Our Mixed "Box-O'_Bantams" has turned out to be slightly more Roo's than Hens -- but the Roo's are SO pretty,sweet, and friendly there is NO WAY I'm getting rid of them! (4 white Silkies-2m/2F, Black Silkies-2M/1F, 1 ea m/f Seabrights, OEG 2M/1F and 1 F Mille Fluer D'uccle) Here are My Questions: #1-- at what age MUST I separate the Hens from the Roos??? (Do not want any injuries or fertile eggs... tho egg-laying is a ways off!) #2--Can all the Roo's be kept in one coop/run?? Someone told us the males each need their own space--- but wouldn't being "brood-mates" make that unnessisary??? #3-- we are getting 12 more Chicks soon, all standard-sized breeds.. will THOSE males be ok with the Banty males???? I know thats a lot to ask-- but ANY help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Caponizing is out of the question-- these will be mated eventually..... The other thing is that there isn't anyone in my area who can/will do the procedure-- and I'm sure not qualified to do it!!!! I HAD considered the process for the Meat-chickens we plan to get in the spring... but will go with hens due to the above reasons.
I've heard that you can keep all of your roos in a bachelor pad.... but, they can turn on one of their buddies and mate him to death Maybe not as frequent an incident in bantams versus standards....???? I dunno