Mixing bantams and standards

[Charlene]

Can I mix bantam, standards and cornish cross chicks?

Can I raise them together? I have tons of room and plan on free ranging them during the day when they are big enough.

 

[Panhanle RIR]

Quote:
i wouldnt mix the Bannys untill they are full grown because even if the others arent mean they can hurt them just by stepping on them

 

[babsbag]

I have a barred rock hen that started living with the banties when she was about the same size as they were, even though she was quite a bit younger. They get along fine together. I have never had a cornish cross so I have nothing to say on that one, but I can't imagine that it would be a problem.

 

[WildWalker]

Right now I'm raising two totes of 7 bantam chicks with 1, 3-week old RIR each, the size difference is hilarious between them - like cotton balls compared to baseballs. As frequently as I check them for cleanliness, food/water, picking and poopy butts I've never seen anyone hurt by their being together. IMHO, I prefer raising them this way because they'll learn to flock together, which is difficult to establish sometimes when they get older.

I would always give the banties and the cornish enough room to get away from eachother to reduce the likelihood of injury. I remember my standards used to accidentally trample my banties a bit when they were first introduced to one another - but given a week or so the situation oddly reversed itself. The banties would always try to jump up on top of the standards and sit down, as if on a roost, or when they bed down for the night they would simply jump over the standards into the pile - little wierdoes.

Chickens are odd, fascinating creatures that are surprisingly resilient - my suggestion would be to wait it out until they start to feather, then use your best judgment. Cornish, IIRC, get rather large as a meat bird ultimately I would lean against raising them together. Your birds, your call though.

 

[jossanne]

I don't keep meaties with my other chickens. The meaties grow SO fast, and they're clumsy. They're dirty and stinky and will need their bedding changed regularly. Free ranging during the day might be okay. Are you planning on keep the cornish cross around as pets, or butchering?

I do keep bantams and regular standards together without any problem. I currently have one 1wk bantam cochin in a brooder with 14 standard girls - giant cochins, brahmas and wyandottes. The little bantam is getting along beautifully so far. I have bantams and standards free ranging together full-time, and they also have no problems.

Good luck!

 

[Charlene]

I plan on butchering the Cornish Crosses. I didn't think they lived well beyond 12 weeks anyway.

I guess I can always separate into two groups, maybe I'll try them together for the first few days and see how it goes. I don't mind cleaning, which I would have to do anyway, and I have lots of room. I just don't want them to hurt each other.