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

[Salop Chuck]

Hi everyone

I've had my 2 omlet hybrids for 16 months (started out with 3 but one died 2 months ago) and I am aware that 2 is a precarious number in case another one dies. I don't have much garden space so am thinking of introducing 3 bantams. Will the bantams get bullied too much by the resident hybrids. I hear mixed messages about hybrids and bantams together, some not very positive.

 

Has anyone out there had experience of introducing bantams into a flock of medium to large hens? I would appreciate any advice, whether your experience had been a good or bad one.

 

Kind regards

Salop Chuck

[CluckyBucks]

Hello there

 

I introduced two silkies to my sussex bantam, and my bantam became the boss.

You can expect the pecking order to establish (they will look like they are fighting, but they are just trying to claim dominance) and should settle down within a week or two.

 

Sorry about your other hen

 

Hope this is helpful to you

 

xx xx

[Salop Chuck]

Hi Chuckybucks

Thanks for your quick response - your comments were very helpful. I will wait until next Spring before adding bantams to the flock.

 

Kind regards

SalopChuck

[CluckyBucks]

No problem

 

And when you do introductions, put extra food and water down so all chooks get a fair chance of getting something to eat and drink.

 

Bestest of luck with it all

 

xx xx

[Janty]

My bantams and hybrids get in but the introductions have to be taken very slowly.

 

Good luck.

 

[Jools]

^^^^^ what Janty said, particularly as you're introducing the bantams to your established flock. It's a lot simpler the other way round as the home team usually has the advantage lol.

[Salop Chuck]

^^^^^ what Janty said, particularly as you're introducing the bantams to your established flock. It's a lot simpler the other way round as the home team usually has the advantage lol.

 

Thanks Jools for your input. I might go for Australorp bantams because they are not too tiny and look as though they could look out for themselves.

[Janty]

I have an Australorp and it's the friendliest chicken ever...even friendlier than Mrs. Beeton!

 

Pity I have a 'cockerel' feeling about it. I may need to rehome mine.

 

 

I can recommend the breed though...every time I open the cube door, my Australorp leaps onto my knee for strokes.

[Salop Chuck]

Hi Janty

I am glad Austrlorps are a friendly breed. Is yours normal sized or bantam? By the way how is Nutmeg these days?

[Janty]

Nutmeg is her usual gorgeous friendly self, I'm happy to report. Now that she's in the WIR she doesn't get a chance to lay her morning egg in the cat basket in the conservatory so we set up a number of cat baskets underneath the cube runs in the WIR. She has taught the others to lay in there and we regularly get four or five eggs a day in the cat baskets now.

 

My Australorp is LF. We have her (hopefully) in with the baby bantams and they all get on well. The size difference is funny though.