4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Chunky_Monkey]

We were hoping to get 2 hybrids and 2 welsummer bantams, but are not entirely sure on how well they would actually get on together. I've heard from some people that bantams and hybrids shouldn't live together, but have heard from other people that they do. It has left us rather confused so we would just like some more opinions really. Should we stick to our decision or go for 3 or 4 hybrids instead?

 

Thanks

 

Chunky Monkey

[milwichchickenlover]

Hi

 

I keep 2 buff orpington bantams and 2 new hybrids together. They've only been together for a couple of days as we only got the newbies early last week. The buff orpingtons were well down the pecking order with my other five hens but they seem to be getting on really well with each other and snuggle up in the eglu every night.

 

All is calm in my chicken pen now. I would go for it and mix them.

 

 

Good luck

[Janty]

Mine mix (see below).

 

 

The introductions have to be taken slowly especially if the bantams are small but they mix well in general.

[Tweety]

My girls all mix together very happily but, as Janty says, the intros will have to be taken slowly and a lot depends on the difference in size. My Speckled Sussex bantam, for example, is almost the same size as some of the bigger girls - I'm not sure how big welsummer bantams are in comparison to the hybrids you are thinking of getting, but you will just have to play it by ear and be prepared for the fact that they might not mix successfully. I hope it works out for you, whatever you decide.

[Tara.F]

We have bantams and hybrids....but we found that we had to introduce three bantams so they outnumbered the big girls

 

Sadly, our frizzle got foxed but by then they were all pretty well bonded.

 

When free ranging, the big girls go one way and the littluns follow on at a distance but if anyone of the birds gives a holler, they all bunch up together real quick and if we catch a little girl to give her medicine or wash her feet the big girls attack us