Bantam or Large Fowl?

[Lillahimed]

Hi all, I love both bantams and large fowl for many different reasons & have had a hard time choosing between the two. Please list which you chose and why. Thanks for the input

 

[Wyandottes7]

I have both bantams and large fowl. I chose my large fowl chickens because they were going to be for eggs. Bantam chickens don't lay as many, or as large eggs. I chose my bantams because they are cute and very pretty. Bantams are smaller, so they are easier to handle. A large fowl rooster can be dangerous, but a tiny, 20 oz bantam rooster won't do much harm.

 

[Lillahimed]

You make a good point. Are there any bantam breeds that lay frequently? I don't mind small eggs as I think they are super cute

 

[Wyandottes7]

You make a good point. Are there any bantam breeds that lay frequently? I don't mind small eggs as I think they are super cute

Well, Leghorn bantams and the smaller versions of large fowl that lay well will lay more eggs than the ones developed purely for exhibition. Some bantams that will lay pretty well would include Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, Wyandottes, and Plymouth Rocks.

 

[Lillahimed]

How well do Ameraucana's and Maran's lay in bantam form?

 

[SilkiesForEver]

From my experience, my banties lay just as well as my large fowl. Only their eggs are smaller. Another nice thing about bantams, is that you can house almost twice as many of them in one coop as you could with large fowl. That helps with chicken math!