Help!

[redhot]

I don't know much about chickens, just starting out. I got a few babies chicks for my kids a few years ago. Ended up with 5 large breed hens and one rooster. It took 1 year to the day for them to begin laying, is this normal? But anyway they never attempted to hatch any. The just lay and leave the nest. Over the first year the Rooster died and the hens layed very inconsistantly. They may lay for several weeks then just stop for maybe and few months or so. Is this normal? In the mean time my kids teacher gave me 12 chicks. We did'nt know what kind they were. After a while we realized they were Bantams. I added them to the big chicken pen and In one night the big ones killed all but 3 of the Bantams. Is this normal? I ended up with 2 roosters and 1 hen. The chickens continued to be sparatick on laying and the bantam hen did'nt lay for 1 whole year. Finally she layed 1 egg and stopped for months. Is this normal? In the meantime will a Bantam rooster mate with a big hen? In the beginning of June the Bantam disappeared from the pen I found her in a old pen sitting on a nest of 8 eggs. I watched for 21 days and sure enough she hatched them all out. I now am the proud mother of 8 2 month old bantams. All but 2 seemed to form waddles and combs really quick. I assumed they were roosters but yesterday I found 1 bantam egg in pen. Thinking it was moter bantams egg, But today found 7 more. I don't think the mother bantam hen could lay 7 in one day could she? If not the 8 week old bantams with combs and waddles are laying . Is this normal? How old till you can tell the gender of a Bantam, Large chicken breeds seem to be easier to tell. Sorry about all the questions but I need some answers to this crazy flock. Just when I think i understand them they suprise the heck out of me. On the internet the sites seem to answer directly about raising chickens, but my flock seems to be the exception, Is this Normal? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Wolfpacker]

Welcome, but . . .

 

[lurky]

WOW.....I'm sorry i cannot answer your questions, but someone on here will.. I just had to say this was very interesting. I have young bantams and i NEVER plan to put them in with the big birds because i would think the little ones would get hurt. I have 3 totally seperate houses and runs for just that reason....age and size difference. Others do combine them though....maybe yours were too young for it

You have had much excitement going on though.

 

[redhot]

Sorry I did'nt include the chickens names. They are a bit strange, maybe thats why the act so strange . Lets see we have Tweety, Cinamon, Gino, Katie, Kristin and Cockchicken Jr. I think it's pretty odvious which one is the lone Bantam rooster. Can he or will he breed the big chickens

 

[WindyOaksYokes]

UMmmm I really wish I could help out myself... you have one strange flock there.

Oh yah, welcome...

Tes

 

[silkiechicken]

I don't know much about chickens, just starting out. I got a few babies chicks for my kids a few years ago. Ended up with 5 large breed hens and one rooster. It took 1 year to the day for them to begin laying, is this normal?


No, that is not really normal. They should start laying at 5-6 months unless they are more show type where they can start as late as 8-9 months or if you had them over the winter. The question is: What are you feeding them? For the first 16 weeks you need to give them free choice grower feed and then switch them to layer so that they can have enough nutrition and calcium to lay eggs. They need a good diet to be healthy

But anyway they never attempted to hatch any. The just lay and leave the nest.

This is normal for most types of chickens as that trait has been bred out of them


Over the first year the Rooster died and the hens layed very inconsistantly. They may lay for several weeks then just stop for maybe and few months or so. Is this normal?

Again, unusual. Rooster should have lived and hens should be laying consistently their first year. What are you feeding them? Also, how much space do they have? Overcrowding leads to stress which can cause premature deaths and sick hens that do not lay well. Heat and lack of protection from the elements can also alter consistant laying.


In the mean time my kids teacher gave me 12 chicks. We did'nt know what kind they were. After a while we realized they were Bantams. I added them to the big chicken pen and In one night the big ones killed all but 3 of the Bantams. Is this normal?

It is normal for them to be territorial but they should not have killed the bantams over night unless they had no where to hide from the older hens or they were too small when you put them together. You have to spend some time socializing the new additions to the old flock so that they will not kill each other. In addition, some bantams are so small for their safety, they should not be housed together

I ended up with 2 roosters and 1 hen. The chickens continued to be sparatick on laying and the bantam hen did'nt lay for 1 whole year. Finally she layed 1 egg and stopped for months. Is this normal?

Again, they should be consistent unless they are setting on eggs.

In the meantime will a Bantam rooster mate with a big hen?

Yes this is possible. My banty did this.

In the beginning of June the Bantam disappeared from the pen I found her in a old pen sitting on a nest of 8 eggs. I watched for 21 days and sure enough she hatched them all out. I now am the proud mother of 8 2 month old bantams. All but 2 seemed to form waddles and combs really quick. I assumed they were roosters but yesterday I found 1 bantam egg in pen. Thinking it was moter bantams egg, But today found 7 more. I don't think the mother bantam hen could lay 7 in one day could she?

No, maybe you missed some

If not the 8 week old bantams with combs and waddles are laying . Is this normal?

No, they lay between 5-6 months

How old till you can tell the gender of a Bantam, Large chicken breeds seem to be easier to tell.

This is often the case.

Sorry about all the questions but I need some answers to this crazy flock. Just when I think i understand them they suprise the heck out of me. On the internet the sites seem to answer directly about raising chickens, but my flock seems to be the exception, Is this Normal?

No idea, seems odd.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[redhot]

Do you have any idea on why the bantams are laying so early?! They hatched about 8 weeks ago.

 

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

Sorry if I am off subject or anything but what breeds of chickens go broody alot?

 

[silkiechicken]

redhot: I garuentee you the babies are not laying if you say they are 8 weeks old. Go feel between their pelvic bones and if they are not plyable to egg size, they are not laying. Your hen probably layed them over a week or so as odd as it would be for her to lay.

Silkielovr: Cochins and silkies are known to go broody alot but there are always exceptons.

 

[redhot]

Thanks very much for your knowledge. I've pretty much resolved to the fact that my chickens are some mutations of normal chickens, but I can live with there oddities, it makes every day interesting. I've really enjoyed them this few years and there antics and are thankful when they lay. The eggs are great! I think they have a large enough area and are'nt overcrowded and I feed them Layena food from Tractor Supply and the babies get Starter/grower. Boy chicken farming is a lot more complicated than it looks, and I'm glad to have found this site for questions. Thanks again and I've enjoyed the interaction. I'll keep you all informed in future progress. If nothing else it good for a laugh.