I'm switching to Bantams.

[twigcrafter]

I have both large and bantams living happily together right now. I love the large eggs but not the large poop. lol. I know if you're gonna have chickens you're gonna have poop.
My large ladies poop the size of duck eggs everywhere. I free range during the day. They are quite loud with their egg songs, and it's annoying sometimes. Mostly funny until they ALL start singing at the top of their lungs.

The large ladies also dig holes. I'm talking ankle twisters. And they flung almost all the mulch I put down out of my gardens. They dug up a few shrubs, and scratched out my young hostas. I don't want to fence them in a run because they kill the ticks and bugs from the yard. I can't fence in my gardens. There is just too many of them in my landscape and it would look ugly. Last year they ruined my veggie garden so I didn't plant one this year. That's no big deal though. My neighbor has a huge veggie garden and loves to share.

I love all my chickens!!!! But the big ones have got to go. Except Pinky. and maybe I'll keep Ursula. And Mrs. Walker and Mrs. Dumble . The rest have to go!

Yesterday I ordered a surprise assortment of bantams from Ideal, so I wouldn't chicken out. My Hubby likes the bantams and tolerates the big ones. OK I'll stop rambling now. lol. I just feel safe talking about chickens here. My friends and family don't get it, that I go on and on about chickens .

 

[Poultrybreeder]

Cool, bantams are great, they are a lot easier to deal with than the larger ones.

 

[Alaskan]

Bantam are sweet (not the roos), but I sure enjoy them.

 

[adrikeen]

I fully support Bantam ownership! I started with a few because I thought the "smaller the better" with where I live. Of course now I have a brood. I've had both large and small and for some reason the smaller ones have better personalities and intelligence. My smallest one...who fits in the palm of my hand....is the most intelligent of the bunch!

 

[tigger19687]

But how much quieter are they ?
Curious because I just found out that my town allows not 4 but 6 with out a permit !! and I have only 4

 

[adrikeen]

I'm going to say they are about the same with regards to noise level. My full size (Delaware Blue Hen) is by far the loudest but the bantam EE's, Brahmas, and Silkies can be just as loud when they want to be. Any outburst usually doesn't last long and I've trained mine to settle down with a clap and verbally saying "hush!". Of course I usually get someone glaring at me like "oooh you just wait till you aren't around!"....