Bantam & Regular Chickens

[jamieneenah]

HI;

I am trying to introduce some Adult (or close to) Bantam hens (one is currently laying) to my coop that has 5 de-beaked adult hens in it. The adult hens are about 6 months old.

I currently have it setup so the full size hens are kept in one side and can't get out, but the bantams can sneak over there. The bantams all get along with eachother, but the adult full size hens just pecks at the adult bantams.

So is there any hope of getting the bantams hens and full size hens to live together?

Thanks
Jamie

 

[scooter147]

Yep, they will eventually live in harmony. There will always be the occasional peck to keep the lower hens in their proper place and maybe the occasionally fight, but hen fights generally don't last long.
You didn't say how long they have been in the current situation but leave it like it is for a another week and then let them in together. You will have fights as they sort out the pecking order but nothing terrible.
Heck (after a quarantine period) I introduce adult hens into the coop in the middile of the night. Like I said there will be some fighting but just watch closely to make sure nothing gets out of hand.
Roosters now that's a whole other story.

 

[satay]

Yes got to agree with all that.. I have bantams and regular sized chooks together.

 

[jamieneenah]

HI;

They have only been in the coop(with the barrier setup) 2 days so far. Thank you for the information, I am very please to know that they will eventually all be able to be together. I was dreading having to maintain separate space for all of them. I will give them another 5 days before I let them all together.

Thanks
Jamie

 

[For-The-Love-Of-Chickens]

We have one little bantam with all our big chickens and she does just fine. She is even high up in the pecking order which we didn't expect at all. She holds her own! She can stare down the big hens like crazy!

 

[Redsquirrel]

I have heard that putting the new ones in with the old ones at night, when they are all roosting is a good way to go. Also distracting them with stuff to keep the older ones busy on the first day or so-like hanging a cabbage up for them to peck at. My chickens love when I hang half an apple on a piece of wire (i use a cut up old wire coathanger). They peck at it for hours-its so funny to watch them trying to peck at it as it swings around!