Bantam vs. Standard...

[mandylovespets]

I'm sooo new to all of this! I'm a first time chicken owner!

I think I am going to get a Buff Orpington chick (or 2!) in a couple of days, but I have a question... What is the difference between a Standard chicken and a Bantam chicken? And can you get any breed of chicken as a Bantam?... Is there a difference in egg production in the Bantam vs. the Standard?... Also, this one is kind of off subject, but what does it mean when a chicken starts molting???...

 

[MS9325]

Bantams are Miniture chickens and the standards are full size for example a standard Rhode Island Red is about 6 pounds the bantams in almost 34 ounces, not all breeds come in standard and bantams.

Molting is when they shed there old feathers for new ones, and bantam eggs are allot smaller than standard eggs, it takes 2 to 3 bantam eggs to equal one regular sized egg.

 

[mandylovespets]

Oh I see... So I assume that bantams are more flyghty considering the fact that they are smaller?

 

[LilPeeps]

A lot of bantams are actually quite calm.

 

[MS9325]

no like the standards not all breeds are flighty.

 

[seedcorn]

having and loving bantams, don't expect them to lay with standards that may have been bred for dual purpose or for laying. They won't keep up. Their eggs are smaller. Most bantams are just as hardy and aren't flighty at all. They are just smaller.

If you want chickens for eggs, go standard. If you want them for looks and eggs are a bonus, go bantam as they eat much less and take up less room.

 

[RebelsHope]

I just wanted to add that you should get two or three chickens. They are social creatures and like to lives in flocks. Plus it is really fun to watch them interact with each other.