advice needed with chickens vs bantams

[evoblade]

Last september i set up a coop with 2 orington bantams and 2 frent copper black marans (l/f) all was fine, they are all last years birds, and have just come in to lay. everyone got on well, the orpingtons seemed to be incharge. then i check on them one evening in feb and one of the orpingtons had been attacked no skin or feathers on her head and very bloody, i removed her to a make shift run and nursed he back to health, when she was better i re introduced her back to the flock, at night as i thought best, in the morning when i let them out the copper black were on her again pinning her down and pecking her head, i straigh away removed her to her other coop, ( i brought a new one for her now). i added her orpington friend and they have been living happily for the past month. with the competion of my final large coop i put all the 4 girls in the hut last night after dark, this morning when i let them out i had hung veg, meal worms, food to distract them all but within 4 mins the copper black had singled out the once weak orpington and pulled feather out again, now i have removed the copper blacks from their nice new home and placed them in the smaller coop and am lost at what to do, if i introduce new hens to the orpingtons will they pick on the smaller hen cause shes always a weak gal and wont fight, will the copper blacks always be bullies are they kniown to be bullies.i am just a bit at a loss at the moment. should i rehome one of the twos?

[Feral007]

No idea, but it would be very stressful for you.

[RichmondHens]

You've answered your own question really, yes she will always be picked on because she is a weakling. In the flock heirarchy there is a (literal) pecking order and she is bottom of the list. Also they may sense other issues, poor health maybe, which instinctively makes them want to drive her away, to protect the welfare of the rest of the flock. You may need to always keep this little bird apart from the others as it sounds unlikely she will do well within a normal flock. French Copper Blacks are not known for aggression (the ones i have had in the past were very placid things) but there is always the exception to the rule.

[evoblade]

That's what I thought, just cheaking what's others thought, I know she will get killed if left in with the flock, I may just leave her to live with her friend, thanks for the help all. Now to choose some more hens to live in the new hut, bantams should be fine with chickens as a rule shount they?

[RichmondHens]

It depends on the chickens, as you have found out! I personally don't mix LF and bantam but some people do with no issues, I think it depends on the amount of space you have. When any of my bantams manage to get into the LF enclosures they do tend to get chased about a lot by the bigger birds, invariably find themselves cornered and fly out again in a hurry.

[petal]

How large is the enclosure they are living in? I have a large speckledy who lives with the wyandotte bantams, she is a placid big girl- so it can work but all ours have large pens with bushes and things to hide behind if they get into an argument.

[evoblade]

i have a 72sq/ft run on the side of a 8x6 hut, had a suggestion today to put a cockrail in with all of them to control the roost, just need to find the right boy now,

[rustylady]

Evoblade, whereabouts do you live?

If the chickens are in your garden the neighbours may not be too pleased if you acquire a cockerel.

[evoblade]

luckly im in the country, a small village, there are already alot a cockerels crowing in the morning, tbh the neighbours duck drowns out all the crowing! theres a wood at one end of the village, one of these places known for dumping unwanted chickens, (like the roundabout near beccles) so there are lots of crowing. i didnt want to go down the cock route, may just keep 2 set ups going, i do love the orpingtons otherwise i would loose them, but she really does seem ok, shes been to the vet (who is pro chicken) and they couldnt see any issues,

[rustylady]

How do you know about Chicken Roundabout? Sadly I think the chickens have gone from there now.

[evoblade]

yes the birds were collected from the roundabout a couple of years ago i think, im just near bury so its not far from me, often took a bike ride up that way. there was a few back there near christmas i think but they didnt last long, either a fox or someone rescued them. it was mainly one person who used to feed them wasnt it, and did i hear they went in hospital or something.