Can a bantam cockerel mate with a full-sized hen? If so, would the eggs be viable? This was a question one of our readers asked of Michelle Dunn, one of our experts.
Can a bantam cockerel mate with a full-sized hen? If so, would the eggs be viable? This was a question one of our readers asked of Michelle Dunn, one of our experts.ANSWER: A bantam cockerel can definitely mate with full size birds, and there is every chance the eggs will be viable. As a general rule, a bigger size difference between a cockerel and hens will result in fewer viable eggs, so if your birds are, say, Orpingtons, and the cockerel is a Sebright, you may not get many chicks. Your best chance is if the bantam cockerel is a similar breed to your full sized hens. Keep an eye on the mating – sometimes bantams can damage big hens in their efforts to mate with them. The resultant offspring will be a mix of large and small, but most will probably be medium and will lay relatively small eggs. Not a good bet if you want to sell them, but perfectly fine if you are keeping them yourself. PICTURED: These chicks are all bred from a bantam cockerel with full size hens.
