Check My Thinking Please, Stealth Bantams? -- Great News! Town Policy Modification.

[Kilsharion]

I was just wondering since a quick check of breed info turned up repeated warnings that they weren't cold-hardy.

My personal taste in beautiful chickens runs to wide bodies and heavy feathers. And I particularly like them in black and white. When I thought I could get a laying flock I was going to get Delawares (and still will when we can have a country place). But for stealth chickens to try to make a dent in the insane bug population, ....

Where does the size of larger bantam breeds intersect with the size of small regular breeds anyway? Or would that be a question for a separate thread in the breeds section?

If you weren't running the risk of losing them due to illegal activity, I'd tell you to check with Jim Parker and see if he had any bantam Dorkings available. They can fly off; but, are very non-flighty birds, quiet, docile - and, I think his are silver grey bantams....don't quote me on that, though. I'm not sure that he's got any eggs he's willing to ship this year, though.

 

[noitulover]

I was just wondering since a quick check of breed info turned up repeated warnings that they weren't cold-hardy.

My personal taste in beautiful chickens runs to wide bodies and heavy feathers. And I particularly like them in black and white. When I thought I could get a laying flock I was going to get Delawares (and still will when we can have a country place). But for stealth chickens to try to make a dent in the insane bug population, ....

Where does the size of larger bantam breeds intersect with the size of small regular breeds anyway? Or would that be a question for a separate thread in the breeds section?

I would go to www.mypetchicken.com and get some buff brahma bantams. They have wide bodies and heavy feathers. They're buff and black and nice looking.

Just to touch on the bantam and standard breed sizes... Most large breeds are 4+ pounds. Even standards and bantams vary greatly. Jersey Giants are huge and Hamburgs are pretty tiny, but they're both "standard size"... There are 2 types of bantams, "true bantams" and miniature versions of standard breeds. The Sebright and Silkie are examples of true bantams. They are small chickens with no larger version (although depending on breeding, silkies can vary in size). There are bantam Plymouth Rocks and bantam Cochins, but they have been bred to be "minis".

 

[noitulover]

Forgot to say that www.mypetchicken.com ships small numbers and sexes bantams, which would be good for your needs.

 

[BGMatt]

I was just wondering since a quick check of breed info turned up repeated warnings that they weren't cold-hardy.

My personal taste in beautiful chickens runs to wide bodies and heavy feathers. And I particularly like them in black and white. When I thought I could get a laying flock I was going to get Delawares (and still will when we can have a country place). But for stealth chickens to try to make a dent in the insane bug population, ....

Where does the size of larger bantam breeds intersect with the size of small regular breeds anyway? Or would that be a question for a separate thread in the breeds section?

Regarding the size "intersection" The smallest standard sized breeds are about 4 lbs as mentioned already, the biggest bantams are I believe the Jersey Giant bantam (isn't that an oxymoron? these are really really rare anyway, matter of fact, I think they were just added without type specimens to the standard and may not exist) at something around 36-40 oz if I remember correctly, so ~3 lbs. Many of your "Large" bantams, Rocks, New Hampshire, Delaware, Brahma, etc run in the 28-32 oz range iirc. Sorry if these numbers are not exact it's been a while since I cracked my standard and I'm not at home right now.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

You might enjoy Cochins then, since you like lots of feathers and wide bodies. They definitely come in black and white or you can be a real rebel and get mottled (black with white spots). They're not big flyers once they mature and are very docile. Bantam Orpingtons would be another choice, they're like Cochins without the feathered legs. I'm pretty sure they come in black and white (and buff, lavender and blue/black/splash). Light Brahmas, as mentioned previously, are also full bodied. And they have the white body and black markings similar to the Delawares you originally wanted. Just a few more options, my Cochins are quiet- but I can't say about the others. I've had standard Orpingtons and they were docile. But I've never had them in bantam form or owned a single Brahma.
Nikki

 

[3KillerBs]

I just got great news from the guy at the feed store who owns 200 game bantams just out of town and is husband to the new mayor and father-in-law of the police chief. While they had been banning chickens under the "no farm operations" ordinance someone more politically adept than I am pointed out that banning small flocks of backyard laying hens under that ordinance would require also banning home gardens.

There is no official, written policy now but the unwritten policy is no roosters, no raising for sale (birds or eggs), butchering to be done discreetly out of sight without letting birds flop around. You're OK if no neighbors complain and neighbor complaints will be evaluated for reasonableness under noise and sanitation ordinances. So a few, well-kept hens should present no problems -- the town officials are far more worried about the people who let their dogs roam loose than about the handful of backyard laying flocks inside town limits.

I'm so happy! There will be Delawares if I can source hens old enough to go into the tractor or get someone to raise them for me -- I have no secure, dog-proof place to set up a brooder. Otherwise I'll take what breed I can get.