Can bantam chicks be raised w/ standard chicks?

[atimme]

That sounds about right, confinement can trigger some aggressive behavior towards the lower end of the pecking order, especially when jostling for roost space at night. Bantams mature around the same time as standards, usually you can tell by weighing them if you know the breed standards. I would say around 20 weeks like your EE's Your best bet is to let them just sort it out. It will be pretty dramatic for a week or so, but pretty soon everyone will know their place and coexist. At 10 weeks the bantams are not going to "break" if stepped on as easily, the worst you'll see is some pecking that may draw blood, that's normal and is quick to heal. You may want to coop them separate at night and let them co-mingle outdoors during the daytime to be safe until they can hold their own. The attacking is normal for introducing new members to a flock. Give them time. They will get it figured out.

 

[BoerneChickens]

Quote:
Oh - thank you so much for reassuring me!!

I have been worried sick. I had a temporary "fence" up one night - but the little girls had been in the kennel up in the hen house so they were determined to get up there at night and escaped under the "fence" and I found everyone peacefully roosting so I thought I was off the hook and the next day they all went out in the morning and again doing fine. It was that night that all heck broke loose. The BPR is pretty quick so she did a good job escaping but the poor little silkie just tumbled over and I thought they would kill her so I ran in and stopped it and seperated them again. So I guess I will build a better separation and plan to have it in place for a few more months - surely by then being right next to each other and all being more mature it won't be as brutal and won't give me a heart attack to watch them sort it out!

 

[Lynxmomma]

I have three Dark Cornish Bantams and 14 standard breeds. and they get along just fine. Sometimes I think the cornish bantams are giants in little bodies. like a corgi big dog in a small body. Big Chicken in a small body