Solitary chicken - need advice

[sim]

Hi everyone. It's been many years since I last posted. I 'm struggling to find the exact answer I'm after by mooching through the forum. If my questions have been asked before, I'd appreciate a link.

 

I've lost two of my three girls in the past week. Fennel, my big Bluebelle girl, had egg peritonitis. Bramble, my Omlet Miss Pepperpot , died this morning. She was healthy, just slowing down. So now I'm left with a lone Ginger .

 

I had been planning on rescuing some new girls from BHWT, but the next rescue's provisional date isn't until 16th May. I don't want to leave Ginge alone. There is a breeder of Bluebells and Ginger Things nearby, so I can get POL hybrid pullets easily. But, to keep options open, I had also been considering bantams.

 

I never considered putting bantams in when I had two full-size hybrids, but can I introduce a few banties to one hybrid? I'd be getting maybe three-ish (we have an Eglu Go and a very large WIR for semi-free ranging). I've found on the forums that introducing small to big is generally a bad idea/hard work. But I can't find anything about doing the same with one full-size. Has anyone done this successfully?

 

Whatever we get, I'm kind of itching for it to be very soon. They must also be good layers - we haven't had eggs in so long!

 

Thank you for reading.

 

Sim.

 

ETA

http://club.omlet.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=98442

I did find that, but I'd appreciate more input.

[Alis girls]

Good luck whatever you decide - cant give advice as dithering myself over what to get as I have a 5 yr old loan girl too whose mate died last week. She is producing an egg daily which is amazing. Keep us posted.

[Chickabee]

I have 2 hybrid bantams in with a ex commercial hen. They get along just fine. I also keep a silkie and a light Sussex bantam in with some big girls. I would just say avoid frizzles or crested polands as these seem to got picked on.

 

Good luck. Let us know how you get on