Omlet cube and run

[tracyann]

Hi all,

 

Just wondering, is it ok to run bantams with large fowl?

 

Am purchasing a bigger hen house and am hoping to hatch some chicks next year but am thinking about putting some banties in an eglu.

[lindafw]

I run two huge buff orpingtons with 2 medium size dorkings, 1 light sussex, 3 young aracana and two tiny polish bantums...so my experience says yes its ok

[tracyann]

Oh thats good news.

 

Brilliant, bring on the banties then...

[lindafw]

get some other opinions too I might just be lucky!

[Tweety]

Yes, it certainly can be done, but you may have to take the introduction process very slowly and carefully. I keep 2 silver Sebrights with my big girls rather than with my bantams, I found that they were too aggressive with my gentle Pekin and Wyandotte bantams, and they are fine. They are feisty characters though.

[sparkysmum]

Tracyann, I think it depends on the nature of all the birds, not just the l/f. I have a mixed bag who all f/r together but don't / never have/ are very unlikely to sleep in the same house. My auracana is a bit evil & picks on the sablepoots but the pekin (currently with her chicks) stands up to her. The dumpies are friends with everyone as is the faverolle. I think if it wasn't for the auracana I would take a chance & merge them all. Does this help Oh I should have said, they do free range together & have a good sixe area but if the lavender gets up to her tricks we can separate her out & put her into another good sized run. So thinking about it logically, I suppose space is the answer

[Benaberry]

As above, we had a right mixed bag in the original flock, that got on really well together.

 

However, our large girls were all very, very tame, friendly and mostly docile (Orpingtons, a Bluebelle and a Cream Legbar), and the two Pekins I had were more than capable of standing up for themselves. I was more worried about the two Silkies I had in there when I first integrated them, but they were soon well and truly mixed up in the rough and tumble of the main flock

 

I think it really does depend on the breeds and characters, of both the big and the little ones, plus they did have plenty of space, and I put in quite a few higher-up branches for the littlies to escape to if they needed it.

 

I think the key is planning carefully, choosing carefully and integrating carefully