I love my bantam hens because they all go broody for me. I love my banty roos too, but there's just so many you can keep in one yard without having them fuss & fight. I used to let them roam freely and roost where they wished. Most of them roosted high in a big ficus tree in the corner of the yard, and they were safe there for a few years.
But then some bobcats moved into the area and I lost most of those bantams who roosted in the tree. One cat seemed to prey on them in the evenings, when they'd gather on the fences preparing to fly up into the tree. Another one must have been going up in that tree and grabbing them in the early mornings. Two of those cats were removed, and the third seems to have moved away on its own.
I've moved the surviving bantams into a covered pen, and that's where they stay all day & night. Everyone's getting along nicely, and I don't want to add more roos to that happy group. I typically do not give the broody bantams their own little eggs to incubate, but instead swap eggs from the larger laying flock once the hens show they're serious about setting. I don't like to hatch bantam eggs because then I'm left with this dilemma, extra bantam roos to place. They're not too little to process, but if I can find them homes I'd rather do that.
ItsaZoo32, you should plan a trip to West Palm Beach some time and learn how to process with me. Then you'll have a good use for all the cockerels you hatch.
But then some bobcats moved into the area and I lost most of those bantams who roosted in the tree. One cat seemed to prey on them in the evenings, when they'd gather on the fences preparing to fly up into the tree. Another one must have been going up in that tree and grabbing them in the early mornings. Two of those cats were removed, and the third seems to have moved away on its own.
I've moved the surviving bantams into a covered pen, and that's where they stay all day & night. Everyone's getting along nicely, and I don't want to add more roos to that happy group. I typically do not give the broody bantams their own little eggs to incubate, but instead swap eggs from the larger laying flock once the hens show they're serious about setting. I don't like to hatch bantam eggs because then I'm left with this dilemma, extra bantam roos to place. They're not too little to process, but if I can find them homes I'd rather do that.
ItsaZoo32, you should plan a trip to West Palm Beach some time and learn how to process with me. Then you'll have a good use for all the cockerels you hatch.
