Bantams vs Standard

[Building Bridges]

I have kept separate flocks of bantams and large breed chickens for several years now and I enjoy both. My affinity for bantams goes back to when my Grandpa gave me a hen with 12 chicks and a year later I had over 80. Even at six years of age, I was an early practitioner of chicken math. Some of my favorite memories are getting up before dawn and watching that first flock of bantams come off the roost from the large trees on our property. My Dad would watch with me and tell me about him having bantams when he was a boy. I'll continue to keep them as long as I have chickens as a nod to him and my Grandpa.

What lovely memories!!! i can surely understand how the bantams have carved out a special place in your heart.....and your coop!! Childhood memories are powerful. My only childhood chicken exposure was when someone gave me a chick for Easter when I was 5. My foster mother didn't want it in the house so put it in a cardboard box in the basement. It only lived a couple days....and I was heartbroken. Guess I always have wanted a chance to do better.

 

[Folly's place]

I started with Belgian d'Uccles and Silkies from a neighbor, and found that the Silkies weren't for me, but love the d'Uccles! Since then, I have many standard sized chickens of several breeds, and still d'Uccles, and now also bantam Easter Eggers. They all get along, including roosters.
The one downside of bantams, if free ranging, is that they are more often taken by hawks.
Other predators are happy to take standard birds too; everyone loves chicken!
For your first flock next year, look at Henderson's breed chart, and several catalogs, and order a few birds that look interesting, and will be fine in your climate.
It's about trying some, deciding that you like this one over that one, and moving on with new choices. I've had birds that 'everyone loves' and sounded good, and disliked them. Then, birds that didn't look interesting, and worked out great.
Mary

 

[Building Bridges]

I started with Belgian d'Uccles and Silkies from a neighbor, and found that the Silkies weren't for me, but love the d'Uccles! Since then, I have many standard sized chickens of several breeds, and still d'Uccles, and now also bantam Easter Eggers. They all get along, including roosters.
The one downside of bantams, if free ranging, is that they are more often taken by hawks.
Other predators are happy to take standard birds too; everyone loves chicken!
For your first flock next year, look at Henderson's breed chart, and several catalogs, and order a few birds that look interesting, and will be fine in your climate.
It's about trying some, deciding that you like this one over that one, and moving on with new choices. I've had birds that 'everyone loves' and sounded good, and disliked them. Then, birds that didn't look interesting, and worked out great.
Mary

Thanks, Mary. That sounds very wise (and fun)!! I appreciate the advice and will follow it. I've read tons about different breeds so have a list of many that sound right for me. It will be interesting to compare them.

 

[Ted_Harrell]

As Aart said secure whatever you decide to get. As you mentioned bears bobcats, oh my! Ask these folks about predator proofing your run and coop and good luck....

 

[Chicken Heel]

What lovely memories!!! i can surely understand how the bantams have carved out a special place in your heart.....and your coop!! Childhood memories are powerful. My only childhood chicken exposure was when someone gave me a chick for Easter when I was 5. My foster mother didn't want it in the house so put it in a cardboard box in the basement. It only lived a couple days....and I was heartbroken. Guess I always have wanted a chance to do better.

Good luck in whatever direction you go in regarding your choice of breeds. It might have been for the best about your Easter chick. The meanest rooster that I have ever had in my 50+ years of keeping chickens was one of those. That White Leghorn was Satan himself but it might have been the green dye he was colored with as a chick that contributed. The other one I had at the time was blue colored and he was a bird of good nature.

 

[Building Bridges]

Good luck in whatever direction you go in regarding your choice of breeds. It might have been for the best about your Easter chick. The meanest rooster that I have ever had in my 50+ years of keeping chickens was one of those. That White Leghorn was Satan himself but it might have been the green dye he was colored with as a chick that contributed. The other one I had at the time was blue colored and he was a bird of good nature.

Satan himself!! YIKES Yes....probably was for the best. The foster parents I lived with were very definitely NOT animal lovers and the home was on a small corner lot in a suburb. The gift givers had no children and obviously gave little thought to much beyond the giving of the chick.!! Recipe for disaster. .

 

[Wilson96]

I’ve only had chickens a few months but chicken math kicks in quickly and I have a long list of breeds I’m interested in.... I’m thinking of having a separate flock of bantams. Question - should I locate their coop & run away from the others or does it really matter? I have a rooster now, not sure if I will get a bantam rooster. If I did would they likely crow at each other all day?

 

[Chicken Heel]

I’ve only had chickens a few months but chicken math kicks in quickly and I have a long list of breeds I’m interested in.... I’m thinking of having a separate flock of bantams. Question - should I locate their coop & run away from the others or does it really matter? I have a rooster now, not sure if I will get a bantam rooster. If I did would they likely crow at each other all day?

Roosters will crow back and forth throughout the day. My Red Pyle bantam rooster begins crowing when I turn the back porch light on in the morning and within seconds my Black Australorp rooster gets cranked up. To me there are not much prettier sounds than that but many other folks disagree. Fortunately my neighbors haven't complained yet.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I’ve only had chickens a few months but chicken math kicks in quickly and I have a long list of breeds I’m interested in.... I’m thinking of having a separate flock of bantams. Question - should I locate their coop & run away from the others or does it really matter? I have a rooster now, not sure if I will get a bantam rooster. If I did would they likely crow at each other all day?

Between my shed and bantam coop there's about 40 feet. They all free range in the same area but generally keep to themselves. The bantams sometimes get chased so they have a run they can stay in if necessary, and often they do. There's crowing all on and off.