Hello!
After a couple of cat attacks (just a neighbour's house cat...) a few months ago, we currently have three hens left - a light Sussex, a Rhode Island Red and a sablepoot bantam. The remaining three get along fairly well and although the sablepoot is firmly at the bottom of the pecking order as you would expect, things are stable and fairly harmonious. I would like to increase the size of the flock and have been planning to get two or three buff Orpingtons, as I have read that these do well with bantams. I would also really like to get a rooster (was thinking of getting one buff orpington rooster as well as the two hens) for flock protection but am worried that 1) ~5 hens would not be enough for one rooster and he would mate too often with each one and 2) He would mate with my sablepoot and injure her.
After a couple of cat attacks (just a neighbour's house cat...) a few months ago, we currently have three hens left - a light Sussex, a Rhode Island Red and a sablepoot bantam. The remaining three get along fairly well and although the sablepoot is firmly at the bottom of the pecking order as you would expect, things are stable and fairly harmonious. I would like to increase the size of the flock and have been planning to get two or three buff Orpingtons, as I have read that these do well with bantams. I would also really like to get a rooster (was thinking of getting one buff orpington rooster as well as the two hens) for flock protection but am worried that 1) ~5 hens would not be enough for one rooster and he would mate too often with each one and 2) He would mate with my sablepoot and injure her.
- Is a large rooster like an orpington likely to see a small bantam as a hen to mate with or would he more likely just ignore her? She is about the size of a pigeon...
- Would 4 or 5 hens be enough for one buff orpington rooster?
- Any alternative suggestions for protection from neighbourhood cats other than a rooster/suggestions for expanding the flock without the sablepoot being bullied too much?
