New to chickens...Can I keep 2 bantam roos together?

[binza1979]

I picked up two roos and 3 hens at an auction. One pair Old English Game bantams, one young trio of Black Rosecomb bantams. Right now they are separated by breed in an old rabbit hutch. We want to expand the hutch into a coop with a run, but don't know if it would be safe to let the roos hang together. We don't plan on hatching any eggs, so we don't care if there is cross breeding going on. We just want our chickens to be safe, happy, and healthy.

Also, how big should the "run" be for the 5? We don't have a lot of space, but want to do what is best for the birds.

Thanks!

 

[Domestic_goddess]

You might have some fighting, usually one Rooster will be dominate and not allow then other to breed! Also that many rooster to that few of hens can cause feather problems with the hens, so just watch and if you feel like they are getting along....then I wouldn't worry about it and if they fight, keep them seperate!

 

[gryeyes]

Yes, you can. One will become Dominant and the other Secondary.

I have a pair of bantam Cochin roosters, nearly twins, Frick and Frack. (Well, I have a lot more roosters, actually, in my large flock, and they all get along - but they range freely.) Anyway, here are my two little twin cochins:

I have another bantam Cochin rooster in the flock, too. Oh, heck, I have a zillion roosters.

 

[binza1979]

Then I have another question,
can the bantams be in the same coop/run with our full size chickens? We have 7 full time hens that are very friendly. When we added the 7th to the group, they accepted her after a day or so.

Any thoughts?

 

[gryeyes]

Oh, yes. They fit in quite well, because they don't have a clue they are smaller chickens.

I have over 50 chickens and <*counting*> 6 of those are bantam roosters, another 10 or so are bantam hens. They all mix together just fine.

 

[binza1979]

The "run" isn't that large and they don't free range (because of our dogs). How big should the run be for 13 regular and 5 bantams?

 

[gryeyes]

10 sq ft per LF and 5 sq ft for bantams. So, 10x13 = 130 plus 5 x 5 = 25, 130+25= 155 square feet. So, 10x 6 run would be good, or any combination thereof.