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

[Pikey]

Hi

 

Thinking of getting some bantams but just have a few queries before I do.

 

1. Do bantam cockerels make much noise? A breeder has told be they are quiet but as don't live in the country I just need to check before its too late

 

2. Would a bantam cockerel be ok with regular sized chickens??

 

3. Would they all be ok to free range together??

 

Thanks

[The Dogmother]

I love my bantams and miniatures, Pikey

 

1. It depends, as with larger birds it is down to the individual, the only ones to be consistently quieter are Seramas, but they are weeny fellas. I know some bantams cockerels who make an almighty racket... all day long. I'd certainly not recommend keeping any sort of cockerel if you have neighbours nearby, well, not if you want to maintain cordial relations with them that is:roll:

 

2. Not recommended, they are likely to pick on the poor wee man

 

3. Do you mean big and small chickens? Althoguh some people have managed to mix sizes with success, it isn't generally recommended and I know of more disasters than otherwise.

 

If you live in an urban environment, then a small flock of bantams/miniatures is a good idea; they won't wreck your garden and you will still get eggs. May I suggest that you look around and visit some breeders/ chicken keepers before you make up your mind. There's a wealth of experience and opinions on this forum to start with

[Jools]

I've had a few bantams cockerels over the years and I currently have two, as well as seven full size lads. I have to say that the bantam boys are just as loud as the big lads and one of them has such a high pitched crow, it's actually worse on the ears!

 

A bantam cockerel will be fine with full size hens, provided he is mature (5-6+ months old) when introduced to them. His male hormones will overcome any size disadvantage and at the end of the day, totty is totty to him - he may need a ladder though!

 

If you're sensible with your introductions, there is no reason why bantams and large fowl can't get along together, particularly if you're free ranging them. I don't think it's such a good idea if you're confining them to a run, as there's nowhere for the bullied to escape a bully. Obviously it depends on the birds (and the breed), but quite often you'll find that bantams are bolshier than full size chickens and are more than capable of establishing their own place in the pecking order.

 

I am biased. I started with bantams and I'd always choose them over large fowl. Don't tell my big girls and boys that though!

[Redwing]

I have two bantam cockerels and next door has one and they all start to crow earlier than the LF cockerels and crow for longer during the day although admittedly the actual crow is slighter quieter it is by no means quiet

 

Breeders often try to sell bantams in trios or pairs but if you can resist it then do and just get girls unless you specifically want a cockerel for breeding

 

Cockerels can occassionally get agressive to people and can also make a nuisance of themselves by harassing the hens and being rough with them causing the poor girls to lose confidence and feathers! It doesnt always happen but if you dont need a cockerel then you can avoid any problems completely by not getting one

 

On the other hand a cockerel can be a lot of fun and cuts out a lot of the introduction problems in a group, a good cockerel will also look after his ladies, one of mine sleeps with his wings outstretched and all his ladies crowd under them he is the perfect gent and is only young bless him

 

Whether a bantam cockerel or any other bantams for that matter would get on with LF depends on the personalities of the bantams - some of mine would be fine and some would very quickly get bullied so I keep those separate and have put the bolshy nightmare of a Pekin I have in with the big girls if you choose to integrate do it slowly and be prepared to keep them separate then you wont be disapointed if it doesnt work out

[Pikey]

Thanks for your advise guys......needing the ladder bit made me laugh

 

I don't need a cockerel but keep looking at the breeds section of the website and all those poor cockerals going for free and keep thinking they are going to go into the pot! They are soooooooooo gorgeous too.

 

So the decision is now do I get some more ex bats or some bantams OR do I get a cube put my girls in there with some more ex bats AND then get some bantams to stop the Eglu being empty Decisions, decisions, decisions !!!!

[jennybrom]

hi Pikey,

 

I've only had my latest bunch for a couple of weeks so not quite there yet with the intros yet. Bert sleeps in a box in the shed to prevent early morning crowing - the earliest he is let out is 7:45 when i leave for work. I find he crows for the first hour, frequently to start with then tailing off, sometimes he goes off again a few times mid afternoon but generally i just get the first hour. I think i'm lucky as he has a fairly deep crow for his size so not too piercing, and it's also fairly quiet - at the moment his run is about 5m from the house, I struggle to hear him from inside especially with the radio etc on and I doubt it would be enough to wake anyone up but would rather not take the risk - my immediate neighbour who also has chickens thinks he's wonderful but possibly not at 3 in the morning!

 

I'm taking the intros slowly as Pig is not quite full grown yet, but they are all behaving with supervised free ranging - I had a couple of times when bert squared up to gladys (and ended up in the pond once when he ran away!) but nothing serious yet - we're going to work up to being in the run together - mostly they are studiously ignoring each other but the pekins are getting braver. I got my original pekins at about the same time as the bigguns so they are used to having smaller chooks about although they have had a bit of a break.

 

best of luck whatever you decide, but i have to say i'm a bit biased towards the pekins - bags more character and intelligence than the bigguns - and then there's the cute factor, plus less intimidating for small children etc etc...

 

sorry to waffle,

 

jen

[Janty]

We rescued a little pekin cockerel from a local superstore and he was so loud that he woke everybody next door up at 4 in the morning from inside our house in a cat basket that was covered with blankets.

 

Good job the neighbours like us and love the chickens.