Someone talk me out of bantams

[Honeysuckle x]

I don't have an abundance of experience with bantams, but just picked up some baby D'Anvers last week, and I have to say they are so charming (have some Big One staring into your soul, name tbd lol).

Of course temperament can vary a lot depending on the breed, but my parents have had an OEGB hen for the past six years. She appeared at their house while we were travelling together and simply never left. In terms of surviving predation, she is a champ. Over the years since she has lived there, over 10 of their other birds (the whole flock of large sized Easter Eggers & barnyard mixes) were eventually decimated by predators. She is very smart and due to her sharp eye and speed, she has been able to evade attacks like none other. I've seen her escape a diving hawk firsthand. Now it's just her and the rooster they got her for company free ranging 24/7, and they've been doing well.

Not all birds are so able to survive in those conditions, and due to their size bantams definitely do make an easier target for predators, but I'm just sharing to say that they can also be remarkably hardy. The birds I have now are purely pets, so I will not be taking any chances.

(The lady herself)

 

[scyllarus]

I don't have an abundance of experience with bantams, but just picked up some baby D'Anvers last week, and I have to say they are so charming (have some Big One staring into your soul, name tbd lol).

Of course temperament can vary a lot depending on the breed, but my parents have had an OEGB hen for the past six years. She appeared at their house while we were travelling together and simply never left. In terms of surviving predation, she is a champ. Over the years since she has lived there, over 10 of their other birds (the whole flock of large sized Easter Eggers & barnyard mixes) were eventually decimated by predators. She is very smart and due to her sharp eye and speed, she has been able to evade attacks like none other. I've seen her escape a diving hawk firsthand. Now it's just her and the rooster they got her for company free ranging 24/7, and they've been doing well.

Not all birds are so able to survive in those conditions, and due to their size bantams definitely do make an easier target for predators, but I'm just sharing to say that they can also be remarkably hardy. The birds I have now are purely pets, so I will not be taking any chances.

(The lady herself)
View attachment 3848530

What a gorgeous girl! Is she a...quail-colored hen? I feel like I've seen this color on D'anvers, haha!

I've been rather nervous about letting chickens this small free-range, to be honest. The Husband and I are probably going to put netting over the yard, so that will hopefully take care of the most likely predators, but still - they're just so little! Is your parents' hen friendly towards humans? I think I'm assuming that predator awareness = flightiness, but perhaps that's not the case?

 

[NagemTX]

What a gorgeous girl! Is she a...quail-colored hen? I feel like I've seen this color on D'anvers, haha!

I've been rather nervous about letting chickens this small free-range, to be honest. The Husband and I are probably going to put netting over the yard, so that will hopefully take care of the most likely predators, but still - they're just so little! Is your parents' hen friendly towards humans? I think I'm assuming that predator awareness = flightiness, but perhaps that's not the case?

Bantams that free range generally get taken by hawks and at night owls. The few Bantams I've had taken by coon where roosters.

Predator awareness does equal flightiness.

 

[scyllarus]

Bantams that free range generally get taken by hawks and at night owls. The few Bantams I've had taken by coon where roosters.

Predator awareness does equal flightiness.

Well, I suppose that's both good and bad news. Good news that we probably won't need more than aviary netting (we're moving to a fairly suburban area and the birds will have a predator-proofed coop), bad news that I still have to be anxious about them since I want cuddly little velociraptor chickens. We're already starting to see little velociraptor quail from our haphazard breeding/hatching - they love to approach and attack human hands for treats even as juveniles.

It's a real pity, because certain breeds are sooooo beautiful, like sebrights - but I know I'll just be less interested in them and then they'll just get average care instead of "crazy bird lady" care.

 

[NagemTX]

Well, I suppose that's both good and bad news. Good news that we probably won't need more than aviary netting (we're moving to a fairly suburban area and the birds will have a predator-proofed coop), bad news that I still have to be anxious about them since I want cuddly little velociraptor chickens. We're already starting to see little velociraptor quail from our haphazard breeding/hatching - they love to approach and attack human hands for treats even as juveniles.

It's a real pity, because certain breeds are sooooo beautiful, like sebrights - but I know I'll just be less interested in them and then they'll just get average care instead of "crazy bird lady" care.

I have two silver Sebrites that like my lap if I sit with them. I just can't pick them up they have to do it or they evade me just out of reach.... like finger tips can touch but no grabbing. Lol.

 

[Honeysuckle x]

What a gorgeous girl! Is she a...quail-colored hen? I feel like I've seen this color on D'anvers, haha!

I've been rather nervous about letting chickens this small free-range, to be honest. The Husband and I are probably going to put netting over the yard, so that will hopefully take care of the most likely predators, but still - they're just so little! Is your parents' hen friendly towards humans? I think I'm assuming that predator awareness = flightiness, but perhaps that's not the case?

I'm not actually sure what colour she is. The hen is my parents' bird, the baby is the D'Anvers. Sorry for the confusion

I can definitely understand where you're coming from. No matter what we do there will always be an element of risk with caring for animals so low on the food chain, so we can only really do our best to minimize the danger as much as is reasonable while maintaining a good quality of life for them.

Not sure how it is where you are, but I have netting covering my run here, and I feel very confident in the safety during the daytime when they're not locked in their coop fortress. If your primary daytime predators are birds of prey, as they are for me, it sounds like netting would really give you some peace of mind.

My parents' hen isn't exactly friendly towards them, but I lived there when she first arrived and managed to have her eating out of my hand, she just didn't want to be picked up. Honestly think that's pretty good considering she was an adult with no prior socialization that we know of.

 

[my spoiled chickens]

Well, I suppose that's both good and bad news. Good news that we probably won't need more than aviary netting (we're moving to a fairly suburban area and the birds will have a predator-proofed coop), bad news that I still have to be anxious about them since I want cuddly little velociraptor chickens. We're already starting to see little velociraptor quail from our haphazard breeding/hatching - they love to approach and attack human hands for treats even as juveniles.

It's a real pity, because certain breeds are sooooo beautiful, like sebrights - but I know I'll just be less interested in them and then they'll just get average care instead of "crazy bird lady" care.

I use dog kennel(one side has a door) with sheet metal on top and mats underneath the dog kennel and that takes care of pretty much everything,you could also get/make a chicken tractor.kinda off topic but I personally do not clip my bantams wings because I teach them tricks like with my hen chestnut I say a certain sentence and she flies up to greet me,but I also have the space and resources for a fly proof pen

 

[NagemTX]

All my bantam chicks hatched for Easter where moved out to the adult bantam pen yesterday night. This evening I became a comfort roost for them for about 45 minutes to an hour. All the snuggling in my hair and trilling was so cute. Was hard to put them on the roost, but it was hot and my headache was ramping up again. I love them at this stage! Especially when they find out I'm good to cuddle and don't peck them to make them go away.