Bantams, how many do you have and why?

mochicken

Songster
8 Years
Apr 27, 2011
1,118
11
151
NW Missouri
I got a great deal at a "swap meet" yesterday on 22 mixed bantams, I didnt have a need for them but they were inexpensive and my wife, son, and I fell in love with the lil cuties and figured they would make a great addition to our growing flock. My intention is to raise them up a lil bit older and decide which we want to keep and then pass some off to other local chicken enthusiasts.

How many of you keep more than a couple bantams and why? I know you "can" eat the eggs albeit they are smaller but do most people keep them just because they are pretty and smaller than standard breeds?

Here are a couple pics for those of you that didnt see them in the "raising chicks" section, dont worry they are not kept in this little cage lol, that is what we brought them home in.

I think they are mostly mix of blacks and easter eggers but not sure, there is a cute buff colored one with feathered legs
big_smile.png





img2783d.jpg

img2784t.jpg

img2785e.jpg

img2786s.jpg

img2787o.jpg
 
I absolutely love Bantams! I keep a few Silkie mixes, EE mixes, Brahma and d'Anvers which are super friendly and talk all the time. The d'Anvers do not sound like chickens however, they sound more like chirps and whistles
smile.png
They are absolutely amazing and their eggs are so tiny.

I find the Silkie mixes and the d'Anvers are the absolute friendliest. I also have LF which are great for the jumbo eggs. They are in two seperate coops but they share the same pasture which I have just fenced in.

You have some real pretty birds there and I am sure you will be happy with them.
smile.png
 
I have a couple of Partridge Cochin Bantams and they are small but they have a lot of personality. My rooster is small but he takes his job very seriously watching out for all his ladies. My hens, now there's a different story, they all go broody often. They make excellent mothers and are fierce when laying on the eggs and once those chicks hatch, watch out! They will attack anyone who gets too close to the chicks. To break them of their broodiness, I often have to isolate the hen and not give her a nest for a week. Our bantams mixed in real good with our standard hens and often the bantys are higher up in the pecking order
lol.png


We bought bantams because they're gentle and quiet, which my neighbors appreciate:lol:
 
We have a few Japanese-Old English Game bantams that we got as eggs for one of our broody girls to hatch. For one, they are gorgeous. And two, they are super funny to watch. They do lay tiny eggs, but they're cute. We'll eat them once they start laying. And, we'll give some to friends. It's like a novelty having such tiny eggs.
 
I have an all bantam flock of 36. I do eat the eggs and my clients (I am a house keeper) Buy them from me as well. Why? Because bantams are like potato chips, ya can't just have 1 or 2. I have a few mutts, seramas, cochins. The eggs are delicious! Just a little smaller then your average grocery store egg.
 
I'm growing a small flock of d'uccles. They've won me over with their personality and ability to elude predators. I don't grudge them the space in my backyard at all and they do well with my big girls.
 
We got the first ones because my DD just had to have them.
I must say I thought it would be a challenge to try and raise these little tiny chicks.
In fact I was curious if they would live as tiny as they were, so I decided to try.
We got six assorted bantams the first time.I raised them right in the brooder with
the laying pullets, and did not lose a single chick. Man are they hardy. I just love them,
they are the toughest little chickens and easy to care for.We sell our eggs to friends and
family and most weeks we end up eating the banty eggs ourselves. They are good quality
eggs even from older hens.
 
Here are the reasons I've got bantams: I can keep more bantams then standards in the same amount of space without any fighting or huge mess. I really don't care about the eggs or meat - I just wanted chickens, although I do eat the eggs. Bantams come in numerous different breeds. I wanted Silkies...of course. I've got a total of 30 hens and 4 roos, mainly silkies, polish, d'uccles, cochins and one lone brahma. They are all friendly little birds that can be picked up and handled - except for the lone brahma (I get the feeling she doesn't really like me).
big_smile.png
 
My bantams (d'uccle's) are great foragers and don't tear up my yard as quick as the big chickens. They are really good layers, and I don't mind the small eggs. Their poop piles aren't as big either!
sickbyc.gif
But I do have to keep them in a taller fenced in area as they are good flyers! The hens are really sweet if you handle them daily, and some of the roosters are as well with daily cuddles, but they do tend to be feistier than the two big roosters I've had in general. They are gorgeous and fun to watch.
 
I keep a handful of OEGBs. I just love their personality and hardiness. They're pets, although I only keep banty roosters. I like hatching banty/ large fowl crosses, because I like a smaller with better foraging instinct. My OEGBs are the best bug hunters.
We eat their eggs and they make the cutest little deviled eggs.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom