I have been trying out a few breeds of bantams that appeal to me. While I'd like to have something presentable for resale of hatching eggs and possible breeding stock to help someone else along the way, utility and temperament are number one for me. Bantam breeds I truly thought would be great utility birds have turned out to be very disappointing. Cornish bantams are great little birds but I don't think they would appreciate extremely cold, northern areas. They have a very tight feather and no fluff to keep them warm. Having said that, they have managed this winter thus far on a brooder bulb hanging from the ceiling of my coop. It doesn't keep the water pan from freezing (even with a 25W bulb under them), so it isn't doing much of a job. Cornish bantams don't tend to lay in cold temps either. But boy, do they have breast meat. I also have a few juvenile Wyandotte bantams and they tend to be nice dual purpose bantams. The pullets tend to go broody a lot too but so far, break up easily. And for cold climates, you can't beat the rose or pea comb over a single. I have one pair of chocolate Dotte babies and they have a lot of heft to them when I lift them. They also will be larger than SOP standard. A breed I think warrants a closer look are Silkies, if you don't mind the dark skin and a persistent brooder. Read the SOP for a Silkie sometime. It's too bad no one takes them seriously for utility. The Orientials do. They need work but I find them quite agreeable. I also have heard Ameraucana bantams have a nice sized egg, especially compared to the LF, for its size. As to a meat bird, they should be excellent if bred to the standard. But since I don't have any...yet...I can't comment. In my opinion, bantams offer a great deal if one only opens their mind to the possibilities, that is, if you don't need a whopper for the dinner table.
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