Bantam Roosters

[Arcinos]

I am new to having a backyard flock. Was thinking of getting a rooster to help lead my girls a bit. They are free range and rarely stray far from the coop, and sometimes they end up roosting in strange places, not making it all the way back into the coop for the night. So I was thinking a little leadership and a rooster to follow might be good for them. My question, my hens are all full size. Would a bantam rooster properly take charge where he would be so much smaller?

 

[Impress]

I have heard a lot of big hens will completely disregard a bantam rooster, I've read several stories on here and elsewhere where the bantam roo was just kind of ignored and the bigger hens took over. It has a chance of working but it also has a chance of failing.

 

[Tripp16]

Quote:
x2
My bigger breed hens think that my bantams are aliens!!! They are completely weirded out by them!! Haha

 

[manybirds]

I've had bantam roo's take charge. But then again I do have a silkie rooster who is completly obsesed with my califonian white hen and she's mean to him. If you heard some of the rediculas things he does to try and get her attention you would be amazed.

 

[foxypoproxy]

My bantam old english game roo was very respected by my standard hens.
I think it depends..

 

[ALRwild]

I agree with above person. My friend had a bantam old english game roo, and he was boss. He would also protect the flock with his life. Literally....
RIP Pippin.....

 

[adgcountrygirl]

My bantam roo, Thor is always the last to go to roost. He makes sure everyone else is "tucked in" before jumping up to the roosts. My standard roo, Beakman is the peace keeper between the hens and everyone else. He doesn't let the other two roos fight, and he keeps the older hens from picking on the younger ones too much. They all found their place rather quickly. I have too many roosters, but they really don't seem to bother eachother since we let our other dominant roo be adopted by a family across town.

 

[kitkatnoah]

I have a Bantam Roo and all my hens are bigger than he is and they all follow him. He is always scanning the sky and ground areas for any threats and will alarm the girls to take cover if they need to. I have actually seen him fight off a hawk that went for one of our young pullets (who incidentally ignored his alarm to take cover) and the look on the hawk's face was priceless when my roo jumped on its back and spurred it. He will lead them all into the coop just around dusk and once everyone is inside he will enter last. My hens treat him with respect because he knows what his job is: to protect them. Good luck in finding a good rooster for your ladies.

 

[Arcinos]

Wow, thank you for the responses and info everyone!

 

[Miz Mary]

I have a Polish roo, he is between bantam and reg size.... he is boss to them but skitters around people !