are japanese bantams flighty?

[eggboy]

I have heard a lot of contradictory statements on the matter.

 

[sutillman]

Mine are for sure. I can only catch mine with a net, and you better have some help if one gets out! They can fly for long distances!

 

[chickengrl]

I am NOT a Japanese bantam expert, but we have 2 a buff hen and rooster. We won them at the Virginia poultry breeders show last Fall. They have turned out to be amazing birds. They have had to live in our un-finished basement until DH gets a separate run built for them. We have had lots of time to spend with them. They both seem to enjoy being held. The rooster will sit on husbands shoulder and we sometimes set them on a towel on our laps in the evening watching TV. They seem content to hang out with us. The hen, Honey, taught my husband that if he holds the bag of mealworms in his hand she will fly up and perch on his arm. She is so cute! The only hazard has been that when I am down there cleaning the chicks brooder, I have had her land on my head once.

But, usually she waits for your arm to come out. These birds were very tame when we got them. I suspect the breeder spent some time with them. So, in my limited experience, they are not flighty.

We have 7 of their 1 week old babies hatched out. We will see how they end up. They are super cute!!

 

[guinealady]

I have some black mottled japanese roo's n hens and 2 buff black tailed hens (lost the roo ) to a hawk this winter...mine are a bit flighty also and I did raise them from chicks...I will keep them around though as they are so cute ..and pretty easy keepers ,my roo's got frost bite on combs this winter ..some worse than others.

 

[eggboy]

Okay thanks I have two Japanese bantam x Sultan bantam mixs that are very flighty and I was wondering if they were flighty because of them being part japanese banty or sultan.

 

[naturetalksbackcyren]

My Japanese bantam rooster isn't flighty, but he does not appreciate being carried. Any longer than a couple of minutes and he will begin to protest vocally before flapping and kicking to get free. Otherwise he is okay to be pet and hang out close to humans. The only exception to this rule is right before bedtime when he will fly up onto my lap and snuggle under my arm for an hour or so before going back into his coop.