Can bantams be kept with standard chickens?

[My2butterflies]

Is that just asking for trouble?
I currently have bsl, slw, Turkens, EEs, barred rock, and australorp. I was looking to place an order and saw the most adorable silky bantams. I know my daughter would just adore them, but I’m not wanting to setup a second coop for chickens. Can they hold their own with standards?

 

[FluffyBottomBantams]

I’ve had luck with bantams and standards living together before but Silkies aren’t known for always being the most quick witted, and can have trouble seeing around all that head fluffiness, which could make them prone to getting bullied. If you have a standard sized rooster he might injure them by trying to mate too.

 

[Secondof9]

I have a flock of just 3 hens right now down from a high count of 9 - one buff orpington, Mama Buttercup, a barnevelder and a Pyncheon bantam and they all get along just fine. Of course Mama Buttercup raised the bantam and the barnevelder from day old chicks. I don't know if that has a bearing on their behavior toward one another. She's a great mother and nobody had better mess with the babies!!

 

[human1]

I’ve had luck with bantams and standards living together before but Silkies aren’t known for always being the most quick witted, and can have trouble seeing around all that head fluffiness, which could make them prone to getting bullied. If you have a standard sized rooster he might injure them by trying to mate too.

yeah, and i heard silkies dont do extremely well in the cold
i *think* that it has worked for some people but it might be hard to integrate them or soemthing

 

[My2butterflies]

I’ve had luck with bantams and standards living together before but Silkies aren’t known for always being the most quick witted, and can have trouble seeing around all that head fluffiness, which could make them prone to getting bullied. If you have a standard sized rooster he might injure them by trying to mate too.

That is something I was thinking about too. I have one Turken roo, he is the biggest one in the yard.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I would say it depends.
I agree silkies are more likely to have trouble.

I have kept very spunky bantam cochins in with my big birds without issue. Temperament plays a huge roll in whether it will work or not.

 

[FuzzyCritters]

Bantams can live with large chickens, but I definitely wouldn't keep silkies with them. They're just too docile compared to large chickens and even other bantams. My silkie can barely hold her own against other bantams--I doubt a silkie could hold her own with large chickens, especially if she wasn't raised with them.

You could probably keep the less docile or larger bantam breeds--brahmas, EE bantam, OEGBs, cochins, and polish (probably more I'm missing). Easter Egger bantams are pretty fierce to other chickens (sweet to people though), and so are OEGBs, polish, and some cochins. They could probably do well with larger chickens. Brahmas are large compared to other bantams, to the point where they are not much smaller than a large chicken.

 

[My2butterflies]

I really appreciate the advice given and wanted to report back with what I decided. As cute as they are I won’t be getting the silkies. In the future I will, but at that point I’ll want to have a separate pen made in the coop for them. Just in case.

Instead we picked out a couple types of polish, marans, and lakenvelders. I think they will fit our flock better.

 

[Aapomp831]

I really appreciate the advice given and wanted to report back with what I decided. As cute as they are I won’t be getting the silkies. In the future I will, but at that point I’ll want to have a separate pen made in the coop for them. Just in case.

Instead we picked out a couple types of polish, marans, and lakenvelders. I think they will fit our flock better.

Good idea, those are great breeds. Just remember to integrate them slowly using the “see but can’t touch method” since at first your chickens will not be accepting of the new girls, no matter what breed or size.

 

[My2butterflies]

Good idea, those are great breeds. Just remember to integrate them slowly using the “see but can’t touch method” since at first your chickens will not be accepting of the new girls at first, no matter what breed or size.

Thanks! I will
I did my first time integrating this summer. I have a pen inside the coop for “see no touch” and a fence I setup in the run to do the same. It worked great!