Fowl Segregationist

[John W Blehm]

I remember as a teen noticing how our chickens would naturally segregate into different groups according to feather color.  It is very common to see it yet today in pens with mixed varieties having their own little cliques, with the buffs all roosting together and other varieties off to themselves. 
What I've found interesting lately is that a neighbor, about a half mile away, has chickens, ducks and turkeys free ranging and the white ones of all three species flock together...as the saying goes.  The two ducks and two turkeys are white, along with one chicken.  The other chickens are of mixed colors and even though close by the white birds they are generally several feet away.

[The Malcolms]

I chuckled when I saw this.  Ecologically speaking many species will avoid white members of their population because the white animals tend to draw predators.  Also related birds will often roost together. Even if they are not directly related DNA often recognizes itself.  In a pen full of all white or all black if I look carefully at leg bands I notice the birds closest to each other are related.
Just another perspective...

[Suki]

Sorry miswrote originally.  Yes I've noticed the same.  They really do "flock" together.  Even black and lavs stay apart.  I've noticed though that Blues can mingle with blacks.

[Rob Skelton]

    Wouldn't it be great if they  would only breed within their variety when run together.  That would make things much easier.

[Russ Blair]

Yes it would lol