Introduce 3 10week old pullets and one roo to 2 year old hens.

[Giersons]

I have 4 barred rock hens (heritage size) that are 2years old, then I have three 10 week old pullets and one roo (bantams). We have been introducing with the look but no touch for about 2 weeks now. I have a coop that is housing the pullets and roo right next to the hens, and have just started letting the babies free range supervised with the big girls. My concern is there is such a big size difference, now granted they are still young and have some growing to do, but when the hens get curious and approach the pullets they essentially squash them and pull feathers. The roo does his own thing typically, but is slowly doing what I want him to do and attempting to level out the girls, but I laugh because he is so small the big girls just squash him and he backs down. No blood or injuries, and I only intervene if the larger hens persist if the little ones are running away.

Has anyone raised bantams and large breeds together and are the little ones able to hold their own? Any pics on the size difference of a full grown bantam?

 

[DobieLover]

Has anyone raised bantams and large breeds together and are the little ones able to hold their own?

Yes. My black Australorp hatched 6 bantam eggs, 3 each D'Uccle and Sebright. I currently have one hen of each in a flock of mostly full sized birds. 24 birds total ATM.

Any pics on the size difference of a full grown bantam?

You can see the bantam Sebright rooster I still had when this picture was taken standing on one of the stumps. One of the Sebright hens is tucked in on a branch in the back of the run next to a nearly 7# Cuckoo Marans hen and the Mille Fleur D'Uccle hen is taking a dust bath with two other hens behind a long seen past the rooster.

 

[Giersons]

Yes. My black Australorp hatched 6 bantam eggs, 3 each D'Uccle and Sebright. I currently have one hen of each in a flock of mostly full sized birds. 24 birds total ATM.

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You can see the bantam Sebright rooster I still had when this picture was taken standing on one of the stumps. One of the Sebright hens is tucked in on a branch in the back of the run next to a nearly 7# Cuckoo Marans hen and the Mille Fleur D'Uccle hen is taking a dust bath with two other hens behind a long seen past the rooster.
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Thank you so much for the reply, this makes me feel better. Great pictures! My little ones aren’t going to get much bigger than I think.