Advice (Standards with Bantams)

[realsis]

I'm going to be up against the same issue.I have Silkies now and they are the sweetest most friendly,loving, happy, purring little girls. On April 11th (my hatch and ship date) I have coming 7 Barred Rock females and One "meal maker" meaning another production laying hen of surprise breed. it's given free from the hatchery so we can donate the eggs from her to the needy.(which we are excited to do)anyway that's 8 large size birds.I WILL have separate sleeping houses for the silkies and the Barred Rocks because they sleep very differently. Silkies sleep in nests and together on the ground of their house. The large birds roost to sleep. They could NOT sleep together because the big birds that perch to sleep would poop all over my little ones sleeping on the ground! so they will have different "houses" to sleep in. My hope was for them to share the run though. I just pray it works out. I do NOT want my little silkies hurt!! if I have to I will split the run. But I hope I don't have to.

 

[shalynnbrothers]

I have read many posts on here about RIR and Wyandotte becoming bullies, mine aren't, I think because they have a large shed and free range, as well as my bantam being separate. I have d'uccle, they are very small but at least they can fly a bit to get away, the frizzle I'm going to assume is a cochins, which is also my other breed, that one will be in trouble, mine are very easy going and don't like being around the larger breeds, my bantam have a run that they can fall back to, and often spend most of the day in it instead of going out.

Others have had success mixing them and originally I did it too, but chickens are cruel, especially to those they can bully, so I chose to separate them and have never regretted it.

Large fowl birds will often chase, peck and pull feathers when they have a disagreement, bantams mostly make a lot of noise but don't actually hurt each other, they just sound like it.

When it gets really cold here, my bantam stay inside their coop, sometimes for a week without being let out, and I've never had any troubles, but lock large breeds up for more than a day or so and they will often start pecking each.

Just some of the things I've learned mixing large and small, I personally feel better keeping them apart, and they are my favorites, and I like knowing they are safe.

Oh, wow! That's very good to know.

Our RIR is our oldest (13 days old). Definetly seems to be curious and protective of the flock/brooder. If you even walk in the room, the RIR's head pops right up and watches your every move. If you put your hand in the brooder, the others will most likely run away. The RIR runs up to your hand and watches what you're doing, gives you a peck, or tries to jump and flap at you lol. Not sure if that's going to be a bad thing or not. My husband says he'll be surprised if the RIR isn't a rooster but I've read that the RIR hens are very curious and protective too. We call him/her Sheriff.

But back to the bantams... I completely agree, I'd feel better knowing theyre safe. I'm definitly going to push for 2 coops now. Thank you very much for the advice!