Bantams and standard together?

[Chickenlover720]

I’ve been planning on getting 6 Golden Comets sometime this spring. I was also thinking of possibly adding a couple of bantams to my flock. Do bantams do okay with a flock of standard size hens or would I need separate them? I don’t want to put the bantams at risk. Thanks for any advice

 

[PioneerChicks]

I keep my bantams and standards together. It works well for the girls, but the one thing you need to look out for is when a standard or large rooster tries to mate a bantam girl, who might get crushed. I do it, though others might feel differently.

 

[Chickenlover720]

I keep my bantams and standards together. It works well for the girls, but the one thing you need to look out for is when a standard or large rooster tries to mate a bantam girl, who might get crushed. I do it, though others might feel differently.

I don’t have any Roos and don’t plan on getting one anytime soon so that wouldn’t be an issue for me. Have you had your bantams get pecked on more than standard size in your experience?

 

[PioneerChicks]

I don’t have any Roos and don’t plan on getting one anytime soon so that wouldn’t be an issue for me. Have you had your bantams get pecked on more than standard size in your experience?

Not really. I find it depends a lot on their breed and age.

A week ago I tried to put my feather-legged bantams in the same brooder as some clean-legged bantams, but the clean-legs kept pecking the feathered feet because they looked odd. I separated them for a while and was able to merge them a couple days ago with no problems.

When I got my first bantams I tried to merge them with some chicks who were a week or two older. The bantams got picked on enough that I separated them (I later reintroduced them and all went well enough). If I had merged the standards and the bantams at a younger age they would have gotten along just fine, regardless of their size.

My Old English Game bantam pullet is only half as big (if that) as the silkie pullets, yet is above them in the pecking order. OEGs are known for having bossy and spunky personalities, while silkies are known to be more mellow and go-with-the-flow.

Bantams are really fun! Some people say they don't lay as well, but I disagree; it depends on their breed (same as standards). Their eggs are a little smaller, but the tools are nearly the same size (and once again, egg size can vary with the breed). They also eat a little less, which is nice. You should definitely try them

 

[CannedMonster]

I have found that when raising both together as chicks it works out very well.
They’re all a part of the same flock.
Adding bantams later to a standard flock can have issues.
I agree with what’s already been said about standard roosters breeding bantam hens- it’s hard to watch and for that reason I keep bantam or half bantam roos only.
Right now I have a group of young Olive Eggers and one particular pullet loves to target my 3 year old gray Japanese hen and sneaks up on her constantly terrorizing her!
Im about to send this girl to freezer camp. Usually if the bantam is older it will hold its place in the pecking order but this bullying is making my Japanese loose her security and confidence.