Raising Cochin Bantams with Standards

[fettslady]

Hi all! I have been utilizing the fabulous resource that is BYC for a while now and it has been SO helpful in getting me started with my chicks.

My question is regarding raising Cochin Bantams with Standards. To elaborate, after over a month of research, I was finally ready to make the plunge into chicken ownership. I dealt with some locals and was able to get 14 wonderful chicks from two different farms at our last poultry swap. All the chicks that I got are between 3-4 weeks old. My 4 week olds include 1xCochin Bantam, 3xNew Hampshires, and 1xAmeraucana. My 3 week olds include 2xCochin Bantams, 3xDominiques, and 4xAmeraucanas. When we were looking at getting bantams and standards, what I had seen was that if they were raised together, they generally did fine. Both sellers that I dealt with are reputable in our local 'chicken' community and individually confirmed they had never had any big issue.

My DAD who owned chickens for a few years adamantly said to keep the bantams away from everything else because they are/will be mean and cause fights, pick on the others, etc. I have seen nothing in the week that I have had all the chicks together to suggest this. There was some chest bumping going on amongst all the chicks after about 2 days(which freaked me out immediately as I thought "Oh great, they're mostly roosters!" until I looked it up on BYC) - and that has since settled down, so I believe the pecking order for the week at least has been figured out. I'm hoping my dad just had some meanies that put a bad taste in his mouth -

I have seen no signs of overly aggressive behavior from any of the chicks. Because my dad freaked me out, I was watching the bantams more closely and did notice that the 4wk bantam Arya old kinda darts and pushes her way through all the chicks - but I was chalking that up to normal chicken behavior of her not wanting to miss anything.

So I guess my question is, will these gals be ok growing up or should I 'watch out for' aggression from the bantams??

Thanks!!

Sarah

 

[HEChicken]

I have bantams and standards together and mostly they weren't even raised together and they still do fine, so I wouldn't worry about it. Right now though I'm kind of questioning "what good are the bantam roos?" I have a little bantam cochin roo. He's been crowing since 9 weeks and does a pretty good imitation of a big boy crow but being such a little guy its a squeaky little sound that can be grating with enough exposure. Plus, he's not really big enough to do the deed. He tries to mount my standard girls and when holding onto their necks, his parts line up approximately with their shoulder blades. They just sort of shake him off like he's an annoying little fly (which in reality, I'm sure he is). My only hope is my little bantam game hen who is even smaller than he is, so at least the parts should fit. On the plus side, the banties don't eat that much.....

 

[fettslady]

I have bantams and standards together and mostly they weren't even raised together and they still do fine, so I wouldn't worry about it. Right now though I'm kind of questioning "what good are the bantam roos?" I have a little bantam cochin roo. He's been crowing since 9 weeks and does a pretty good imitation of a big boy crow but being such a little guy its a squeaky little sound that can be grating with enough exposure. Plus, he's not really big enough to do the deed. He tries to mount my standard girls and when holding onto their necks, his parts line up approximately with their shoulder blades. They just sort of shake him off like he's an annoying little fly (which in reality, I'm sure he is). My only hope is my little bantam game hen who is even smaller than he is, so at least the parts should fit. On the plus side, the banties don't eat that much.....

Thanks, that makes me feel better! I can just see your poor roo LOL