biggest bantam

[fil76]

in peoples opinion what is the biggest bantam breed
cheers fil

 

[sylviethecochin]

Silkie bantams.

 

[LilJoe]

Malay bantam?

 

[fil76]

large bantams to use as broody
cheers fil

 

[sylviethecochin]

Bantam cochins and silkies can both cover a fair amount of eggs and are probably the most infamous broodies. Silkies are better mothers, cochins are better setters.

Why bantams in particular? Buff orpingtons (standard) are also supposed to be good broodies.

 

[fil76]

no reason for bantams
I was told bantams are very broody
cheers fil

 

[0wen]

If you're looking for an almost guarantee of a broody hen, check with Dick Horstman. I have a flock of his Barred Rock Bantams and am regularly chasing hens off a nest. Good natured birds (minus the times they are broody of course). I'm doubling my flock size of them this spring..

EDIT - didn't notice your location. Obviously irrelevant to your situation...

 

[sylviethecochin]

no reason for bantams
I was told bantams are very broody
cheers fil

Some bantam breeds are broody. Some aren't. Silkies and bantam cochin (edt: you're in England. I think they're called pekins where you are) are both very good setters, and silkies are probably some of the most reliable incubators and mothers. Which is good if you want continual flock production and not so good if you don't want three clutches of chicks a year.

But Buff Orpingtons, some strains of Plymouth Rock, and Brahmas are all very good broodies as well; they can cover more eggs than a bantam could, they're unlikely to go broody more than twice a year, and they're far more productive egg layers than most bantams are. Do you have any local farmers wanting to get rid of a broody hen?