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Barnyard Buddies:  Japanese Bantams with "regular" chickens?  |
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl
2027 Posts
Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 14 2011 : 05:25:57 AM
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Hi all, I know this question might be similar to one that was just posted but I didn't want to railroad the other thread to be all about my situation.
We have seven Japanese bantams sleeping in a chicken tractor right now, and 18 adult and teenager mixes of barred rocks, buffs, reds, etc sleeping in a coop. The Japanese bantams were kind of a a fluke and we didn't know that's what we were getting, but now they're "grown" and its obvious that's what they are. (They are literally about 1/4 of the size - if not smaller - than the other chickens we have.)
I had originally intended on integrating them. They are in the yard together all day free ranging, but our yard is huge and its almost like the roo of the bantams has his section of yard and the roo of the others has another section. I'm not sure about putting them together for sleeping. We've integrated flocks before with no problem but it just seems like these two might not work.
We are hopefully moving in the next couple months and I was wondering if its just better to leave them separate (they seem to be fine) with the upcoming stress of moving, or would it better to put them together for convenience?
--* FarmMilkMama *--
Farmgirl Sister #1086
Be yourself.
Everyone else is already taken.
-Oscar Wilde
www.farmfoodmama.blogspot.com
www.thehmmmschoolingmom.blogspot.com |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2011 : 09:55:38 AM
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stress verus your convenience, I think you answered your own question, wait till after you have moved and after the chickens have settled/calmed down and gotten used to their new suroundings before any new stressful situations are added, and even then it may not work...good luck
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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hsmommel
True Blue Farmgirl
61 Posts
Melissa
61 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2011 : 06:31:55 AM
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Hi Amy ~ I have to agree with Tina. I am discovering that letting mine have "supervised playtime" together in the garden seems to be helping. We chose the garden for a couple of reasons: 1) we don't have an outdoor run done yet, 2) it was an area none of them had played in before, and 3) because of #2, no one had "established" dominance in that area. Maybe the same type of thing will work for yours. Now, I can't say I've been successful yet. The young Buff is still in her/his brooder, but they are starting to get along...a bit.
I'll be interested to see/read how this works out for you! :)
"What you do speaks so loudly I can't hear what you are saying." -- Benjamin Franklin |
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farmmilkmama
True Blue Farmgirl
2027 Posts
Amy
Central MN
USA
2027 Posts |
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batznthebelfry
True Blue Farmgirl
1257 Posts
Michele
Athol
Ma
USA
1257 Posts |
Posted - Oct 18 2011 : 11:54:47 AM
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Very good advice hens!...Yes you can eventually mix them...I have serama's along with my big kids & once they all figured out their spot they did fine...but I had made no other changes so they weren't stressed...the idea of having areas like you do is good cause they can see & hear each other so they are getting used to each other.....Michele'
Chickens rule!
The Old Batz Farm
Hen #2622 |
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Barnyard Buddies: Japanese Bantams with "regular" chickens? |
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Japanese Bantams with "regular" chickens?
