[Poppadoo]

We have been reading this forum for many months but have never posted, we are new to chicken keeping and have only had our girls for about four months.

We have three Welbars that are 7 months old, we originally got them at twelve weeks old, we got three as we only had a small ark and small run but enjoyed them so much I built a new run and coop two meters by five meters.

We now wish to get three more girls, our question is we have the opportunity to get  three sisters of our currant girls as the breeder has not as yet put the others up for sale. But we are debating getting three of a different breed. I still have the ark and run so can keep them separated but next to one another but will they settle in / get on better being related or not?

Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks Anni, Mark, Hilary, Harriet & Henrietta

[min200]

If its been months since they have seen each other they would be regarded as new birds now.  So get something of what you fancy and there is just so much choice!!

Oh and welcome to the forum   

[8doubles]

Birds of a feather stick together, i think hens like to be among similar coloured birds but it makes very little difference once they have settled.
I would get 3 of another coloured variety to add interest .

[jennie wren]

hi,I am also new to the forum.I started in august with 3 exbatts and added to light sussex in oct.after keeping them seperate for 2weeks they mixed fine.

[Sassy]

I would love the opportunity to get some that lay a different coloured egg

[Alby]

Ive always gone for a good mix of birds and egg colours, seems to add to the fun 

[rachelr]

I would recommend getting a different colour. Only cos I didnt and regretted it an would be dead jealous


good luck

[Aidy]

I have ex bats and Blackrocks. Its good to have  a bit of a mix. Took a week or two to get them to intregate but are fine now.

[hillfooter]

I doubt that they would integrate any better than new birds of a different breed but the choice is yours.  Welbars are a pure breed and so I'd stick with a pure breed.  Welbars aren't seen that much but I assume they are purebreeds and not some cross your breeder is calling Wellbar?  you should post a photo.

There are many varieties of pure breed you could chose but I'd go for large fowl of a similar size.  I think Welbars are a medium sized bird.  Wellsummers lay a nice brown egg but aren't prolific, Cream Legbars lay a blue egg,  Dotties are very pretty hens too if you want some variety.  I wouldn't get a large breed like Cochins or Brahmas or Orps for example lovely those these might be.

HF

[jinty1911]

Go for a different breed with a different colour.  Makes life interesting and you can tell who's who.

[bantam novice]

welcome to the forum and the wacky world of henaholics poppadoo and jenny wren.   

[Lindeggs]

I'm getting six birds at once (just 4 days to go until they arrive!) and really struggled to decide whether I should get the same breed or a mix.  In the end I went for two each of three different breeds on the following reasoning:

- As a beginner I will get to know three breeds so will be wiser in the future about their breed characteristics

- I like the idea of three (slightly) different egg colours

- part of the project is to win my hubby over to the chickens (my hidden agenda) so a pretty mixed flock will probably help

- each breed has slightly different laying patterns so I hope they won't all go broody, or all stop laying for winter at the same time.

By the way, I'm getting all heavy breeds: Light Sussex, Barnevelder, Barred Rock.

Whatever you choose, keep having fun!  

[D]

I've got 11 birds and no two are the same. When we added to the flock we wanted a wide range of birds and egg colours, so we got, within reason, what we wanted when we came across it. Unless you plan to breed from your birds it doesn't make a difference.

[Casey76]

Click here for information and photos of a Welbar

They aren't very common.

Personally I'm all in favour of a mixed flock... but then I'm pretty much a chicken addict lol.  the only thing is, if you decide to get a mix of breeds, it would be better if you could get them from the same place, otherwise you will end up with different quarantine pens all over your garden until you could mix them together.  Also you will be more likely to have pecking order problems with hens from different sources... and an increased risk of bringing mycoplasma into your flock.

[Jeanette]

I would definatly go for a mixture of girls it is easier to tell them apart and you can get different coloured eggs.