Bantam vs. Standard

[Gary Rose]

I'm thinking about keeping a few chickens in my city backyard. I'm trying to decide whether I should get bantams or standards. From what I gather, bantams require less space but might fly off vs. standards taking more space but don't tend to fly as much or as high. Can anybody help tip me one way or the other or tell me other advantages or disadvantages of each?

Thanks

Gary Rose

 

[sara]

If you have a small space bantams are a good choice. They lay decent sized eggs compared to their small size. I don't find my bantams to be any more flighty than my standards.

 

[AtRendeAcres]

Love my Bantams

They do require less space & they eat less!!!
I can't say my Cochins or Bantams fly much (maybe over a puddle) & silkies don't fly but, depending on how or were youare setting up you might want to cover the run mine is covered with bird netting (what you throw over blue berry plants)

if you are looking for a certain amount of eggs my brahmas lay more & bigger!

being you are in the city you might only be aloud a certain amount & probly no Roos! bantams don't come sexed!

 

[orcasislandchickens]

There are laying type bantams, that are miniature versions of the big ones. The personalities are similar, and my chubby little orpington bantams don't realy fly at all. You can just walk over and pick them up. Also bantams don't come sexed, so you have to buy and raise extas( like get 8 to keep 4), and get rid of the roosters one way or another (hens are always easy to get rid of). That makes it a little harder to establish a nice backyard flock. With full size you can buy just pullets.

You CAN take the extras to auction though. Plan on it. It is very hard to get rid of roosters. Also beware of people pushing THEIR roosters off on you as hens.

If you just need a few, and realy don't want to deal with roosters you can buy started pullets or young hens (especially in the fall) from breeders that show. I just did that for 2 clean faced bantam auracanas. I paid quite a bit but they are very nice birds, with good bloodlines, just not quite up to par for the ring. I have seen some very nice bantam rhode island reds, barred rocks, wyandottes, and new hampshires for sale lately but they do not go cheap.

 

[AtRendeAcres]

I post roos I don't want on freecycle (never had a problem)

http://www.kippengrabbelton.be/engels/
go to 3rd section - Chicken box junior


click on breedinfo
left hand side click on breed

when middle box has that breed scroll down & see info on bantam info (they tell you the size of egg)