Mixing full size birds with bantams

[Mark Armstrong]

Going to be raising a half dozen or so bantams and will be integrating them with the big birds when their grown, do they get along ok or will I be having some problems, going to build a small separate coop and then connecting it in with the large run I have when its time, Thanks

 

[Blooie]

You mean like this? Those are 4 week old Silkie chicks with a couple of bantams that I'm not sure you can see, out with the flock of standards and foraging, exploring, and learning to be chickens! The chicks are 4 weeks old, they have been fully integrated with the flock for several days, their brooder pen inside the run is being dismantled, and they all live together quite peacefully because the chicks were raised outside in a wire brooder pen within the run in full sight of the adults from day one.

 

[JaeG]

It does depend on your large breeds individual temperaments. In my flock the bantams outnumber the larger birds and our larger girls are gentle breeds. My Mum has a couple of individual hens that would make it impossible to add more hens of any breed/size, and one of her big girls now lives on her own after being bullied so badly.