Bantams & Chickens - compatable?

[newtogardens]

We currently have 3 chickens and are considering re-homing a couple of bantams (a hen and a cock) from our local animal rescue centre.

Has anyone had any experience of introducing bantams in with chickens, are they compatable, or will the little chucks be beaten up by the big ones?

Any help would be really useful as we don't want to subject them to a bashing!!

[RichmondHens]

It really depends on how placid your big hens are. Some people keep bantams and large fowl together, some don't. I don't, but that's partly because of a need to keep cocks apart for breeding (and fighting) purposes. My LF have a large enclosure and range about within that, the bantams are all completely loose and come and go as they please. All you can do is try it and see. The little bantam cock may try and tread the larger hens and because of his size could inflict some spur damage as he scrambles aboard but really, you will have to see. They may all shake down into one happy family (after the inevitable few days of sorting out the new pecking order).

[Snadger]

From what i've noticed on other plots......... banty cocks seem to be vicious little gits!

Lots of people appear to keep banty hens and large fowl hens together tho!

[Hilary B]

Like others have said, it all depends on the individual creatures. If the banties are an established pair, the cockerel will probably defend his 'original' wife from the new (from his POV) ones, and he will probably be bolshie enough to do so quite well (she may stand up for herself very effectively if the 'big girls' are not quarrelsome types), but there WILL (unless they are all much more placid than normal) be a fair bit of squabbling to start with, and space to 'get out of the way' is vital. How much room have you got?

[walldanzig]

i tried the hens tore a strip out of the bantams this went on for a week so I took them out

[Tiny1000]

I got 4 chickens (hens) and 2 bantams (hens) in the same coop, every now and then the chickens give the bantams a bit of a slap but I wouldn't say it's any worse than chicken on chicken, although the bantams are more skittish so when they get pecked they let you know about it!

[MaureenHall]

Hi Tiny1000, and welcome to our madhouse You'll have to tell us all about your chooks and your set-up (cos we're a nosey lot )

[Tiny1000]

Hi Tiny1000, and welcome to our madhouse You'll have to tell us all about your chooks and your set-up (cos we're a nosey lot )

Ooops I thought I got away with that! I'll get some photo's uploaded asap:

[Tiny1000]

One of my bantams sunbathing with my 'I rule the roost hen'