banty hens and regular size roos

[morgie]

does anyone have any experience with banty hens being mated by regular sized roos and actually hatching out her eggs? both of my banty's are sitting on eggs ( some are theirs and some are from the other regular size hen) The regular size hen is also sitting on some eggs.....another mixed batch. I think banty #1 has been sitting for about 12 days, the regular hen for maybe a week, and banty #2 must have thought it looked like a good idea so she just started a few days ago...and i'm not to sure if she's sold on the idea. I've seen her up and about getting some water and food, but the others don't budge...i have to bring some food and water to them. Any ideas?

 

[gryeyes]

Yup. My flock has both bantam and large fowl breeds.

The chicks hatching from bantam eggs but Daddy was a Big Boy have all been slightly larger than their mothers as they grew.

Was that your question?

 

[morgie]

thanks, I wasn't sure if the banty eggs would be to small for a chick that has a standard size dad.....I can't wait to see how many eggs are gonna hatch.

also, do i have to worry about the other broody hens hurting each others chicks? should they all be seperated, or will they all just stay cose to who the belong to?

 

[TexasChickenUnv]

Same here; Ameraucana dad, lemon blue banty mom, bearded daughter bigger than mom but definitely not full size.

I have one banty mom who is pretty protective of her chick and her space when some of the half-siblings wander over and will give them a quick peck but the 7 half-sibs are being co-raised by two banty moms who kept trading nests, one hatched them all out(in 2 different nests) but the other did all the care the first week while mom #1 continued to set. They do have enough area to roam in our coop that they can keep to themselves for the most part anyway.

 

[morgie]

I'm glad this might work out.....my little hen is sitting on about 6 banty eggs, and 4 to 6 regular sized eggs......I can't believe she's managing all those eggs, but somehow she's just big enough to keep them covered. I can't wait to see what the chicks will look like....and cross your fingers that they are mostly hens