How to into. the new banty roo to 12 established hens....

[operator16]

**** I did post this in the OEGB thread but didn't hear anything so I thought maybe I had put it in the wrong place... ****


Hi all!! I have my 10 standard hens and 2 banty polish gals. We have a beautiful balance of happy girls who all get along. I've always dreamed of a little OEGB Roo to take care of the gals. Yesterday, at the Natl. Western Stock Show in Denver I bought a beautiful OE Blue Brassy Bantam Cockerel. He's just delightful. He's a cuddly, calm beautiful boy. I do have some questions...

1. What are his odds of actually having success fertilizing the eggs from my big girls. He's about 1/4 the size of them. I don't really want/need/care about fertilized eggs - just curious.

2. How will everyone feel about him coming into the family? Do I need to help with assimilation?

3 I do have heat in the coop. Do I need to worry about his little body staying warm?

4. Will he care about 3 mini pygmy goats sharing his yard? They are very mild mannered.

5. Will he be a flight risk? I have a 10-11 ft game fence with about 5 ft. of chicken wire from the ground up. I don't want him getting out. Maybe he won't think of leaving his gals.

6. Are there any other needs that he would have different from the hens? They all get locked up at night, have heat, lots of fresh water and food, a 150x300' garden to live in, etc.... (My DH says the birds get more love than him....

Thanks for your help. I'm so happy to have him and all his personality join our family. I just want to get it right.

 

[heather112588]

1. What are his odds of actually having success fertilizing the eggs from my big girls. He's about 1/4 the size of them. I don't really want/need/care about fertilized eggs - just curious.
-he can still fertilize the eggs, dont know odds but he's still a roo and they will accept him.

2. How will everyone feel about him coming into the family? Do I need to help with assimilation?
- every new chicken that i have ever introduced has needed help. I found putting new chicken in a pet carrier, then putting carrier into pen to be the best bet ( they can see each other but can't hurt him...leave in pen for about 1 hr 1/2..by then they will be semi used to him). The first few days will be the worst bc they will try to pull rank.

3 I do have heat in the coop. Do I need to worry about his little body staying warm?
I have had bantams before but have never had heated coop. If they accept him (sometimes even if they dont), they will let him sleep in their pile for warmth (i had one girl, lowest rank that they still let sleep on the outer rim of chicken pile...i gave roost, they prefered to sleep in a pile on the ground!).

4. Will he care about 3 mini pygmy goats sharing his yard? They are very mild mannered.
-again this will take him some getting used to. However, since he is coming into a new environment and they were already there, he will except them.

5. Will he be a flight risk? I have a 10-11 ft game fence with about 5 ft. of chicken wire from the ground up. I don't want him getting out. Maybe he won't think of leaving his gals.
-All chickens will try to fly. I forgot what breed you had said but some are more flighty than others. honestly with a bantam though, i dont think you'll have a problem.

6. Are there any other needs that he would have different from the hens? They all get locked up at night, have heat, lots of fresh water and food, a 150x300' garden to live in, etc.... (My DH says the birds get more love than him....
-not really

 

[operator16]

Thank you for your response!




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