It can work or it could go horribly wrong. It depends entirely on the boys' personalities.
Current, I have 1 Silver Ameraucana, 3 Buff Orp, 1 Silver Laced Wyandotte, 1 Barred Rock, all boys, in the same coop (25'x25') and they free range from 7AM until whenever they decide the day is over. No...
Looking for Black Orpingtons and Black Ameraucanas!
Hatching eggs, Started birds, or adults. Prefer Indiana location, but willing to drive a bit for good quality birds at a good price.
I wouldn't foresee you having any problems with this at all. It's not like the few you have out in the tractor will be gone long enough to upset the established "pecking order". It sounds like a nice alternative to free ranging!
Broody hens hatch dirty eggs. Most people like the clean what they can off with a lightly moist paper towel. Typical rule is under 10 days old for best hatch rate. Personally, I've hatched 3 week old eggs.
I keep chickens, ducks, and guineas all in the same coop (24'x25'). Everyone gets along great. I even keep a water dish in the coop. Granted, the area around the water dish gets a little wet, but everyone co-habitates very well together! Day time free-ranging, and they all pretty well break off...
I can see that resemblance, now... Do Sumatras come in both LF and Bantam? The combs are definitely throwing me off, tho. Perhaps mixed with something else?
Went out to the coop a bit ago and Bird 2, the bantam sized one, was 10' up in the rafters!
Adopted some new birds today... Two of them, I'm not sure about the breed:
Bird 1:
LF, Black feathers with a green sheen, walnut? comb, Greenish legs, feet are mostly black...
Bird 2:
Bantam, Black feathers with a green sheen, single comb, black legs...
Any help on ID'ing these two would...