New chicks

[susanboylan]

So we have 6 Rhode Island reds that are 2 years old. We got 3 leg horns and 3 bantams about 3 weeks ago. Will they get along with the original 6 hens. They will not being going in to the coop anytime soon being that they are so little but We know how to introduce them see not touch first. But any other advice?

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Not sure of your coop size / set up, but if you could put the young ones in a crate / separated area within the coop (once they no longer need heat) then it will make integration so much easier later on. Just gives a head start to the look no touch approach.

 

[susanboylan]

Ok great Thanks!! Our cool is big enough for 20 chickens we don't plan on getting tong 20 but they have plenty of room. Do those breeds get along ok? I am concerned about the bantams since they are always going to be smaller. We will build a separate coop if we have if they get picked on.

 

[susanboylan]

Coop* sorry

 

[Pork Pie]

Ok great Thanks!! Our cool is big enough for 20 chickens we don't plan on getting tong 20 but they have plenty of room. Do those breeds get along ok? I am concerned about the bantams since they are always going to be smaller. We will build a separate coop if we have if they get picked on.

It can depend on the personalities of the older flock and your management approach. If your flock free ranges, so the coop is only used for laying / sleeping then bullying should not be too much of a problem (providing one has multiple feed stations) but things may become a little tricky if your birds are confined to a run. If so, I'd suggest multiple feed stations and lots of objects in the run (including roosts), where the younger / smaller birds can get out of the way of the larger birds should the need arise.

I've never kept bantams and standard sized birds together, so some advice from those with direct experience may be more helpful to you.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

If you have power for heat in the coop, you might consider brooding the chicks right in the coop and integrate them younger.
Chicks are less of a 'threat' than older birds during integration.


Keeping bantams with large fowl breeds can work....or not.
Some have had success, others not so much.
Many variables and considerations.

These searches may help quicken your quest for info.
Advanced search>titles only> integrating chicks
Advanced search>titles only> bantams and large fowl