[CMFAM]

Hi, i know this may sound a stupid question - this year we have hatched 9 lavendar pekins and have bought a frizzle cock and a frizzle hen, who is going broody,(and is separate), also bought a pair of chamois polands chicks this year.  When my pekins etc are bigger can i put them with my 12 everday layers and a cockerel (sorry do not know what breed they are just brown and white) :oops: .  The layers have a very large enclosure in our field surrounded by a 50m electric fencing so there is more than enought space for them.

We have bought 3 extra pens with large runs for them for now as they are still small and for when i want to breed from them next year, but i do not think they will be large enougth for them to be in permanently as they grow.  ideally they will free range in our garden/field, as with our geese, ducks etc but i am a little worried as they are bantams and i do not want to loose any of them.

sorry for ranting on, basically will they be ok with the other layers, or do you think they will be fine going freerange in garden

thank you

clare    

[CMFAM]

will post pics. as well today

[agapanthus]

They should be fine as long as you introduce them slowly to the other hens. This can be done by letting the larger hens see the banties regularly for a period of about 2 weeks....preferably with netting between them. Hope this makes sense.

[Foxy]

Hi CMFAM, sounds similar to our set up -the layers and faverolles hens not breeding this year are in a large 50m electrified enclosure. I have added 7 young cochins at around 8 weeks old into this large run, for a week just had them in a separate covered run with a coop within the large run then just opened up the run, no probs apart from a little pecking. They still roost in the coop which I have left in there for now.
I have also added in the past using the same technique bantam australorps without any problems. The only thing I am careful of is to ensure that they are big enough not to get stuck in the netting so I watch them when the fence is on initially. They do learn very quickly dont they!
I have also just opened the duck enclosure to the breeding faverolles with out any problems too.

[CMFAM]

thank you for that foxy, we have put young laying chickens in the enclosure this year and they still manage to wriggle out of the netting if the grass is growing a bit long around the bottom :shock: , mine dont seem to learn and we have to move netting onto shorter grass to make it fencing more "live", yesturday i was forever putting the younger ones back, in the end i left them to it and put them away at bed time   - a job for me this afternoon  

i think that your netting is going to come in handy if i have any problems    

pics. not that good quality

laying chickens with guinea fowl- other chickens to camera shy  

ns with guniea fowl -


frizzle cock and pekin hen


mixture of our pekins chicks and guniea fowl chick-




oh and i might as well put a pic of of peacocks    so they are not left out - will do pics. of ducks again   -



clare    

[Foxy]

love the piccies!! what gorgeous birds, and that peacock is stunning, really jealous now...  

[Vember]

Fantastic photo's & lovely birds

Thought I was on my own keeping Guinea Fowl  

[CMFAM]

I love our guinea fowl, we call them our "old ladies"   as they walk in a row like them   , saying that even thou we have about a dozen chicks this year and hatched a lavendar coloured one (must of been a throwback), we lost 2 of them to a fox or badger as they tend to lay there eggs in the bracken, we managed to incubate the eggs and are only left with one adult guniea fowl, the same thing happened last year with our guinea fowl when they were laying :cry: .  Next year we will have to re-think how we are going to keep them safe as "touch-wood" our other birds are fine :!:

clare

[Vember]

Ahh aren't the babies cute though

I have 3 one male & 2 ladies, I have managed to get mine to lay in a nest box attached to the side of their shed
I have to leave 2/3 eggs in there though otherwise they'll go laying everywhere like you said

I have keets due to hatch next week although will only be keeping one lady (if there is one !)  And I've also got a couple on the go for my neighbours  If you ever want any hatching eggs un related give me a shout:)

Sarah

[CMFAM]

thanks for that vember, i will ask hubby when he gets in as we have a chicken sitting on about 10 guinea fowl eggs as well as the young keats. (I cannot offer you an eggs this year as we have none spare as they are being incubated). On the day the fox/badger got her we were going to move her nest in the evening, but whe was killed in the day :cry: , like you said next year we will put her eggs in a nest box to keep her safer.  forever a long learning curve   - how do you sex your your keats?

clare

[Vember]

I just waited till they started making their noise, it's so difficult to do other wise. They were about 6 weeks old when the female started making her noise the boys alot later  

I think I've got my fill of babies for this year    With Runner ducks, Call ducks, Buff Orps, Guineas & Barnevelders either sitting or hatched got my hands full  

Wouldn't change a thing though  

[Jellyhead]

LUVERLY birds, all of em