Bantam Being Picked On

[smdcleland]

Hi everyone. I have a flock of 9. 7 Rhode Island Reds that are a year old, 1 Barred Rock that is 3 years old, and 1 Bantam Belgian D'Uccle that is 1.5 years old. The flock has been picking on the Bantam. They all roost at night with no issue, but as soon as she tries to leave the coop in the morning, they all attack her. I have food and water in the coop for her, but she is scared to leave. I do not know how to handle this. I do not know if they are just establishing a pecking order, or if I will need to separate her from the rest of them. She cannot just stay in the coop and never leave. I feel horrible for her. Any suggestions?

 

[TXchickmum]

We had a mixed flock of 10 large fowl and 3 bantams. Initially it was 7 large fowl and 2 bantams. They were all roughly the same age, give or take a few months. I dealt with a similar issue. The large fowl would peck and go after the bantams in the coop/run. When they were all out on the lawn, everybody was fine. I decided to separate the groups. We sectioned off a place in the coop with roosts/next boxes for the bantams, and separated their run as well. We never had any more issues, and it was well worth the extra time and effort to remedy. Best of luck with your flock!

 

[smdcleland]

Thank you. I may need to do that as well, and get her a couple of Bantam friends. She came from a mixed flock with no issues, but for whatever reason my girls just do not like her, and she is living in fear.

 

[kcan2]

Poor gal! Sorry to hear your big girls are being mean girls!

My neighbor's bantam boy actually adopted my yard (and me) as his new owner due to the fact he wasn't getting much food in his flock made up of mostly bigger birds. This caused him to wander, cross the road, and visit our yard every day. I ended up buying him from the neighbor, built a coop, and then got a little bantam girl for company. They live a happy bantam-sized life now. So, your little girl might be happier with a flock more her size!

 

[Tonyroo]

It's always tricky to keep small and large birds together. The little ones always suffer the most.

It's better to have them separate.

 

[smdcleland]

Poor gal! Sorry to hear your big girls are being mean girls!

My neighbor's bantam boy actually adopted my yard (and me) as his new owner due to the fact he wasn't getting much food in his flock made up of mostly bigger birds. This caused him to wander, cross the road, and visit our yard every day. I ended up buying him from the neighbor, built a coop, and then got a little bantam girl for company. They live a happy bantam-sized life now. So, your little girl might be happier with a flock more her size!

Awww, that is cute!!!

 

[smdcleland]

My husband and I talked, and have decided to create another flock. We will have our standards girls, and get a couple more Bantams, so Ellie is not alone, in their own coop and run. It is expensive, but she cannot live alone, and she certainly cannot live with my other chickens. They attacked her again yesterday.

 

[janiedoe]

I've recently experienced this. I have a tiny legbar who failed to thrive. She isn't a bantam, but she is bantam size...so maybe she is a bantam.
The roosters don't bother her, but the hens have started to be bullies.
I bought some bantam chicks, and will be housing her with them, when they are older. For now, she has her own coop & run within the big run.

 

[sourland]

She came from a mixed flock with no issues, but for whatever reason my girls just do not like her, and she is living in fear.

Bantams raised in a mixed flock tend to do well and may even rank high in the pecking order. Integrating bantams into a mixed flock is a totally different story. It may be necessary to separate her from the flock for her safety.

 

[smdcleland]

Thank you all for your help! I think it is best to keep her separated in her own Bantam flock.