Ducks pulling chickens feathers out.

[Kalyiah]

Yes bantams are much smaller than layers.

I have a picture of one of my bantams next to a regular hen.....

View attachment 1430270

Not the exact pic I was looking for but still shows how small they are in comparison.

I think if you had them you would either know or be asking what is wrong with the tiny chick.

<3 omg its so cute!! nope i don't have any really small ones! awee i wish i did now though so adorable. So I'm searching online, and I figured for 55 chickens i would need approximately 270 sq ft of space giving them 5 sqft of space in the coop. Which would be around a 16x18 building (288sqft) now to talk the hubby into it

 

[21hens-incharge]

She is a cutie. Of course she is a favorite here.

Sometimes they get along in the same coop as big birds. Not always though.

A 16x18 is a big coop.

I know it is tempting to wait and see how many boys you end up with. That puts a time crunch on kinda.
Your existing coop will certainly help. You should gain some time with them moving out there where there is more space while they grow.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

As far as the ducks, when mine were ducklings they pulled each other's feathers. My drake was the naughtiest.
They do it once in awhile now, when one walks by too close and they want to be bossy.
Hopefully, your ducks are hens and not drakes if they are going to live with the chickens.
It sounds like you have a good plan in place now. It is better to get started building early - regardless of the mixture you got suprised with - as bigger is better and chicken math is real. I limited myself so can't expand, but that is ok by me as I have got enough to do as is.
Good luck!
Would love to see pics.

 

[lazy gardener]

By the time chicks are 2 - 3 weeks old, they should have 2 s.f./bird in the brooder. Closer spacing can often result in aggression: feather pulling which can lead up to blood letting and cannibalism. Overheating can also be a contributing factor.

General minimum recommendation for chickens in a back yard flock is 4 s.f. in coop per bird. If you have a drake, he can kill the chickens if he tries to breed them.

I have over 4 acres and my 27 birds do a great job covering the whole lawn with poo, ripping up any flower or veggie bed that is not fenced in, and digging up huge patches of lawn..