Bantam Queations

[morelcabin]

I have never had any Bantams before but I do have a few questions. Can they be kept in with my layer flock? Do bantams get broody? Just wondering...
Thanks
Tammy

 

[Vamp-A-Billy Princess]

silkies are super broody. Alot of other banties are too. I have them mixed in with standard chickens. They are in with the same age groups. I think when they are fullsized I may put em all together. I wouldnt just throw tiny chickens in with big ones...put them together gradually. Mine have grown up together so they get along great. It really would depend on your hens. What kind are they and what kind of personality they have.

 

[coopist]

It's hard to generalize about "bantams" since there are so many different kinds of them: Dutch, OEGBs, Brahma Bantams, Plymouth Rock Bantams, Silkies, etc. Some are just smaller versions of standard breeds; others only occur in the small size. But Annie's right that most of them do go broody, and that it isn't a good idea to just throw them in with bigger birds that they weren't raised with. I keep mine separate from my standard-sized birds, and I think especially the little roos are much safer that way.

 

[Southerngirl]

We raise Japanese Bantams and they are VERY BROODY! We had a little hen in the barn last year that hatched 4 babies in February and my husband found her walking them through the snow!!!!!! We gathered them up, put them in the house and they all lived ! They free range with our Barred Rocks and other large chickens. They are wonderful; especially the little roosters who think they are as big as the large ones !!

 

[a2ms4chickens]

I have 3 bantam RIR's, 1 rooster and 2 hens. I also have 3 standard pullets that were added to the flock when they were about 2 1/2 mos old. Other then establishing the pecking order, they all get along great.

I'm not sure how the bantam hens would be with a standard rooster. I'd be afraid he'd hurt them. My bantam rooster doesn't seem to have any problem with the standard pullets, he just has to jump a little higher.

As for them going broody, my 2 RIR hens are broody right now. They are sitting on 6 eggs each. I had to separate them from the other hens, because they kept taking the other hens eggs to sit on.

 

[Vamp-A-Billy Princess]

That's my concern. I have 3 groups separated by age including the eggs in the incubator. Once I figure out the roosters I may have to change the groups I don't want a giant barred rock rooster trying to get busy with my little banties.