Raising multiple breeds?

[olivia1649]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, sorry if it’s not!
In the springtime we will be getting 5 chicks from a local hatchery. I’m currently planning on getting one Wyandotte bantam, one cuckoo Maran bantam, a cream legbar, a barnevelder and a blacktail.

Does anyone know if this will be okay? I’m assuming it’ll be fine as they’ll be together as chicks and grow up together? Will they be okay to share a coop and run?

Also should I buy seperate feeders and drinkers for the bantams and large fowl? I’m just thinking to have them at different heights, plus more could prevent fighting? I’m not sure.

The coop I’m planning is going to give each bird about 30 square feet of run space and 5 square feet of coop space each.

Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sometimes mixing standards and bantams works out and sometimes you end up with bullied bantams. Always have a back up plan in case you need to separate the bantams out.

I personally prefer to keep them separately because my bantam aren't as rough as the big breeds. The roosters hold their own but the hens get picked on sometimes.

 

[lazy gardener]

What OHLD says. It may work, and it may not. With 5 birds, your space looks awesome. Provide lots of multi height areas, and out of sight but not dead end spaces. As for the feeders, simply place a brick or paver on the ground on one side of the suspended feeder/waterer, and the banty chicks should be able to reach just fine. Initially, you may need to buzz some of the starter crumble in a blender to make it small enough for the banty's to eat easily.

 

[olivia1649]

Thank you both for the quick replies! I don’t think I’ll be able to have another coop in the garden so I’ll either have to rethink getting bantams or just hope for the best and if not rehome them to a good home.
Hopefully with the large amount of space and then being allowed time each day to free range when I’m able to supervise them (since the dog can’t be trusted at all!) they’ll be okay.

 

[olivia1649]

Just a thought- would having 3 bantams and 3 standards be any better? Or having more bantams than standards? With the space I’ve got I can probably add a few bantams as they need less room anyway - but I want to keep 3 standards so that I’ve got the big eggs as well.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Just a thought- would having 3 bantams and 3 standards be any better? Or having more bantams than standards? With the space I’ve got I can probably add a few bantams as they need less room anyway - but I want to keep 3 standards so that I’ve got the big eggs as well.

It all depends on the individual birds personality. More bantams may help. With chickens a lot of things are give it a go and see how goes. Things that I thought would never work out, works out, and things that seem simple can become complicated. It's what keep chicken keeping interesting.

 

[olivia1649]

It all depends on the individual birds personality. More bantams may help. With chickens a lot of things are give it a go and see how goes. Things that I thought would never work out, works out, and things that seem simple can become complicated. It's what keep chicken keeping interesting.

Thank you!

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! I have both, and have raised both together, and it's been fine. As already mentioned, more than one feeder and waterer, and space, and compatible breeds. More bantams would be nice! You will be getting straight run chicks, right? Then you will have cockerels, and see how it all goes.
Mary

 

[ShalonaK]

I have been interested in bantams but I don't know much about them and this thread is a huge help. I am going to follow it. I have a mixed standard flock so this helps. Thank you for asking the question and letting me learn from it.

 

[Folly's place]

Some of my group this year; Belgian d'Uccle bantams and standard Chanteclers and assorted standard hens. Mary