Jump to content
Chickens Dogs Cats Rabbits Guinea Pigs Hamsters and Gerbils Birds
melly264

mixing bantams and ex-batts

By melly264, in Chickens, Eggs and Hatching

Recommended Posts

melly264 Chicken Eggspert

melly264

Posted
Posted

We now have 2 ex-batts, and want to increase the flock. We were always going to do something in the spring anyway, so we are looking at March. We are going to buy a cube to house the origional 2 and some newbies. But here's the question.....

 

I REALLY want some bantams (partridge/dutch bantams), but we also want to rehouse some more ex-batts. What order do we do things in? I am so confused :?

 

We are going to keep the eglu for a while, I figured the new batts could live in the cube for a while on their own whilst they get back to full health. How long for tho?

 

Then we put our origionals in the cube with them.

 

But at what point do we add the bantams? Are we better getting younger bantams or POL? Do we introduce the bantams to the new ex-batts on the same day in the cube and then add the old ex-batts? Or do we let all the batts make friends first?

 

The whole intro process sounds so fretful and I would just like to do it the easiest way, minimising any risk and worry.

 

Any advice/experience would be greatly recieved - as you can see I've given myself plenty of time to get my head round it :oops::lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Egluntyne Eggsistentialist

Egluntyne

Posted
Posted

General advice about intros **here**.

 

I'd hang on to the Eglu for a while at least. :D

 

Points to consider are that It is a good idea to quarantine ex-batts for a week or so and to give them a period of quiet adjustment to life outside the battery shed.

 

Also, they can be a bit aggressive as they have had to fight for rations and it takes a while for them to unlearn this behaviour.

 

In addition, whilst many (Janty for example) have had success in mixing bantams and hybrids, others have had disasters as the larger hens have marmalised the smaller. Very slow intros is probably the way to go with that.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
The Dogmother Eggsistentialist

The Dogmother

Posted
Posted

One word of advice; Dutch bantams are the smallest true bantams and very tiny - they may find it hard to stick up for themselves against big hybrids. My Lucille was a Dutch girl and very timid, perhaps somethign more robust like a wyandotte miniature would be best if you're dead set on mixing smallsters and big hybrids.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
melly264 Chicken Eggspert

melly264

Posted
  • Author
Posted

gosh is it really that much of a bad idea? Quite likely to go wrong?

 

I just think the dutch/partridge bantams are beautiful, and keep reading that bantams generally make nice cuddlier pets (bearing in mind we have 3 children). Should I be leaving this idea to chicken dream world?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
The Dogmother Eggsistentialist

The Dogmother

Posted
Posted

It's not to say that it wouldn't work, just that it could well go wrong.. I wouldn't mix them myself.

 

I am assuming that you haven't seen a Dutch bantam in the flesh yet....? They really are small, about the size of a biggish blackbird or small dove, and rather delicate :? My Lucille only stood about 6" tall to the shoulder and fitted perfectly in my (small) hand. Egluntine has met her and could confirm her size and fragility.

 

As per the other thread about bantams and big hens http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=37040, bantams aren't necessarily more docile than big hens - one of my girls is positively vicious!

 

I'mnot trying to put you off here, just want you to go into this with your eyes open; may I suggest that you read through the forum, do a bit of research and perhaps go to see some pure breed bantams and miniatures at breeders before you make up your mind. The more people you ask, the more differing experiences and opinions you will hear....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
melly264 Chicken Eggspert

melly264

Posted
  • Author
Posted

gosh maybe i've got the breed wrong then, the one that I 'm wanting isn't that small......she belongs on a farm the a friend of my hubby's owns. Maybe I should get him to take a photo and I could post it here for the eggsperts(!) to help me identify. I have gone thro so many breed lists and piccys, I thought I'd finally got her nailed (as it were!)

 

back to the drawing board :roll:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
The Dogmother Eggsistentialist

The Dogmother

Posted
Posted
just read the thread (thanx for the link)

 

I think I'll look at some pretty pure breeds! Sounds safer

 

 

err, dutch bantams are pure breeds, just small ones. Here's a photo of my Lucille; you can see just how small she is in front of the rablu:

main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=6745&g2_serialNumber=2

 

Large sized pure breeds woudl probably fit in fien with ex-batts, may I suggest that you read the introductions thread in the FAQ section :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
likeastar--x Frequent Layer

likeastar--x

Posted
Posted

if you do get bantams ive managed to sucessfully mix them twice now but i think that was down to the bantams immediatly bowing down to the higher places in the pecking order and just steering clear of the big girls. after a while they are all fine and get on well together, but ive had no experience with ex batts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Smeg Chicken Eggspert

Smeg

Posted
Posted

Ooh yes please, i'm just starting up with a cube being delivered on 23rd Jan and its coming with 2 and i'm nagging hubby for another 2 from barrs lane - he said yes yesterday!!! whoopie :dance:

let me know when and if i'm not working i'll be there.

x

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...