chicken sizes

[lovinlife]

Do you run standard sized chickens with bantams? Do the standards pick on the bantams?

I bought 5 bantam chicks last summer because they were cute. Duh. they're chicks, they're going to be cute. I didn't think about what I would do with them after they grew up. I ended up with 3 roos and 2 hens. One of the hens passed yesterday, so I have 1 remaining hen and 3 roos in a 10'x10' run. I feel bad for the hen since she's the only girl with all those boys.

I'd like to put the four of them out with my standard flock. They live in a 10'x20' run during the day and night and get to free range for about 3-4 hours a day. I could just open the gate between the two runs and give them the additional space. I have 9 hens and an Ameraucana roo. Will they pick on the bantams? They've been living next to each other for months, so they're used to each other. I wouldn't hesitate to put them together if they were all standard-sized chickens. Should I have a concern because the bantams are so much smaller?

 

[christa7032]

I have 2 bantams and 5 standards and the little ones don't get picked on any more than the rest (my bantam rooster seems to get picked on a lot but he is asking for it). I would say don't worry about it from my experiences. Mine all do just fine.

 

[newchickengirl]

I have 26 standard and 2 OEGB...They all free range and if you ask Me the lil roo is the alpha

Never had a problem.

 

[lovinlife]

Okay, I tried letting the bantams out today. I sat in the grass and watched them. It's a gorgeous day in central TX and yes, we have green grass.

The little red OEGB roo ventured our first. He wandered out of the run and one of my EE hens approached him. He grabbed her neck feathers and tried to hang on. My Ameraucana roo got upset and attacked him. He chased the little guy all over the barnyard. I watched them to see how long it would last and to make sure he didn't really attack him. It kept getting worse, so I cornered the little guy and put him back in the bantam run with the others. Guess that won't work.

My daughter decided to call the red OEGB "Hank" after Hank Williams Jr.

She really likes him.

I'm not sure what I'll do with the bantams now. There are three roos and I don't think it's fair to keep them isolated. I also don't think it's fair to keep one poor little hen with them.