Can bantams be kept with standard chickens?

[wolfinator]

My first flock was a rescued one of 17 bantams (9 roosters) and a standard RIR/Silkie crossed breed who was standard height. Then 2 years later after loosing half (surprised any made it that long due to prior home), we got 14 standard pullets and 2 RIR that ended as roosters. They were all raised together for the next year til I got 27 more standard pullets. I built a second pen to accommodate the remaining bantams I had in which 3 more were given to me along with 8 standards and 6 ducks. So, a 3rd and 4th pens were built. I used to allow all 4 pens to interact in a large fenced common area and in the evening, they all went back to their own pens. 2 years ago we had a large custom coop built for all and did one large pen since they were all used to sharing a common area. I still had 4 hens and a rooster left of my bantams, they did well with all the rest. I even had a tiny 22 ounce Showgirl with a severe crossed beak that lived amongst them. She bullied even my 2 RIR roosters (and 6 other standard ones), seen her more than once chase them away from her. My last bantam rooster never got into any fights with the other 8 roosters.

Bottom line, put them together but watch for any potential problems and have something available to separate them into if needed. Sometimes having 2 coops but sharing a common pen works too. It's up to the chickens to learn how to all get along.

I have 6 standard roosters amongst my flock and my hens fight more than they do. All my bantams have passed away with the last 11 months ago. I miss them being around and am considering adding a few next year if I can find some chicks locally. Right now I'm trying to rehome 6 standard cockerels (keeping #7).

Group of pens in 2017 (far right was the original). Bantams and ducks are in middle pen. Before building common coop in 2018, i had 6 coops and 4 pens.

My main coop and pen now. There's a juvenile coop behind (not shown) that has my juvenile chicks and young guineas in it.

The original coop in background is used for storing used dry litter from the coops for gardening fertilizer next year.

 

[VonSFarms]

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?

I've got a mixed flock of Silkies, Seramas, EE, Black Sex Links, Duccle's Dominique's and Orpingtons and 4 roosters in there and everyone is happy and healthy!! My roosters don't really squabble much either and considering I've got them penned up for the winter because hawks are bad right that's pretty damn good! It all comes down to the energy and attitudes in your flock and if they get along or not, size doesn't matter in our flock.

 

[RLockhart68]

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.

I have the opposite. My silkies are spunky and constantly on the move with the rest of the flock. The cochin bantams are more prone to being bullied. Although the last chicks I got (standard ee and buff orpington) are at the bottom of the pecking order, even below the bantys.
Mine were all bought this spring, several weeks apart, so I'm not sure how introducing them into an established flock would go.