Bantams less garden-destructive?

[dskinla]

Hi All!

I'm a newbie, still chicken-less, trying to strike a balance between my desire for homegrown organic eggs (don't need a lot), friendly cute chooks, and small yard which is highly landscaped with organic vegetable and flower beds but no lawn. I live in Los Angeles and have to protect against possums, raccoons, rats and hawks (yeah, all in downtown LA!). Also, I have three cats. I plan on limiting my flock to two hens and have the space for a coop and completely enclosed run, but would like to let the chickens range an hour or so per day for their health and to eat slugs and bugs around the yard, and even let them into the veggie garden when it's past its prime season. My question is whether bantams (I'm considering Cochin, Brahma and Orpington bantams) would be less destructive of my garden and flower beds than standard chickens? And, if the bantams are the way to go, can anyone tell me if these birds are large enough to coexist with cats? Am I crazy to even attempt keeping chickens? Your thoughts and experiences are most welcome!

Debra
LA

 

[seriousbill]

I can't answer your questions about urban chicken-keeping, although I say kudos to you for considering it

But, I can tell you that, in my experience, bantams are somewhat less destructive than standards. The feather-legged ones seem least destructive of all. I'm not sure whether they're worried about getting their feathery legs caught on something or quite what, but they seem approach scratching just a tad more gingerly than, say, an OEGB. This is just my observation, and I don't mean to imply that they'll not scratch at all, because, of course, any chicken will. I really like my Brahma Bantams, by the way, and I recommend them.

 

[priszilla]

I am told guineas are great in the garden.My silkies destroyed my garden