Free range bantams

[amarook]

Hi, In addition to my standard sized birds, I have 4 bantams, 2 sebrights, a japanese, and a cochin.

My standard size birds I let free range for about an hour or 2 every evening.

My 4 bantams were raised with 4 black australorps. They all get along just fine. They were in a brooder box in the coop with all the other birds. We have the brooder made in such a way that when they get old enough that they don't need a light anymore we pop off the front panel and all the birds can see each other.

I just integrated with younger birds with the older birds a couple days ago. They were really ready to get out of the brooder.

So far the BAs, and the bantams keep together in a little group.
They have plenty of places where they can hide from the larger birds in the coop if they need to.

My question is how soon can I allow the BAs to join the older birds when they are getting free range time?

And, is it a good idea to let the bantams free range at all?

They are so small I'm afraid that a cat might get them, or they will get lost. This is my first year with chickens, so I'm still learning everything.

THANKS!

 

[kezabel]

I have 4 bantam hens as well, and they free range all day. We have a cat but she leaves them alone, actually one of the hens chases her when she sees the cat lol thats a funny site