I need your advice - I'm feeling very conflicted... I recently got 3 Dutch Bantam hens - Being new at the chicken "thing", I didn't really know a whole lot about the breed before I bought them - I was just so excited to get my girls. The things is though - I really need chickens for eggs. That was the whole point of me getting into this.
I've only had them a week, and I am already attached to them... But... I'm disappointed (with myself) that I bought chickens that really don't fit the egg-laying bill. I mean, in the week I've had them I have gotten one egg that was about 1/2 the size of a size small store egg. Not one per hen - ONE.
So here's my question (and i know this is ultimately something that only I can decide, but I want to bounce my thoughts off of all of you...): Should I get rid of the 3 banties and get 2 or 3 full sized hens? Or should I keep the three tiny girls (and they are really small banties, by the way - one is about the size of a dove) and add one large girl (then I worry about them getting picked on or smooshed). Or do I suck it up and live with my bad decision?
If it helps you answer, I don't have a lot of space to play with - the run is 8x4 (could be expanded to 12x4 in a pinch) and the coop is 4x4 - so i can't really add a ton more birds. Adding a second coop is also not an option.
Thanks for your help with this. Y'all don't need to flame me and tell me how irresponsible I was not researching before I bought - I already feel that way 100% - I'm really feeling terrible for it already.
(edited because I can't spell...)
I've only had them a week, and I am already attached to them... But... I'm disappointed (with myself) that I bought chickens that really don't fit the egg-laying bill. I mean, in the week I've had them I have gotten one egg that was about 1/2 the size of a size small store egg. Not one per hen - ONE.
So here's my question (and i know this is ultimately something that only I can decide, but I want to bounce my thoughts off of all of you...): Should I get rid of the 3 banties and get 2 or 3 full sized hens? Or should I keep the three tiny girls (and they are really small banties, by the way - one is about the size of a dove) and add one large girl (then I worry about them getting picked on or smooshed). Or do I suck it up and live with my bad decision?
If it helps you answer, I don't have a lot of space to play with - the run is 8x4 (could be expanded to 12x4 in a pinch) and the coop is 4x4 - so i can't really add a ton more birds. Adding a second coop is also not an option.
Thanks for your help with this. Y'all don't need to flame me and tell me how irresponsible I was not researching before I bought - I already feel that way 100% - I'm really feeling terrible for it already.
(edited because I can't spell...)
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