Bantams and Standard Together?

[ekofke201]

I am in the beginning stages of chicken research... I like that the larger birds lay large eggs. But I ALSO like the look of some of the smaller birds. For fun! Can I have both at the same time? Could they live together? Or will the smaller birds get bullied?

 

[happytraylz]

Hi there, I too have a mix of bantam and lf. Mine get along great for the mostpart, as they were raised together as chicks. I know if you introduce them as chicks its easier than as adults, just be sure you have enough space for everyone to be able to spread out. . Sometimes its actually the lil bantams that can be mean. Have fun!

 

[gritsar]

Raised together you should have no problems at all. Not raised together but slowly introduced, you still should not have problems.

I have (or had) LF brahmas, standard sized birds and silkies all together without a bit of trouble. The silkies were raised with the standards. The standards and silkies were slowly introduced to the older brahmas.

 

[maggiec1951]

When my husband got my girls for me - a birthday present - he thought they were all standards. The odd one was about 6 weeks older than the others and therefore the largest. Low and behold the other 4 waaaay outgrew the eldest since she turned out to be a bantam but she is still definitely the boss! Occasionally she gets stepped on, squished or whatever because she is the smallest but she takes it in stride and keeps on going.

 

[AAJ]

They should be okay, but they might get bullied a little. Go with your heart. Keep an eye on them.

 

[gryeyes]

My flock consists of little, medium, big and massive chickens of all different breeds. The bantams are quick and can fly, so they really don't get stepped on all that much.

I like the diversity. The offspring of some of the more unusual pairings are also delightful, if you don't mind having mutt chickens, as some folks call 'em.

Go for it! You'll have an interesting and colorful flock, like mine!

 

[1muttsfan]

I also love the size and color variety in birds (and eggs). Here are my little tiny bantam Ams with much larger Welsummer, Delaware and Speckled Sussex hens

 

[jtbrown]

1muttsfan -- love the pic. Two of my bantums were perched on my brahma girls tonight whe I went to do head count and collect eggs. I haven't had an issue with problems between my bantums and large fowl either. They were raised as chicks together and then introduced to my EE group. Before we got rid of our cockerals they were fine too. The bantums are fast! They don't get into immediate fray for snacks though, so I usually save some and throw to them as the big girls have their head down and skirts up in the air on the leftovers we throw them!

 

[daddy_roo]

I have been very lucky I guess. I purchased a group of 3 chickens from a man and one was a banty. I gave them no introduction period, When I bouth them we put them in a feed sack, and brought them home. I got them to my other (9 at the time) chickens and dumped them out. naturally they established the pecking order and roosting order, but other than that no problems. i still only have the one banty. She does get bullied a little bit though. But I dont know if it is her being bullied or getting what she deserves, She is an aunrey little stinker. she will peck at ones foot to get her to chase her so she can sneek into their spot at the feeder to get a few bites of food before she is ran off again. even though i have plenty of room for all the birds to eat at one time. It has been said they need about 4 inches per bird at a feeder. Mine have about inches a piece. So I think it is just pay back sometimes. lol

 

[Pele]

I agree that your best approach is to raise them together if you are trying for a mixed sized flock. I personally have tried to introduce bantams into my current standard sized flock, and after 4 months of trying, I gave up.

It just seemed like I was performing animal cruelty by trying to get the two groups to get along, when they clearly weren't. Plus my bantams started to get wounds from the bigger girls. Even after you've been careful in the extreme, and followed all the proper steps for introduction.... sometimes it just won't work.