How many bantam hens? Can they go together with large hens? Buying a hen with fertilized eggs?

[Anna_0909]

How many bantam hens? Can they go together with large hens?:
So, we currently have three ISA brown hens, 2 years and 3 months old. The amount of eggs they produce has recently dropped to 1-2 per day, which isn't quite enough for my parents liking. I don't care how many eggs they lay, I just love "hanging out" with them

. There are room enough for, at max, 5 hens in our coop-and-run. But I was thinking, if we got some bantam hens, would there be enough room for 6 or 7 hens? And would these bantam hens be accepted amongst the "old" hens, or would they get pecked for being small?
I'm aware the bantam hens won't produce as many eggs as the ISA brown.

Buying a hen with chicks/fertilized eggs?:
And a final question! Instead of buying extra hens, I was considering fertilizing one of our hens. I really like the thought, since I consider my hens as "my children", and if one of them had chicks, I would feel like my children finally grew up :'). Anyway, I've realised this is a more or less impossible project, since we aren't allowed to keep roosters and none of our hens have ever been broody. So I was considering buying a (broody) bantam hen with a few chicks or fertilized eggs. But I fear the hen would get stressed due to the transportation and new environments. What I fear more is the introduction to the old hens.. One solution could be to introduce the least dominant hen to the new hen, then the lesser dominant hen and at last, the most dominant one.

Another suggestion could be to buy one or two new hens of a more broody breed, wait until next spring, and then try to make them hatch a few, fertilized eggs

I'm also aware that it's unwise to buy one hen, since she would feel alone and insecure.. Poor girl.

 

[tweetysvoice]

I would think that if you currently have room to add 5 large hens, then 6 or 7 bantums would be just fine.
I have three silkies that are half the size of my larger hens and although they clump together in their own flock, they aren't picked on by the other birds at all. Just make sure you do proper introductions.

I agree that buying a broody hen and her eggs would not be wise. You'd be better off getting a hen that has a tendency to go broody (and lots of bantams, like silkies do) and finding someone in your area that you could by fertalized eggs from. I can't have roosters either and made a deal with a gal from work that I gave her an old nest box she can use now and if I get a broody, she'd give me some eggs.

 

[Anna_0909]

Thank you so much for your fast and helpful answer!

And that sounds like a great suggestion! Oh my, I'm getting all excited! Not a good idea right before bed, haha

 

[TXchickmum]

I purchased three Golden Comet pullet chicks and four bantam chicks within one week of each other. I kept them in separate brooders, but would take them out and let them scratch around together. I know many people with much more experience than I have integrated large birds with bantams without incident. My two groups roam the lawn in separate flocks. They don't seem to mind being in close proximity to one another, usually, but the big gals peck and chase the bantams away from food and the dust bathing area. We constructed separate coops as I would not feel comfortable keeping my bantam pullets with my big gals due to observations of this particular group.

 

[qldchook]

I have a very small bossy (EE or Aracauna?), a huge plymouth Rock, A Rhode Is, 3 cochin bantams, a smooth frizzle bantam rooster & 9 6 week old chicks. They all free range & coop happily together. There is a definate pecking order but if anything all the little girls boss the big. It may be very different without a rooster though as he is the common denominator.I love having such a mixed flock it keeps it really interesting.

 

[TXchickmum]

We have two bantam roosters. The standard pullets don't pay much attention to one. He roams wherever he pleases, integrated into both flocks. He sounds alarms for/protects both groups. The other is pecked and chased by the big girls. He stays with the two bantam pullets unless roaming about with the dominant roo. (Surprisingly enough, both roos get along fine at this point. Time will tell if this continues. -not certain that five hens and two roos will work.

)

 

[tughillchicks]

I know this post is a little older, but I am now to the forum and just came across it. I currently have 3 standard girls who just started laying not to long ago. My son is in 4H and we just got two bantams (barred rock and nankin). The Nankin is supposed to be a rooster, but it is looking liek we might have two more hens ( but then again I am new to this so I am not sure how long until we can tell for sure if one of them is going to be a roo or not). Which is fine. They are such nice little birds. We would like to house the bantams with the standars, but I am not sure about how to pull off a proper introduction. The new chicks are about 8 weeks old. The barred rock just about has all her feathers and the little nankin is still getting feathers on its head but hasmost of them in on its body. I have read things online, but there are soooooo many different suggestions. I dont want the older girls to hurt the little guys but I would like them to all get along if at all possible.

Any tips for introductions or how we could possibly pull this off?

Thanks!

 

[qldchook]

Hi, I find it best to try and section off a small part for the young ones so inside the yard so the big girls get completely used to being around them. You can also put them in a smaller cage within sleeping are at night. If your big birds free range try to keep them confined instead so they are forced to get used to each other. When you let them mingle for the first time, spread feed around so not forced into one spot. The big ones will peck them a bit so stay in there and intervene if need be.it will only take a few times of this for them to sort themselves out. They will chase them away & give them a peck or two but that is normal to establish order. Good Luck.

 

[tughillchicks]

Thanks for the Tip! Our girls are free range, so we will just keep them in their run for a little while and see how it goes! I am excited to get this started so hopefully they can all be together.

Thanks again!

 

[qldchook]

I am sure they will be fine. I have 16 & they are all breeds and sizes & the "pecking order" changes with new introductions and as young get older. Post a pic once you have them all together.