Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[CockADoodleDoo]

YAY!

 

I have just sold something on ebay and got £62 for it so i am very pleased .

 

So i want to get a new hen with it! i have enough money for prettymuch any breed! but which one?

 

Any suggestions on what i should get?

 

Thanks

Sam

[CatsCube]

Im guessing your wanting something pretty small to fit with the others in an eglu.

 

What sore of requirements do you have?

 

My first thought is a bantam wyandotte. Wont have problems with the bigger girls and wont take up space, you can get some really pretty laced varieties. But ob like most bantams small eggs alghout mine has laid through winter and lays every other day.

[Treekeeper]

Silver Laced Wyandotte pretty birds, nice and small but great egg layers

[debbie26pet]

Silver Laced Wyandotte pretty birds, nice and small but great egg layers

 

please have a word with mine prefers out the way of others not sure why ye, but is getting braver no eggs though yet

[Treekeeper]

Mine started laying the 2nd day I got her She's a feisty little madam and gives the big Black rocks as good as they give out, my por Cream Legbar is bottom of PO

[CockADoodleDoo]

well have looked in the eglu tonight and there is loads of space in there as the others are all very small for standard hens and i would say there is even enough space for an orpington

[CockADoodleDoo]

or i could go for 2 bantams

[Egluntyne]

I'd vote for the Silver Laced Wyandotte.

 

So beautiful.

[CockADoodleDoo]

i think i have the solution 2 silver laced wyandotte bantams!

[Mrs Frugal]

Please think carefully about introducing bantams, especially single bantams, to larger hens in a confined environment like an Eglu as they may well get picked on by the bigger hens .

[Christian]

I agree Kate. Some people successfully keep chickens and bantams together, but only in large ish flocks and only when they were introduced in larger groups.

 

Didn't Debbie have a problem with a bantam being picked on by larger hens?

 

 

[Mrs Frugal]

I remember Buffie having awful problems and if the space inside the Eglu is already filled, I think it's just asking for trouble, I'm afraid. Omlet state that the Eglu is big enough for 4 medium breed hens if they are able to free range during the day or if the run is extended.

[buffie]

I did have major problems and lots of tears. It meant a second eglu being bought and a pair of bantams for company. Lots of worry and stress. They all live together now but you need to introduce carefully and allow weeks being able to see each other before you mix . Even then you cannot be sure they will mix.

 

I learnt the hard way, 2 years ago. I'd think twice unless I had a second home for them.

 

BBx

[Lesley]

We keep our bantams separate from our larger hens. I think you would be asking for problems unless you took a lot of time keeping them together but separated.

[debbie26pet]

if i known as much i wouldnt got my bantam id gone for larger hen its not as bad but she stays out way is a loner etc not a good choice very timid as well and mouthy if wyndottys u want get big ones

[The Dogmother]

bantam keeper here too - it'll end in tears i'm afraid... not a good idea at all to mix bantams and big birds... sorry folks.

 

I can't emphasise enough that any introduction needs to be taken carefully and slowly, using seperate accommodation for a couple of weeks - you can't just bung them in and let them get on with it - it's likely to end in a nasty wound or even fatality.

[WitchHazel]

Get a Naked Neck!

[Mrs Frugal]

Nice idea but they are large fowl and a heavy breed so would be far too big for an Eglu which already has 4 occupants. There is a bantam version but we've already explained the real dangers of introducing a small bird to an established group of larger hens.

[CockADoodleDoo]

yes i see where you are all coming from! but i do have a huge walk in run and the facilities to seperate the new hens for 2 weeks! plus i would get 2 bantams and i have rung the guy and he said that he has some quite big ones hanging around so i am welcome to look at them!

 

my existing girl alll decide they have to squash up together in 1 corner of the eglu and have measured the available space tonight and there is about 1 square foot of space in there!

 

i also know i can fit 5 big ones in there because i did before my huge maran spark died

 

and another thing is, is that they arent quite an established flock yet because i only got 2 of them 2 weeks ago and the new ones are real wosses

 

What do you guys think! because i really want some banties and will go to extreme lenghts to get them!

 

Sam

[buffie]

I can only repeat what I posted before, sorry.

 

Alot of damage can be done in a very short time. You need to decide if you have a plan B that you can fall back onto. Thats' seperate housing and run area. Mine ended up apart for about 8 months, when we lost our hen that bullied them the worst, only then did I start an intro. Also decide if you have the time to supervise this. A badly pecked hen is very distressing to witness.

 

Give it some thought is my advice,

 

BBx

[Mrs Frugal]

The run may be much larger than the standard Eglu run but the Eglu itself can't be made any bigger and as I said before, Omlet recommend only keeping a maximum of 4 standard sized hens OR 5-6 bantams in an Eglu if they have a larger run or can free range all the time. Overcrowding results in bullying - that is a fact. The hens are awake much earlier than we are with the lighter mornings which gives plenty of time for bullying to occur before you let them out and a hen can be killed in half an hour's severe pecking. Please think carefully about this, Cockadoodledoo. It may seem as though there is a lot of room inside but hens don't want to be sardines!

[BeckyBoo]

Hi there, we have a cube and run which had 7 standard sized hens in. The we inherited Dancing Gals 4 bantams. BUT we housed them in an ark for, probably about a month before we integrated them. They free ranged together after a week or two, probably two and there was the normal fighting. Then we put them in the cube and to start with it was fine, then they started picking on Dave one of the Polands. Before we knew it she was bare all over her back and bleeding. I used to have to fish her out first thing as she could sleep in there alright but couldn't be in the cube or the run when they were awake. Then the rest of her original flock, the other 3 bantams, also started picking on her so she basically moved herself out and into the greenhouse. I used to put her to bed in the cube and as soon as they woke up and were let out she'd be off. When we got the ex-batts she moved herself in there and although she free ranges with everyone fine she still puts herself to bed in the greenhouse (and I have to get her out every night and put her to bed with them ) That said the other three are now fully integrated but it's taken weeks and weeks and I think it's only gone as well as it did as they all had someone to pick on, namely Dave.

SO, in short if you're going to get bantams, make sure you've got another house for them in the short term, and by short I mean about 3 months so they can be introduced REALLY slowly.

Good luck, (their eggs are to die for and not much smaller than standard hens!)

 

Mrs Bertie

[The Dogmother]

Looking at your last post Sam, it sounds like you have already made up your mind, yet you posted on here for advice.

 

Between us, the mods and forum members have many years of excellent experience and advice to give.. you'd do well to heed it Hon and get separate housing if you reallly want to get some bantams.

 

Sometimes we can't always have what we'd like as it's just not practical or sensible - I'd love to have some ex-batteries, but don't have the room, time or money. Bide your time - the day will come when you can have the bantams you'd like, but in the meantime, enjoy the lovely hens that you already have.

 

Just realised that I sound like my mother there - must be getting old!

[Cinnamon]

I can only agree with the other posters.

I have 2 pens, one for the big hens & one for the Bants, & just looking at the sheer size difference between them I know I would never consider mixing the 2 flocks.

The Bants are so tiny in comparison to the big hens,that I am sure it would end in bloodshed.

 

Also you may think that your big hens are nice,calm friendly creatures,but it only takes an interloper to bring out their pecking order instincts THAT THEY ALL HAVE. It can be one mighty shock to see your lovley pet attacking a new defenceless animal.

 

Please think very carefully before you go ahead with this

[Egluntyne]

I agree...there have been lots of posts in the past about this sort of thing. It usually ends in tears and is not worth the risk.

 

You need a second Eglu if you are getting bantams.