Largest Bantam breed and Smallest LF breed?

[Luke13:34]

Hubby said I can get two more chickens this summer (I'll brood more but sell off the rest). My daughter is in 4H and is having trouble showing our Welsummers due to their size (appox 5 lbs). I don't want to get banties as I don't think they would fair very well with my LF and I don't have the space to build a separate coop/run. (This makes my youngest very sad as her name is Millie and she has her heart set on getting a Mille Fleur next year when she is old enough to join 4H) Is there a LF breed that is smaller than 5lbs? OR is there a bantam breed that would still be large enough to hold her own agains the EEs and Wellies? It should be fairly cold-hardy as we are in New England and I do not heat my coop.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

silkies are large and considered bantam, as for small LF, most of the small LF are flighty, and not good for kids, Leghorns....

but Polish are small LF but blending them with other LF can be tricky they get picked on

 

[usschicago1]

I agree with Buck Creek. Also EE's ( I know not a pure chicken) are very small for LF

 

[Luke13:34]

Thanks. I was wondering about Lakenvelders but heard they were flighty.

We already have four EEs. They are the same size as the Wellies at about 5 lbs.

Maybe I it is my daughter who just need to do some growing!

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

silkies are more LF than Bantam, and lay a good size egg. all sizes of kids can handle silkies

 

[Freeholder]

I have a Mille Fleur Leghorn (rooster and am getting nine more chicks in a few weeks) and he's pretty calm and easy going, and not as big as my Wyandottes. His hen, who fell victim to a raccoon a couple of months ago, was about the same size as my Silkie X EE hens, so probably between 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 lbs.

Kathleen

 

[Luke13:34]

That sounds interesting. (I hate to admit I've never been a huge fan of Silkies). Where do you get your Mille Leghorns? Are they mean? My mom talks about the "leggerns" she had growing up that were "mean as all git out". (pardon my mom's Hoosier accent)

 

[HenThymes]

Bantam orpingtons are not real small either. if you get good SQ ones they have decent size to them. I have neighbors have a combined both LF orpingtons (all large girls too) and bantam orpingtons (all from us) and they all run together all the time. The bantam orp rooster is their main flock rooster and is even capable of breeding the LF hens.

Edited to add: They do show well, here is a picture of one of my hens taken at our show last month. She took BV/BB. Plan to show her again next weekend.

 

[smoothmule]

I have Araucana's and they're a large fowl but they run smaller than most. They're more expensive but so unusual at shows that the competition is less plus they're so unique that there is usually a crowd at the table just to look at them. They're very cold hardy, they have small pea combs which helps keep the frost bite problems down. I've heard some say they can be flighty but mine fly up on the roost to get picked up and the roosters follow me around looking for a treat and I've never had any of my roosters to be anything but lovey when picked up and none of mine have even looked at me weird when I pick up a hen or gather eggs. I have 6 roosters in one coop at this time, waiting for spring to separate them into breeding groups and they're all getting along well. The youngsters are little beggers when it comes to treats and will fly up in my arms if I have a cup. They love attention.

The downside is that "correct" Araucana's that can be shown are difficult to find sometimes. They are a rare breed and somewhat complicated as far as breeding but definitely fun and the difficulties to me are really just opportunities to learn. They come in several colors but you'll find the standard colors are harder to get just right. They are APA though so there are some very cool AOV that can be shown. They must have good tufts and be rumpless.

There is a breeder in Vermont and I'll bet your daughter would get a kick out of all the attention they can draw, plus there is a lot to learn about the breed so she would have a lot to talk about.

Here are a couple pics of my Araucana's. Some are tufted, some clean faced. I cross them for better hatch rates. Most of mine are fully rumpless but a few have partial tails with just a few feathers, again much to learn about breeding this breed.
http://www.araucana.net/

 

[NottinghamChicks]

Luke13:34 :

Hubby said I can get two more chickens this summer (I'll brood more but sell off the rest). My daughter is in 4H and is having trouble showing our Welsummers due to their size (appox 5 lbs). I don't want to get banties as I don't think they would fair very well with my LF and I don't have the space to build a separate coop/run. (This makes my youngest very sad as her name is Millie and she has her heart set on getting a Mille Fleur next year when she is old enough to join 4H) Is there a LF breed that is smaller than 5lbs? OR is there a bantam breed that would still be large enough to hold her own agains the EEs and Wellies? It should be fairly cold-hardy as we are in New England and I do not heat my coop.

As far as the largest Bantam Breed, I have Light Brahmas that are around 3.5 lbs and lay a decent size egg. They are the nicest birds and are are very much like puppies when you get them as chicks. If you go in the Murray McMurray site to the online catalog it tells you the approx weight of each breed. Of course it is more related to their own stock but should be quite similar to the breed in general.

My light Brahmas do great here in NH and have been laying like gangbusters all winter long with NO artificial light. Love 'em!​