[emu]

I'm looking to start off with 6 or so hens - I was thinking of buying different breeds (all at the same age-ish) to provide a variety of hen and egg colours. I have to admit to liking pure breeds  - thinking of possibly cream legbar, gold and blue laced wyandotte, maran, light sussex,plymouth rock (any others that you can recommend?) I'm aware winter egg production may fall/stop and was considering maybe a speckledy instead?
Do they tend to naturally get on and find a pecking order or is it better to stick to one breed?
Thanks, Chris

[joyfull]

croad langsham - these have a plummy bloom to them, araucana for lovely blue eggs, silkies for white, welsummer for terracotta 

[grenhouse]

Mixed flocks tend to be fine. I have had banties and LF together which has worked mostly fine, but have at times had problems with the bigger birds being a bit 'bossy'!
I would simply say go for what you like! Like joyful says:
-araucana's for a nice blue egg,
-barnevelder/maran/welsummer for dark brown egg
-dorkings (my faves!), and i like hamburgs for white eggs
-I would always have a rhodey or sussex in an egg laying flock too.

The possibilities are endless really!

Steve

[Celtic Eagle]

We have a Black Rock - light brown eggs
Silkie (currently broody on Welsummmer eggs) - whiteish eggs (great for Scotch eggs 0
Isa Warren - light brown and bigger than a black rock
Wynadotte - sort of creamish brown

Hoping for Welsummer soon !!!!!
Mixed flock is no problem they all seem to get on OK

[olde9856]

I agree with Joyfull, cant go wrong with them

[bellagirl]

Just started out myself. We have 6 hybrids for their colours and eggs.
1 L Sussex
1 B Sussex
1 Amber
1 Speckledy
1 Nera
1 Bluebell
All from the same Supplier, and all lived 2gether. So no introducing problems.
And all looking stunning. Good Luck !

[Roughlee Handled]

Try this website it tells you the colour of egg and if they will lay in the winter.
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

They are all pure breed, no hybrids.

[emu]

Thanks for all the advice  - the possibilities are indeed endless - I'm going to end up with a hundred at this rate!!!!