Just bought 6 bantam chicks from feed supply store. They had arrived at the store only an hour before I bought them, so they must be just a few days old. We intend to buy 6-8 more standard sized hens and raise them to live together. How soon would you buy the bigger hens? Should I wait a week or two to give the banties some growth and a little head start? The birds from the other store could possibly be a week or so older than our bantams. Advice and anecdotes appreciated!
As long as your brooder has plenty of space, and two feeders, things should work out. Fragile Silkies mixed with more aggressive production reds or sex links might be more difficult, though. A very large brooder will be good! Mary
Thanks Folly's Place! Space isn't as much of a concern as whether the size of the baby bantams compare to standard chicks. They are considerably smaller, so does it make sense to give them some grow time before buying the standard size chicks?
I've hatched bantams and standards at the same time and raised them together from day 1 without any major issues. There is always a pecking order, but the standards don't seem to intentionally peck at the bantams. As long as I had enough feeders in the brooder there were no major problems!
