Full-Size and Bantam mating possibilities?

[protoman]

So this is my first post here so please bare with me.

So I have 2 bantams (not 100% sure of the breed), but one is male and one is female. I then have 6 full-size (also not 100% sure of the breed) and I am not sure if one of the 6 is a rooster or no, but there hasn't been any significant signs pointing to rooster. Recently I have noticed that the male bantam has been "sitting on top" of a couple of the full-size chickens. I am not sure if it is possible for a bantam to mate with a full-size hen, but I would like to know before I start getting hens laying fertilized eggs. If I need to move the rooster away from the hens I can do that, but I don't want to put in all that effort if it really isn't possible.

Long story short, I assume the bantam could mate with the other bantam, but is it possible to mate with a full-size chicken and vice versa?

 

[Den in Penn]

Welcome to BYC.
It is possible for a bantam to mate a full size hen. Is there a reason you don't want fertile eggs? There is really no difference between a unfertilized egg and a fertilized one except a few small cells. They cook the same, taste the same and no difference in the nutrition.

 

[donrae]

He may not fertilize as many as a full grown rooster, but he'll sure have fun trying!

I tell folks, if you can tell a fertile egg, good on you. I've had birds 20 years and still have a hard time telling if an egg's fertile sometimes! Course, with my roosters, I just assume they all are. Makes no difference to me, and won't make any difference to you unless that fertile egg is incubated a week or so at around 100degrees.....that's how long it takes for the chick to start forming. Eat them fresh and you'll never know the difference.

 

[protoman]

Good and bad news I guess. Good that unless you leave them or incubate them eating them won't be an issue, but bad news knowing that if I didn't eat them and left them I could have a baby chick. Not sure if it's obvious, but this is my first flock and everything is quite exciting and new. I can't wait till my hens are the right ages for laying eggs as I feel discovering and collecting them will be extremely exciting!

 

[donrae]

Good and bad news I guess. Good that unless you leave them or incubate them eating them won't be an issue, but bad news knowing that if I didn't eat them and left them I could have a baby chick. Not sure if it's obvious, but this is my first flock and everything is quite exciting and new. I can't wait till my hens are the right ages for laying eggs as I feel discovering and collecting them will be extremely exciting!

But where would you leave them they'd be at incubation temps? I leave mine on the counter and we don't have a/c and I've never had a partially developed chick in 20 years. Sometimes I don't even collect eggs every day during the summer, and it gets pretty darn warm in the coop. I don't go more than 2-3 days, but it must cool off enough at night they don't start to develop. You pretty much need a broody hen or an incubator to hatch chicks, they don't just happen by themselves. Just collect your eggs every other day, minimum, and you'll be fine. Seriously, I doubt you'll ever be able to tell they're fertilized. If you don't want baby chicks, just don't leave any eggs for a hen to set on.