darthwenger Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 We already have two Hybrids in a classic Eglu and my wife came home one day with two Silver Spangled Hamburg bantams. The bantams haven't started laying yet and I've had them a small cage right next door to the Eglu for getting on 3 weeks but whenever I try to let them all free-range together - my head chicken goes for them and has pulled out loads of feathers before I can stop her. The bantams seem to flee everytime they see her and have hurt themselves banging themselves on the patio doors and fences whilst trying to escape from our hybrid. I do understand they have to sort out a pecking order but she would literally kill them if I wasn't there to make her drop them. The cold weather is setting in and I don't think its right that they should be outside in a cage if the cold weather is coming (I have bought them a box to sleep in but they sleep on top of it and not in it). My wife wants to continue with trying to intergrate them but I've got to point where I've told her she needs to decide between keeping the bantams or the hybrids - one lot has to go. Am I being hasty and should I give it a little more time or do you think the hybrids just won't accept the bantams. I am getting very frustrated and as winter is on the way and I haven't room enough for two Eglu's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vickichicky Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 My 2 Bovans Goldlines hybrids are nightmares! It's been 2 months and they still chase my 'Teenagers' about the run It's not so bad now - as the 'teenagers' (Barnvelders & Speckled Sussex) have grown bigger than the hybrids - but my Lemon Pyle Brahma Bantam is quite small and gets chased quite a bit as a result. I didn't clip her wings purposely so she could fly up out of their way. But my 2 new tiny Wyandotte bantams wouldn't stand a chance so I won't be risking that! Lucklily I have 2 runs within my WIR so I let them out at different times. Hybrids are the worst for bullying I'm afraid. I couldn't say if you will ever be able to integrate them completely and if you do it will probably take some time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Are they Hamburgh bantams or large fowl? the Hamburgh bantams are really quite small and I'd say you will have a struggle to get them integrated If they are the large fowl (many strains of which arent very big so seem like bantams) then you'll stand a better chance What is the set up of your Eglu? if its just got the standard run then it wont be big enough for 4, if its extended then officially it may be ok but there will be very few places for the little ones to escape to and I think you will struggle If you have a bigger run/walk in run type set up then you could put perches up high so the Hamburghs can take refuge but you'll fins that the hybrids will guard the food - galley cups of food and water put up high by perches could work though Its good that they free range but they cant really do this all the time so there will be at least some time when they are all in the run together so its important that this is big enough One option would be to confine the main agitator to the run and see if you can integrate the other three, when no 4 rejoins them she'll have taken a slide down the pecking order which may even things out a bit Hamburghs are very agile and will hop a 6ft fence or jump in to a tree with ease so if the fights continue to happen there is a danger they'll escape I'd by lying if I said that Hamburghs are a good choice for pets for the average back garden but on the plus side they are beautiful characterful birds that once laying will lay you lots of nice white eggs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthwenger Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share Posted October 17, 2011 Yes, they are the small Hamburg bantams. Probably less than half the size of the two Hybrids. I did think the classic Eglu might be too small for them. I have considered buying a Cube for the 4 of them if it would help them mix but I've just got a feeling that they'll never mix so either the bantams or the hybrids will have to go sadly if things cannot get resolved. I don't want a case of the poor little things being chased everywhere either outside or in the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 I think you will struggle to integrate them tbh. I have 2 silver Sebrights, which I would guess are a similar size to your Hamburghs, in with my big girls and they are fine - but they are very feisty characters and can stand up for themselves very well. In fact the big girls completely ignore them, and my Orpington is terrified of them! I should add that the only reason they are not in with my bantams is that they are too aggressive for my gentle banties! I don't know anything about the Hamburghs as far as character goes, but from what you say it doesn't sound as if they are really suitable to integrate with your hybrids. Sorry to be so negative, but realistically your best bet would be to keep them separate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Another negative reply from me too, I'm afraid We had ex batts who were immensely friendly & got on well with everyone/everything but they never shared the same housing as my pekins or sablepoots. They all free ranged happily all day but there was never any chance that they would share housing. The ex batts are no longer with us but our araucana didn't like the banties either ( actually she doesn't like many others) and again I didn't push for sleep overs. It is only now that they all decided themselves to live together (the sablepoot & pekin are 2 and a half years old) and they all pile into one eglu in the WIR. So I suppose you could say that it took two years to integrate the banties with the big girls. This is very unhappy situation for you and I whilst I wouldn't want to say it will never work it does sound as if it isn't going to resolve itself quickly. In fact it may well be the case that your hybrids, like my araucana, just never really want to accept smaller, younger hens on their patch. I am sorry to be so negative but you are right, it is getting cold & the Hamburgs do need more adequate accommodation. Alli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthwenger Posted October 18, 2011 Author Share Posted October 18, 2011 Thanks for all the advice (even the negative one's lol) though my wife seems determined that they'll get on given time so she has taken it on herself to try everyday to get them to mix. I've had my say on the matter and I'll have to let her realise if or when they will mix. I've even offered to pay for a upgrade from their Eglu to a Cube if it helps to have more space. I'd be more than happy to have two seperate groups but we just haven't the room in our garden for 2 Eglu's. I may seperate Hanna the head chicken as our other Hybrid Corky gets on ok with the bantams and doesn't seem to chase them. Hanna the head chicken is the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted October 18, 2011 Share Posted October 18, 2011 Hi I have big girls and littlies mixed together but it was a very slow process to get them fully intetgrated I believe that it is all down to the individual personalaties of your individual hens to an extent and took me months before harmony reined. I am in Herts too if there is anything I can do to help let me know via pm I have a spare eglu currently if you need it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Webmuppet Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Another negative from me .............tried to get my bantams to live with some new hybrids but the bullying and feather pulling was too much........now have two hybrids in the Cube and two bantams in the Eglu. I can't even let them all out at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazzy73 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I have been trying to introduce my big girls to a bantam and a frizzle (tiny 19 weeks old) and a bitza ,they are in their house and run within the netted off area the big girls fr in but after 4 weeks they still peck at each other and make that deep moaning noise,have tried letting them out together but the big girls keep pecking them on the head so still no fr together yet.But hopefully they will get there as I am getting a wir after xmas so want them all in there together (fingers crossed). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplemaniacs Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I intend to get some bantams next year but having done some research I am going to keep them seperate from the big girls. I know some people have managed to merge them together but I am making plans for two seperate areas. Chrissie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darthwenger Posted October 25, 2011 Author Share Posted October 25, 2011 My wife has been out with the chickens all day today and they have definately been getting on a little better (we have sprayed the bantams with anti-peck spray) A weird thing happened this afternoon - as mentioned, my wife has been out with them all day in the garden and hasn't left their sides. Hanna our head hybrid chicken was walking about normally and then sat down for a while. My wife witnessed her get up and she couldn't put any weight on her right leg and started flapping. Hanna had no fall or trauma and the other chickens were nowhere near her. My wife took her to the vet immediately and they have confirmed she has a clean break at the top of the right leg and they are going to do an op tomorrow to pin it. Very strange thing to happen and my wife swears nothing has happened all day apart from a little chasing of the bantams and only the odd peck. Has anyone heard of any chickens breaking their legs with hardly any reason? My wife is a little upset. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
