Plymouth rocks are interesting because they lay light tan to pink colored eggs while Plymouth Rock females are sweet and docile some claim that the roosters can get aggressive and lastly number 15 the Rhode Island red they can Thrive while in any environment they can survive in freezing weather and sweltering heat they can continue happily hunting grubs and laying eggs no matter the season Palm Daw sells sweet and people loving chickens the Rhode Island Reds can easily get along with others even with humans their Sunny disposition and exceptional egg production capability makes them backyard chicken keeper favorites they can lay as many as seven medium to large size brown eggs weekly as far as this list goes I want to make a quick note I know there will be people who will disagree and this is only because this is like on average the personality and temperament of the breed every personality is going to be different so sometimes for example I've heard that Rhode Island Reds can actually be mean so there's no set absolute disposition for chicken breeds now let's talk about some tips for raising and mixing some of these chicken breeds or just mixing breeds in general chickens may not be the most snuggly creatures however with some patience and tasty treats you can successfully domesticate them chickens enjoy human company as long as they feel safe around them so let's get into the tips here on how to make sure they feel safe and also how they make sure to feel safe around each other number one choose a docile easy going and friendly chicken breed like the ones we went through number two is the most effective way to raise and tame chickens is to start the chips it provides you plenty of time to tame the chicken then retaining an adult bird that is unfamiliar to you number three spend as much time with them as you can every day the more time you spend around them the more they will likely recognize your presence number four give them delicious treats and feed them with your hand like dogs and cats chickens also like treats letting them eat out of your hand helps make positive associations with you if you want a peaceful and harmonious flock consider keeping only female chickens roosters tend to be aggressive and territorial this isn't always the case some people love roosters and roosters can be very valuable to protect your flock but in general while cockerels may be sweet and friendly as they're growing up they can and have the ability to turn into aggressive birds when they reach adulthood so just a quick caveat there and lastly protect your flock from Predator attacks by providing them with a safe place unexpected Predator attacks can be extremely stressful to chickens a single fox attack can send your flock into a frenzy leaving them scared and at risk be sure they have a place where they can Retreat feel feel safe and away from predators and to wrap up let's talk about mixing old and new chickens introducing new chicks or adding several hens to your existing flock requires careful planning care and management to ensure a successful transition so let's start off with the first step managing the new chickens separately never introduce new Birds immediately to the flock to prevent exposing the existing ones to Common poultry diseases keep them in a separate room or coop for 30 days to keep both parties or both groups safe and healthy isolating the new chickens enables you to monitor their health and how well they're able to adapt to the new environment on the other hand chicks should be kept in a brooder for 18 weeks until they reach maturity and transition onto a layer feed before introducing them to other flock members now let's talk about introducing new chickens to the group after you've kept them isolated gradually introduce them chickens can easily adapt when introduced to a group of birds that are similar in size and traits ensuring a smooth transition another way to help new and existing groups to familiarize each other is by placing them in side by side runs for a week this can help them form bonds before being housed together you can also let the new group of chickens free range and then add the existing flock to the new surrounding the last tip is just keep an eye out for monitor the flock as they integrate watch them closely to make sure both groups are happy healthy and content take note of their routines and make sure there's no changes in personalities or feed consumption if you found this video helpful please be sure to also check out this video over here that's going to do for us here at the Happy Chicken Coop thanks for listening if you find our content interesting if you learned something new please be sure to like the video subscribe and I will talk to you soon foreign

Channel: The Happy Chicken Coop

Views: 61,018

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Id: O1FdCmj1oXM

Length: 11min 46sec (706 seconds)

Published: Mon May 15 2023