BYC members in Massachusetts?

[drellbug]

I’m here in Essex county. Anyone else nearby?

I am!

 

[purpletiger]

Are your current girls bantams? I've read sometimes the smaller, gentler bantams have a hard time integrating with standard size chickens who can pick on or harm them. I would try adding standard size breeds or have a separate bantam coop.

HOWEVER.

Some people have no issues.

But you need a lot of space

Thanks for the Welcome KDOGG331!

They are smaller/medium standard breeds. My biggest girl Ginger weighs in at five pounds. My other two girls Nutmeg and Sugar weigh around 4 pounds. They get supervised free rage time almost everyday, especially in the summer.

I'm really hoping they will get along. I really want to try some of the bantam breeds. I have been reading up about mixing standards and bantams. I was planning on making a brooder within my run so my current chickens can see the chicks but not hurt them. And as they get older, slowly integrate them with supervised free ranging and coop time.

Thanks! The coop isn't pretty. It was made mostly of scrap wood/hardware. There are some things I would change if I were to do it again. I plan on redesigning the ramp and getting rid of those awful concrete blocks and the sand. But for the most part I like my fortress. I can go to sleep at night knowing they are safe from predators. And I do love the covered run because it protects them from the heat of the summer and they can go outside in winter despite the amount of snow. Do you know if bantams can survive without heat in our area? I don't heat my current girls and I don't plan on it.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Thanks for the Welcome KDOGG331!

They are smaller/medium standard breeds. My biggest girl Ginger weighs in at five pounds. My other two girls Nutmeg and Sugar weigh around 4 pounds. They get supervised free rage time almost everyday, especially in the summer.

I'm really hoping they will get along. I really want to try some of the bantam breeds. I have been reading up about mixing standards and bantams. I was planning on making a brooder within my run so my current chickens can see the chicks but not hurt them. And as they get older, slowly integrate them with supervised free ranging and coop time.

Thanks! The coop isn't pretty. It was made mostly of scrap wood/hardware. There are some things I would change if I were to do it again. I plan on redesigning the ramp and getting rid of those awful concrete blocks and the sand. But for the most part I like my fortress. I can go to sleep at night knowing they are safe from predators. And I do love the covered run because it protects them from the heat of the summer and they can go outside in winter despite the amount of snow. Do you know if bantams can survive without heat in our area? I don't heat my current girls and I don't plan on it.

They should be fine then! They're pretty small. I think issues usually come from the giant 7 or 8 pound birds picking on birds half their size haha smaller ones like that I think should be fine with them or give the bantams more of a chance.

And I think your integration idea is an excellent one! Raising them outside from the beginning and letting them all see each other makes integration a lot easier!

And I think your coop looks great! Never would have guessed it was scrap materials!

I'm not sure on the heat thing but I don't think they need it? Unless you're planning on a tiny tiny breed like seramas.

 

[purpletiger]

I had a horrible experience that I wrote about somewhere here on the boards when all 17 of my baby chicks died when a big chicken place decided it was ok to ship my chicks right before a huge blizzard was coming even though I asked them to delay shipping. It was horrible. I don't mean to be a downer and many, many people have their chicks shipped with great success. Also I wanted to say you have some pretty girls there

So sorry to hear about your baby chicks. That's sad you lost them all. Picking shipping dates is difficult! You don't know what the weather will be like 6 months in the future. Yes you have an idea based on averages, but sometimes mother nature throws you a curve ball. Was it a late spring blizzard? Again I'm sorry for your loss. I hope the hatchery reimbursed you. My first chickens I ordered from Meyers arrived fine and sexed correctly. One past away from egg laying issues though.

They should be fine then! They're pretty small. I think issues usually come from the giant 7 or 8 pound birds picking on birds half their size haha smaller ones like that I think should be fine with them or give the bantams more of a chance.

And I think your integration idea is an excellent one! Raising them outside from the beginning and letting them all see each other makes integration a lot easier!

And I think your coop looks great! Never would have guessed it was scrap materials!

I'm not sure on the heat thing but I don't think they need it? Unless you're planning on a tiny tiny breed like seramas.

My friend has a Jersey Giant rooster, and i couldn't believe how huge it was! Don't think Bantams would stand much of a chance with them unless they were raised together as baby chicks.

I hope I can integrate them. I think equal numbers of both bantams and standards will help make the integration process a little easier too.

Oh I want a Serama or a Seabrite soooo bad, but I read that they don't do well in the cold. Maybe if I move to the south or get electricity to the coop. Hehe! I'm assuming most Bantams can survive winters as long as they are provided with a dry and draft free coop.

Thanks ! I would do away with the sand in the coop. Pain in my butt! I've started putting leaves and pine needles and grass clippings on top of the sand and it's working out much better. But it's much slower to break down because its so dry in there. The girls love scratching through it though.

 

[ShrekDawg]

So sorry to hear about your baby chicks. That's sad you lost them all. Picking shipping dates is difficult! You don't know what the weather will be like 6 months in the future. Yes you have an idea based on averages, but sometimes mother nature throws you a curve ball. Was it a late spring blizzard? Again I'm sorry for your loss. I hope the hatchery reimbursed you. My first chickens I ordered from Meyers arrived fine and sexed correctly. One past away from egg laying issues though.



My friend has a Jersey Giant rooster, and i couldn't believe how huge it was! Don't think Bantams would stand much of a chance with them unless they were raised together as baby chicks.

I hope I can integrate them. I think equal numbers of both bantams and standards will help make the integration process a little easier too.

Oh I want a Serama or a Seabrite soooo bad, but I read that they don't do well in the cold. Maybe if I move to the south or get electricity to the coop. Hehe! I'm assuming most Bantams can survive winters as long as they are provided with a dry and draft free coop.

Thanks ! I would do away with the sand in the coop. Pain in my butt! I've started putting leaves and pine needles and grass clippings on top of the sand and it's working out much better. But it's much slower to break down because its so dry in there. The girls love scratching through it though.

Yeah, Jersey Giants are... well... giant... LOL Brahmas too.

Yeah, I think equal numbers, integrating with other chicks as opposed to alone, and the see but dont touch thing will definitely help.

You're assumption is correct! You do need to make sure you have enough ventilation though, just not drafts. And haha yeah, you'd probably have to move south or add heat. Or you could even keep them indoors like a caged bird/pet

And yeah, I almost went with sand but then I HATE sand, it gets everywhere. And I read how some chickens get impaction issues so that was enough of an excuse for me to not lol but it sounded so easy. Maybe you could mist the material too?

 

[Powerhour]

I believe this thread should post to my email but seems to drop off constantly.
Anybody have a solution
Thanks you

 

[tigger19687]

I only get about 1/8th of the alerts I am suppose to, but this one comes through
I don't do the Email one tho

 

[Powerhour]

Thanks tigger your reply did come to my email. It’s the Massachusetts thread I want to be set up that way.

 

[Maatawry]

Hi all! I'm looking to add two female bantam babies to my household come spring, but as you know the minimum here is 6! Anyone willing to split an order? Also, does anyone know of any local breeders? I hate the idea of ordering from a company that doesn't care properly for their chicks

 

[keesmom]

Hi all! I'm looking to add two female bantam babies to my household come spring, but as you know the minimum here is 6! Anyone willing to split an order? Also, does anyone know of any local breeders? I hate the idea of ordering from a company that doesn't care properly for their chicks

If you want sexed bantam pullets your only option will be MPC. None of the major hatcheries sex bantams. Local breeders won't sex chicks either. You would have to wait until summer/fall for started pullets they want to sell off.