# Jersey Giants and Bantams



## kaitbray (May 26, 2015)

Right now I have 6 Bantams that are about 7 weeks old and the coop is 3 days from being finished , it's large enough for 21 medium sized chickens. Right now I'm leaning towards buying 8 to 10 Jersey Giants and then having just my 6 bantams. 

Will these breeds be suitable to live in the same coop together? I'll be buying the Giants as chicks and raising them in a brooder and then adding them to the coop. Also I only have one bantam rooster, and would like to have one jersey rooster. Does that seem reasonable?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

There is no yes or no answer to your question. I've raised large fowl with bantams without issues. So have many others.

The rooster thing is an even bigger maybe. I've had roosters with their females out free ranging without incident but that was probably more about the breed than the sex. Age plays a large part on how well they can get along. Older birds tend to not be as apt to fight over supremacy, young boys any excuse will do.

If you really want to do the two sizes and want to keep harmony going with multiple males, I would house the two separately or have a setup that will allow for separating should trouble start.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

And what happens when that Jersey Giant wants to breed a bantam female?


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## kaitbray (May 26, 2015)

Im hoping he will at least take her out on a few dates first. Gets to know her interests and makes a real connection.....

Jk 

That actually didn't come to mind , I guess I assumed they wouldn't even try , kind of like a lion wouldn't hump a cat or a cheetah if given the opportunity but I haven't looked into chicken breeding at all and know nothing of their late night habits


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Chickens are very much like other animals, the urge to spread their genetics as far and wide as possible. 

I did raise my Silkies in color groupings. We had a discussion about why some of my white males had a gray color so an experiment was launched. Problem was, he wouldn't breed her. She was black, he was white. It took months before he gave in.

From that came another experiment to see if it was just the bird. I let everyone co-mingle, about 25 birds at the time, and they separated in to color groups.


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## Barredrockmom (Jun 27, 2014)

I have only one Jersey hen and she is the sweetest thing and so gentle. The man who sold me this bird said Jerseys are quite nice birds. I have found this to be true with this one bird. So I have no dog in this race as far as experience. And another thing. They eat! Get ready for a hefty feed bill. This girl can put away about 3 cups of food a day and she is still growing after only a year old. She also gets along with the other hens who are much smaller. If she asserts herself, she runs up and gives her rival a chest bump and that is it. As fast as it happens...it is over.

I was told it takes them awhile to reach maturity and their eggs are small. Go figure.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I love my Jerseys. It was the first breed I wanted when I started with chickens. One of mine laid double yolks all the time. Her eggs were 3 inches long. My oldest is 8 and still lays an egg once in a while. They are sweet.


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