I need some advice on adding Bantam hens to my existing flock of standard size

[ErnieBerley]

I have 4 Ameraucana (3 hens, 1 rooster), 2 polish hens and a splash silkie rooster (he runs the flock...lol) . Mine all get along great now, but my Ameraucana roo is really big - he has 2 of my Am. hens almost bare on their hind quarters from aggressive mating.

Question - a local person has Mille fluer hens and I've wanted to add some of these for a long time, they are so beautiful!! do you all think these bantams will mix well with the flock? I dont' know anything about generalized Mille Fluer behavior. i will have them isolated for sure for the first week or 2, a run within my large run with the flock. thankx

 

[featheredplanets]

What breed? Mille Fleur is a colour.

Regardless, I think bantams will be too small and are likely to be overbred too. Personally I’d add another 3+ large fowl hens.

 

[ErnieBerley]

What breed? Mille Fleur is a colour.

Regardless, I think bantams will be too small and are likely to be overbred too. Personally I’d add another 3+ large fowl hens.

a color? really thanks for the info! i'm new at this. here's what the add says -5 Mille Fleur bantam chicken hens $15 each. thanks for you help !!

 

[featheredplanets]

a color? really thanks for the info! i'm new at this. here's what the add says -5 Mille Fleur bantam chicken hens $15 each. thanks for you help !!

Many bantams come in mille fleur. I’d ask what breed they are if you want them. But yeah, I’d still go for bigger hens of that’s possible

 

[JurassicBawk]

I have 4 large Easter Eggers, and over the last 1.5 years added in 2 rescue bantam Polish (about 1/3 the size of the EEs at about 2 pounds) and 1 Old English Game Bantam that clocks in at just under a pound. The Old English runs the place, and uses the others as blankets and umbrellas when she pleases, and everyone gets along just fine. However, if I had a rooster, there's no way I'd risk the safety of any of the littles. They're just too small to not get hurt if a large bird tried to mount or fight them. If you could keep everyone separated that's one thing, but I wouldn't mix with a rooster that's already shown to be aggressively mating the large girls.

 

[Fluffyflufffluff]

I have 4 Ameraucana (3 hens, 1 rooster), 2 polish hens and a splash silkie rooster (he runs the flock...lol) . Mine all get along great now, but my Ameraucana roo is really big - he has 2 of my Am. hens almost bare on their hind quarters from aggressive mating.

Question - a local person has Mille fluer hens and I've wanted to add some of these for a long time, they are so beautiful!! do you all think these bantams will mix well with the flock? I dont' know anything about generalized Mille Fluer behavior. i will have them isolated for sure for the first week or 2, a run within my large run with the flock. thankx

I don't see anything wrong about having bantams with normal size chickens... they are virtually the same... bantams are just smaller...

 

[ariri30]

I have bantam roosters and hen and LF chickens together without any problems. I added a really large rooster that doesn’t bother the bantam hens. They all seem to get along fine.

 

[featheredplanets]

I think when there’s an existing problem with large hens being overbred by the rooster, it’s best to think about the safety of smaller chickens who can easily be crushed.

 

[BDutch]

Just some thoughts:
What are youre plans with you're rooster? Do you have him for breeding? Protecting the flock? If you can sell/give away the rooster there is no problem anymore with the hens. A smaller adult rooster could work too. But for now I would keep him apart from you're hens until they are fine. And consider adding larger hens if you want to keep him. There are mille fleurs in some larger breeds too. But maybe difficult to get hold on?

I understand you really like these bantams in the mille fleur colour. I have some too. Nantes de Tournaisis. They are a breed from Belgium. They come only in this multi-colour but I don't even know if you can buy this breed in the USA. The bantams you like to buy are probably a mix breed.

Did you ask about diseases and vaccinations.? Eg. If yours are vaccinated for marek and these bantams are not, you can not breed you're own chicks without risk. Think about quarantine too.

 

[ErnieBerley]

hey thanks for all your comments....here is a picture of the birds for sale that i'm looking to purchase - i think 1 of these is a roo but I'm not getting him