Best Bantam?

[iluvmypoultry]

Celtic Hill, to answer your question, I'm planning on showing in the Florida State Fair. I'm going to show in showmanship (and theres a thing called ask-me-booth where you take your chickens up and let people pet them and let people ask you questions about them). The Fl fair is usually the only one I show in. But, I'm in 4H so I also take my birds lots of public places. I take my birds to a nursing home and the residents absolutely love them. I have 1 silkie hen (April) and everyone gets a kick outa her. I've had people ask me if she's an ostrich!

I'm basically just looking for a nice bantam thats funny and social and easy to handle and love.

 

[Celtic Hill]

Silkies would be really good, as a duccle breeder i have to advocate for our breed and say they are really good to!!! haha, i met a person who takes polish into nursing homes!


From what i have heard silkies are really calm and friendly. A friend of mine had a silkie rooster that he free ranged with his other birds and it was so friendly that it walked up to the dog and the dog ate it! Duccles are really nice birds and have good personalities and attitudes, i think they would be really nice to try out if you want something neat that isn't poplar!

 

[chicken boy sam]

D'anvers!!! Nice, curious, great for showing and 4-H, BEST show birds ever! They're great!

 

[serendipityfarm]

OK, lets see how many CT peeps we can get to respond in a row!!!

Anyway, I love my Cochins. They come in lots of cool colors. Not so sure about them being easy to catch even when cornered though... (tell that to my Mille Fleur Cochin roo when I'm trying to catch him! That litle stinker is FAST!)
I agree about them being laid back once you catch them, though.
Hardier than Silkies, and a little lower maintenance, but Silkies would definitely be my second suggestion.
Good Luck!
~Terry

 

[punky rooster]

I love my cochin roo!

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
LOL me too! (course I have 21 colors of them too, so I'm a little bius) but D'anvers always show well, are very small, most are great layers, come in 14 showable colors in the ABA.

I also love the phoenix bantams, houdan bantams, and a few others.
Personally to me, silkie are over rated, true, I breed them too and like them, but the shows are flooded with them, everyone keeps them, just like old english, everyone and their brother has 50 seems like. Personally, I have always like the out of the norm stuff...

 

[Mr. Ree]

You need to figure out what breed you really want as oppose to asking opinions of everyone. Most everyone has a favorite breed or will choose this one over that one. As you can see alot of people like the same breed, which means its popular. But just because its popular doesnt mean its the one for you. You need to figure out what exactly you want and what your looking for and go from there.

I would say Cochins, but thats because they are my fav breed.

They are very laid back birds, very good mothers, and for the most part are pretty docile. They make great birds for 4-H or Showmanship as well. I have had birds that would follow me around like a dog and just beg for attention. I have also had birds that were a little more stand offish, they dont mind being around you, but arent all about being handled all the time. I have also had some plain ole mean Cochin roosters. They tend to be this way more so when they have females with them or feel they have something to protect.

My second suggestion would be Brahmas. I agree that Silkies are just way to overrated. They are cute birds and have alot of great qualities, but they aint all that and a bag of potato chips if you know what im sayin.

~Casey

 

[TK Poultry]

hmmm wonder how an Ameraucana would fair in a nursing home???

They can be a bit jumpy!! They are soo talkative though and blue eggs are a plus. I just thought I would avocate for my breed again sence its not as popular

LOL!

 

[hcammack]

Quote:
Faverolles are perfect very rare birds that need help! They are good show birds as well as nice and calm.

Henry

 

[chikincrazee]

I like the silkies very tame..when my son was little he played for hours with his pet roo and hen...we also now have nankins and they are tiny and very docile one of the chicks we hatched she sits on my sons hand or nestles down on his lap to watch TV and all the flock is friendly inclucing the roos...so i would say silkies or nankins