Heritage Bantam Thread

[sgribble]

Here is a link to anyone wanting to leave a condolence to Bob Blosl's family. http://www.mackfuneral.com/obituaries/Robert-Blosl/#!/Obituary
I am sure Zora and Kelly would appreciate the thoughts and prayers

 

[juststruttin]

I have been following along on the Heritage Large Fowl thread and thought, wouldn't it be nice if there was a Bantam version of this thread? I did a quick search and found this thread and was over joyed to see that it too had been started by Bob. I knew right then that this was going to be a thread worth reading.

I am very saddened by the loss of Bob, but take comfort in knowing that his threads and legacy will live on.

 

[Penny Hen]

I have been following along on the Heritage Large Fowl thread and thought, wouldn't it be nice if there was a Bantam version of this thread? I did a quick search and found this thread and was over joyed to see that it too had been started by Bob. I knew right then that this was going to be a thread worth reading.

I am very saddened by the loss of Bob, but take comfort in knowing that his threads and legacy will live on.

Everybody has said such wonderful things about Bob. I have just begun my journey in chickens and so never had the pleasure of meeting him. But I find I am inspired by your memories of him never the less. May we all strive to be the caretaker and guardian of chickens the way he was.

I just bought some Bantam Welsummer eggs. Wish me luck in hatching!

 

[juststruttin]

Everybody has said such wonderful things about Bob. I have just begun my journey in chickens and so never had the pleasure of meeting him. But I find I am inspired by your memories of him never the less. May we all strive to be the caretaker and guardian of chickens the way he was.

I just bought some Bantam Welsummer eggs. Wish me luck in hatching!

Have you read the Heritage Large Fowl thread? If not, it is a great thread with a wealth of information. Many of the same folks on this thread are on there also.

I just found this thread this morning and plan to read through it.

 

[QuoVadis]

Out of curiosity, typically how does the bantam version of a bird compare in personality to the standard version? Is there some kind of pattern to predict how the LF personality will translate into the bantam form? My only experience is LF Cochin and bantam Cochin, but I know there is debate as to whether bantam cochins are really bantam cochins or a true bantam (Pekins outside the U.S.).

IME though I much preferred the bantam cochins. The LF seems dumb, silly, and not that friendly. My bantam was a little busy body, much more active and friendly, but not super "cuddly". Also, not dumb enough to go broody in the dead of WI winters.

Anyone who has had both a LF and bantam of a breed I'd love to hear your thoughts!

 

[BGMatt]

Out of curiosity, typically how does the bantam version of a bird compare in personality to the standard version? Is there some kind of pattern to predict how the LF personality will translate into the bantam form? My only experience is LF Cochin and bantam Cochin, but I know there is debate as to whether bantam cochins are really bantam cochins or a true bantam (Pekins outside the U.S.).

IME though I much preferred the bantam cochins. The LF seems dumb, silly, and not that friendly. My bantam was a little busy body, much more active and friendly, but not super "cuddly". Also, not dumb enough to go broody in the dead of WI winters.

Anyone who has had both a LF and bantam of a breed I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Much as in LF, Bantams even within a breed can vary with individual birds or lines. I have found bantam Cochins to be fairly aggressive, but that could have just been the lines that I had at the time. When I had Brahmas in both LF and bantam they were very similar personality wise, I have had very calm Langshan bantams, and then got some from another breeder that were very nervous and flighty. Large Fowl Old English Game are typically still very game like and cockerels over a certain age must be separately, but the bantam Old English can often be run together (indeed in the offseason I run all my cocks and cockerels together, and all my pullets and hens together but separately, something you could never ever do with the large fowl Game.)

That's a lot of words, and not a solid answer, but I really don't think you can generalize.

 

[AletaG]

I know I was looking into Nankins, but I really LIKE the bantam Orpingtons, and had a thought while looking over the bantam Orp thread.

"I'm interested in the chocolate Orp bantams as well, but have seen an interesting thing that I wonder might be a trend with breeders in the U.S.? As in, know 2 that no longer wish to breed them. I think it has to do with (and looking for input here):
1. not enough egg laying
2. worsened by going broody a LOT
3. having to constantly back breed to Black for color maintenance.
4. Have not confirmed, but perhaps compounded by a low fertility rate?
Number 3 probably would be considered a minor inconvenience if it weren't for 1 and 2.

I'm currently trying to acquire a breeding group of these fowl. Breeding them will be a distraction for me, so culling hard won't hurt my 'bottom line' so much when so few eggs are to be had. What I'm thinking is that possibly the bowling ball English style has caused a serious shortening of body that adversely affects the ability of this breed to make eggs regularly. I've seen discussion of this on the heritage threads, where LF Orpington breeders debate the English vs. American body type.

Anyone here trying to improve their egg production in bantam or LF Orpingtons? What have you seen happen as far as type when you see + changes? "

I know, quoting myself. Sheesh.

 

[BGMatt]

I know I was looking into Nankins, but I really LIKE the bantam Orpingtons, and had a thought while looking over the bantam Orp thread.

"I'm interested in the chocolate Orp bantams as well, but have seen an interesting thing that I wonder might be a trend with breeders in the U.S.? As in, know 2 that no longer wish to breed them. I think it has to do with (and looking for input here):
1. not enough egg laying
2. worsened by going broody a LOT
3. having to constantly back breed to Black for color maintenance.
4. Have not confirmed, but perhaps compounded by a low fertility rate?
Number 3 probably would be considered a minor inconvenience if it weren't for 1 and 2.

I'm currently trying to acquire a breeding group of these fowl. Breeding them will be a distraction for me, so culling hard won't hurt my 'bottom line' so much when so few eggs are to be had. What I'm thinking is that possibly the bowling ball English style has caused a serious shortening of body that adversely affects the ability of this breed to make eggs regularly. I've seen discussion of this on the heritage threads, where LF Orpington breeders debate the English vs. American body type.

Anyone here trying to improve their egg production in bantam or LF Orpingtons? What have you seen happen as far as type when you see + changes? "

I know, quoting myself. Sheesh.

Type and egg production are usually linked but not always. I mean look at hatchery birds, they shouldn't be able to produce as many eggs as they do (which is why they often have internal problems and drastically shortened life spans). But you could easily just keep your matings small and only hatch from the hens that are laying the most, you do that year after year and you'll see improvement, just like any other trait. For bantams large dog crates make awesome breeding pens. If you have 4 hens you could take 4 crates, put one in each for breeding season and rotate the male through every couple days to keep them all fertile, then just hatch from whichever ones lay the most.

 

[AletaG]

Type and egg production are usually linked but not always. I mean look at hatchery birds, they shouldn't be able to produce as many eggs as they do (which is why they often have internal problems and drastically shortened life spans). But you could easily just keep your matings small and only hatch from the hens that are laying the most, you do that year after year and you'll see improvement, just like any other trait. For bantams large dog crates make awesome breeding pens. If you have 4 hens you could take 4 crates, put one in each for breeding season and rotate the male through every couple days to keep them all fertile, then just hatch from whichever ones lay the most.

That's what I was kind of hoping to do, just was hoping for some input from someone who has bred Orp. bantams; some things apparently link pretty strongly to type, and people "love" all over the roundy ball shaped ones, and wondering if it's a foregone conclusion that by breeding for production, one would need to make adjustments to body shape ... I've seen comments to that effect in LF Orpingtons... I'm sure I could probably figure out a maximum production for a bowling ball, over time, which is what I have in mind... <rubs hands together in anticipatory glee> Sounds like fun! And will keep me from playing games with my LF.

 

[Jwhip]

Best Silver Penciled Rock Bantam at the National Plymouth Rock show owned by XW Poultry Ranch.