Insight on Breed Personalities and Bantams Vs. LF

[AmyJane725]

I'm really trying to finalize my breed selections so I can actually place my order.
It's all really overwhelming. Please help.

Will most chickens be friendly if you interact with them often and treat them well? Are there any that are basically always mean?

The breeds I'm currently thinking about are the following: (I know the Silver Spangled Hamburgs are kind of on the wild side, but I think having them would be an interesting experience)

-Rhode Island Red Hen
-Barred Rock Hen
-Australorp Hen
-Silver Spangled Hamburg Hen
-White Cochin Hen
-Silver Spangled Hamburg Rooster

-White Cochin Bantam Hen
-Red Cochin Bantam Hen
-Black Cochin Bantam Hen
-Barred Rock Bantam Hen
-Rhode Island Red Bantam Hen
-Self Blue Cochin Bantam Hen
-Barred Cochin Bantam Hen
-White Cochin Bantam Rooster
-Open to other bantams as well. Don't have to be cochins. Glad to hear any recommendations.

I guess my first question should be about bantams. Do bantams have the same health issues as their larger counterparts? For instance, is a Leghorn bantam going to be as prone to reproductive issues as a LF Leghorn? I mean, as far as I understand, bantams were bred to be ornamental, rather than egg producers, but I don't know if the reproductive issues were bred into the lines before the bantam size was, so it's still there even though the banties don't produce eggs like the LF do.

I have heard that bantams are docile in general. Do you find this to be true? I've also heard they can be flighty? Are they going to like being held/petted? Does it depend more on the breed than the bantam vs. LF thing?

And this is hopefully not an issue and I just worry too much, but the pop door I have is like 7-8 inches wide. Are adult birds going to be able to get out of a hole this size? (I don't have a way to make it bigger...) Are LF like Cochins and Australorps going to be too big to fit through? Or do the feathers compress and they're ok?

 

[sylviethecochin]

I guess my first question should be about bantams. Do bantams have the same health issues as their larger counterparts? For instance, is a Leghorn bantam going to be as prone to reproductive issues as a LF Leghorn?

IME, Leghorns aren't really prone to reproductive disorders. That's more the area of birds like Sexlinks. It's going to depend on breed and strain what the weaknesses are. Many bantam strains are barely related to their larger counterparts, though, so in general, no.

I have heard that bantams are docile in general. Do you find this to be true?

Depends on breed. Pekins are docile. Old English Game, not so much. I think this may come from the tendency of people to handle their bantams and make pets of them. I know I have a tendency to do that.

Does it matter more on the breed than the bantam vs. LF thing?

Depends more on breed. Most bantam versions of large fowl were bred to be like the large fowl, but they're not mini-versions of the large fowl.

And this is hopefully not an issue and I just worry too much, but the pop door I have is like 7-8 inches wide. Are adult birds going to be able to get out of a hole this size?

Yep. Shouldn't bother them a bit.

 

[AmyJane725]

Yep. Shouldn't bother them a bit.

I'm SOOOOO happy to hear this. I've been panicking about this since Saturday. Thank you!!!

 

[Ribh]

Australorps are calm & docile, friendly but mine aren't mad keen on being handled.
My Barred Rocks are both calm & friendly & tolerate being handled well. Not sure if being on the larger side they might bully your bantams. I don't have issues but my girls are very sweet natured.

 

[sylviethecochin]

-Rhode Island Red Hen
Generally alert and aggressive. Quite smart. Bold chickens, and fun to be around. Make sure you get RIRs instead of Production Reds. Production Reds are prone to reproductive disorders.
-Barred Rock Hen
Alert and aggressive. Pretty intelligent. I've found them to be slightly more aggressive and a little less bold than RIRs, but others have had the opposite experience.
-Australorp Hen
Aloof. Calm. They won't take bullying, but they aren't usually the ones to dish it out.
-Silver Spangled Hamburg Hen
NE
-White Cochin Hen
Gentle. Slow on the uptake. Tendency towards broodiness.
-Silver Spangled Hamburg Rooster
NE

-White Cochin Bantam Hen
-Red Cochin Bantam Hen
-Black Cochin Bantam Hen
-Self Blue Cochin Bantam Hen
-Barred Cochin Bantam Hen
Strong tendency towards broodiness. Slow on the uptake, bottom of the pecking order. Not great layers. Not aggressive at all. Great little birds, but I'm not sure I would keep them in close quarters with RIRs and Barred Rocks.
-White Cochin Bantam Rooster
The only ones I've ever had I refused to keep to maturity. They were awful as cockerels, and would not leave my hens alone. Not human aggressive, and they didn't fight with each other, but no gentlemen.
-Barred Rock Bantam Hen
NE
-Rhode Island Red Bantam Hen
NE
-Open to other bantams as well. Don't have to be cochins. Glad to hear any recommendations.
I love Old English Game Bantams. Feisty little things, quite intelligent, quick on the uptake, not tame, but great mothers and very pretty.

 

[llombardo]

Love my RIR and barred rock. They are friendly and come when called, but they are brutal to the younger chickens, just brutal.

 

[AmyJane725]

Love my RIR and barred rock. They are friendly and come when called, but they are brutal to the younger chickens, just brutal.

Do you think it would be a problem if everyone is the same age? I'm basically planning on one-shoting this. Not adding more chicks later. Just buy everyone at once and let them grow up together.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Do you think it would be a problem if everyone is the same age? I'm basically planning on one-shoting this. Not adding more chicks later. Just buy everyone at once and let them grow up together.

You live in Washington. Which means that a portion of your year is frozen and a portion of your year is too wet for happy chickens. So they'll be staying inside an enclosed coop. Chances of bullying happening are very high. Not absolutely certain, but high.

If you want cochin bantams, I suggest a second coop.

 

[AmyJane725]

You live in Washington. Which means that a portion of your year is frozen and a portion of your year is too wet for happy chickens. So they'll be staying inside an enclosed coop. Chances of bullying happening are very high. Not absolutely certain, but high.

If you want cochin bantams, I suggest a second coop.

Well, that's out of the question unfortunately.

So, you're of the opinion that RIRs and BRs are too mean to keep with bantams?

My coop is raised, so they can go underneath for shelter, and half the run is roofed to give them more dry space. Area is also surrounded by trees, so I'm really hoping this will allow them to go outside year round.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Well, that's out of the question unfortunately.

So, you're of the opinion that RIRs and BRs are too mean to keep with bantams?

My coop is raised, so they can go underneath for shelter, and half the run is roofed to give them more dry space. Area is also surrounded by trees, so I'm really hoping this will allow them to go outside year round.

I'm not saying that they are certainly too aggressive. Your setup and situation are different than mine is, your hatchery source is likely to be different than mine is, your available space is different than mine, your management practices are going to be different than mine. Unfortunately, living organisms are pretty impossible to predict with a high degree of certainty, so all I can do is speculate.

I'm saying it's likely they're too aggressive. Likely enough that if you do get both, you'll need a backup plan.