Do most of you keep your bantams separate from standard-size fowl?

[bawkbawkbawk]

Just read the thread about mixing Silkies with larger birds and found it quite sobering. I don't have any SLW (and never will after reading the comments in that thread!) but I was hoping to get a Silkie and a D'Duccle next spring. Would my sweet EE and BO hurt them? My coop can easily manage 8-10 birds so crowding would not be an issue.

A crow landed near my BO the other day and I think she momentarily took it for an interloping chicken - she headed toward it with murder in her eyes which I thought was amusing at the time, but now it has me thinking...the crow just flew away but a Silkie wouldn't have that option...

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
I have a mixed flock at home with everything from Silkie to Polish to Jersey Giant to Serama. I have wilder birds like Buttercups and docile EEs. I think the Br may be the most aggressive toward other birds, but that's because they're the oldest, I think.

Of 30+, no one really gets picked on, since I introduce slowly and give them plenty of range and distraction when new birds come in. I also grow my own, so they're young when introduced.

My banties and LF get along, but there is a bit of bossing in the beginning. I recommend adding a majority, thus outnumbering your existing duo. I doubt you'll have too much trouble.

Introducing new birds to your flock

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

I have no trouble, but I freerange, so there's plenty of room to run if a chase occurs.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

I keep all mine together. I think if you give them plenty of room, they will be fine. BTW, NO roosters like each other. But again they can make it if they is plenty of room and you don't keep them confined together. I've even had bantam hens and a large rooster. He tried to mate but it was funny cause they just slipped away under his feet. The bantam roosters trying to mate with a large female is funny too as she usually just steps out of his way and he is left ignored. Poor fella

Dave

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

I can't have roosters so that's not an issue, and my girls free-range most of the day - lots of room. Good to hear it's possible for the different sizes to co-exist!

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Also, I've found it's better to introduce two or more new ones at a time, so just one wont get get picked on as much.

 

[awesomefowl]

Nope. My silkies are mean! The two roosters like to attack the big girls, one of the hens is sweet and shy, the other one loved to be held but hates being picked up, and is a coward.

 

[gritsar]

Provided proper introductions are made, I don't see an issue. I have one banty in with my flock of LF brahmas. Clueless me, I didn't even realize she was a banty until my birds were almost a year old.

Now my big ol' brahmas, including my 13 lb. rooster, have been introduced to my younger flock. Gradual introduction, with more and more mingling as the babies get more daring. Not a single problem. My recently passed Lil'Bit did kick one of my cockerels butt a time or two, but that's because he was trying to mate her. No adult hen worth her salt is going to take mating advances from a young upstart cockerel.
Yesterday, Jezebel (probably the largest of my brahma hens) caught my two EE babies in the adult coop. I heard a big ruckus and thought she must be killing them. Turns out, they were just carrying on because they felt trapped with Jezzie blocking the door.
So far not a single problem with my rooster and the two cockerels. My adult brahma roo, Thor, keeps a watchful eye on Impy, my turken cockerel; but that's about it. Thor has decided he wants nothing to do with Ollie, my cornish X cockerel. At 20 weeks, Ollie outweighs Thor. Thor doesn't realize Ollie is sweet and harmless.
I also have two silkies in my juvenile flock. One, Jethro, stays mainly with the other layer chicks. Ellie Mae, my other silkie, prefers the company of my cornish X rescues. I worry about Ellie getting crushed by the massive CXs, but she makes them move when she wants them to. All the babies are 20 weeks old and have been raised together since they were 3 weeks old.

 

[Tiffrz-N-Kidz]

When I had 5 SLWs they kindof ruled the roost but now I only have 1 and she's in with bantams and LF and everyone is happy. I have noticed they stay in their little cliques. The oldest batch which is mixed bantams and LF has taken over 1 house, all 10 of them cram in there. Then the youngest goup of 8 (all bantams) are in another.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
X 2.

I have bantam and large fowl breeds all together, one LF (dominant) rooster and a few bantam roosters in amongst all the ladies of different breeds and sizes. Plenty of room to support escapes from short chases. No fighting, either, but occasionally a neck feather flare or two.