BYC Café

[N F C]

He is super pretty, I just need to go see what kind of temperament I'm talking about. Might do get a look at the blue also. Maybe need to see the facilities in person. I just don't want a sick or mean bird obviously.

Once you check them out, let us know what you decide on (and extra points for pictures)!

 

[Shadrach]

Mixed flock. Can a little Bantam mate with large fowl hens?

They can and have here if there hasn't been any mating opportunities with their own breed.
One of the advantages for hens of larger breeds with bantam males is they tend not to sustain as much feather damage during mating.
For the males the problem is some of the bigger hens may not crouch for the bantam and you get the rather funny sight of a large hen walking along with some poor rooster desperately hanging on to her back giving it his all.
Fat bird was like that with Cillin at the start.
Also bear in mind bantams can usually fly and tend to be a bit on the feisty side ime.

 

[Shadrach]

The usually fly bit means they may roost up a tree.

 

[N F C]

They can and have here if there hasn't been any mating opportunities with their own breed.
One of the advantages for hens of larger breeds with bantam males is they tend not to sustain as much feather damage during mating.
For the males the problem is some of the bigger hens may not crouch for the bantam and you get the rather funny sight of a large hen walking along with some poor rooster desperately hanging on to her back giving it his all.
Fat bird was like that with Cillin at the start.
Also bear in mind bantams can usually fly and tend to be a bit on the feisty side ime.

OMG, that image is going to stay with me all day!

 

[Bamabexchicks]

They can and have here if there hasn't been any mating opportunities with their own breed.
One of the advantages for hens of larger breeds with bantam males is they tend not to sustain as much feather damage during mating.
For the males the problem is some of the bigger hens may not crouch for the bantam and you get the rather funny sight of a large hen walking along with some poor rooster desperately hanging on to her back giving it his all.
Fat bird was like that with Cillin at the start.
Also bear in mind bantams can usually fly and tend to be a bit on the feisty side ime.

that would crack me up so bad!

 

[Bamabexchicks]

The usually fly bit means they may roost up a tree.

We free range them in the back yard, means that he might end up in the yard next door with predatory dogs. No trees but a roof or fence...not too good either way.

 

[N F C]

The usually fly bit means they may roost up a tree.

What about clipping the wings? Wouldn't that keep him more grounded?

 

[Bamabexchicks]

What about clipping the wings? Wouldn't that keep him more grounded?

I clip 1 wing on my birds, imo it helps by making them unbalanced. But doesn't stop Etta the Andalusian.

 

[N F C]

I clip 1 wing on my birds, imo it helps by making them unbalanced. But doesn't stop Etta the Andalusian.

I see. I've never had to clip wings so wasn't sure how effective it was.

 

[Shadrach]

I've never clipped wings here. They free range and a clipped wing could make that fraction of a second difference in escaping a predator.
Also, a couple of the chicken keepers I know locally have bantams and Minorcans. They tried wing clipping; they read about it on the Internet . It didn't stop the bantams or Minorcans going up the trees, on the roofs etc. It just made flying more difficult.
The Marans here have never shown the slightest interest in tree climbing. The local Catalan breed will and do roost up trees.
I think, although I've never kept the breeds that are common in the US, the heavier dual purpose fowl are less prone to roosting in trees for obvious reasons.
I would try to find out which breeds that you can get where you are @Bamabexchicks don't have a reputation for being flighty. That might be a good starting point for your rooster choice.