Adding bantams

[Bp10244]

I’m getting a few bantams and maybe some standard chickens to my existing flock. How old do they need to be until I add them? I am going to seperate them during the day, but at night, can they sleep in the coop with everyone else?

 

[HuskerHens18]

That seems like a lot of work for you, but maybe you're okay with that.
I do have a rooster flock consisting of 4 bantams and 7 standard sized roosters. Let me tell you, it is a pain in the butt trying to catch the bantams and get them in a seperate day pen while I let the others free range..
As far as sleeping goes, it's fine. Everyone has their preferred places and it's great.

My question for you, do you have a standard sized rooster? My concern is your standard sized rooster will harm your bantam hens trying to mate. My chickens wake up about 6am and are already running around the coop by the time I get down there.

 

[Bp10244]

That’s another thing I’ve been worried about. My current cockerel is a barred rock, but I really want a bantam roo (probably a Silkie or something) just to play around with the genetics, as I’m working on a senior project. I guess I’ll wait and see how he brings to act and I’ll go from there!!

That seems like a lot of work for you, but maybe you're okay with that.
I do have a rooster flock consisting of 4 bantams and 7 standard sized roosters. Let me tell you, it is a pain in the butt trying to catch the bantams and get them in a seperate day pen while I let the others free range..
As far as sleeping goes, it's fine. Everyone has their preferred places and it's great.

My question for you, do you have a standard sized rooster? My concern is your standard sized rooster will harm your bantam hens trying to mate. My chickens wake up about 6am and are already running around the coop by the time I get down there.

 

[HuskerHens18]

That’s another thing I’ve been worried about. My current cockerel is a barred rock, but I really want a bantam roo (probably a Silkie or something) just to play around with the genetics, as I’m working on a senior project. I guess I’ll wait and see how he brings to act and I’ll go from there!!

Every rooster is different, yours may completely ignore the bantam hens if he's got enough standard sized ones to keep him occupied

 

[Bp10244]

I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks!!

 

[Folly's place]

The birds will get along best if they are raised together, rather than brought together later. I have bantams and standards, and roosters of both sizes, and it's fine.
Silkies can be another story entirely! Many people with Silkies house them separately, for their safety.
Mary