Need help picking which banty to get!!

[Megs]

perhaps you could look at some hatchery websites and see which ones you like the looks of, there are so many kinds that could be suitable.

my bantam cochins are very friendly, but it depends if they are handled when they are young if they are going to be friendly. I have D'uccles (which teddiliza said are her friendliest) but mine were not handled as chicks and are not "friendly" (not mean, just run from me because they have not been handled), I also have japanese (who teddiliza said hers are not friendly) who are quite friendly (were a girls 4H birds so were handled a lot). If you want a friendly "pet" bird get as chicks and handle them lots! many breeds can be friendly if given the chance, though some would be easier than others.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I have 2 old English Game bantams and they are the sweetest thing! They are spangled old english games! Their names are Audrey and Angel! Angel is my BABY! And my friend has a Light brown dutch and she is the cutest thing but she's kinda wild! lol Audrey is on the right! And Angel on the left!

 

[spotsplus]

I prefer bantams over the big ones due to my space limitations (plus I seem to like small animals in general). I have a bunch of different types on my chicken page-
http://cspotsminiaturehorses.homestead.com/tchicks2.html

Right off the bat for friendlyness, active and fun to watch, get along well I like Serama, Japanese, nankin, dutch, Duccle and D'Anvers. Cochin and Old English are favorites too.

Tammie

 

[ScratchesWithChickens]

Check out Boggy Bottom Bantam's d'Anvers. I'm going to get some when they're available. There are so many beautiful rare varieties to choose from! Scroll down a bit to post #45. Gorgeous little birds!

 

[speckledhen]

I have one banty Cochin who is a doll, but she's my only current bantam. I have decided that when I start a bantam flock for pets, I'll be getting D'Anvers in porcelain (though all chicken plans are subject to change!)

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I did the variety mix of bantams when I first got chickens. Mine are all hatchery stock.
Here's what I have-

Mille Fleur d'uccle- Mine are pretty, but not very sociable. From day one they hated being held and have never been affectionate. The rooster is a huge brat and flogs me pretty much every time I go into the run. On the plus side, little man is VEEERRRRYYYYY fertile. I have had a 100% fertility rate on his off spring (would have been 100% hatch rate, but I screwed up the bator.) I would love to some day have a breeder version of this bird. Everyone talks about how docile they are. Mine are not.

Silver Sebright- Mine is a nutcase. She is loud and nosy and generally into everything. I adore her fun little zippy personality! I don't think I will ever get any more like her, but she is a trip!

Old English Game Bantam- This one came from the banty bin at TSC. I picked her out because she was tiny and adorable. She has turned out to be one of my absolute favorites! She is still tee-tiny. The other bantams dwarf her even. But she has the largest personality ever! She is chatty and nosy and so much fun. While she doesn't particularly want me to pick her up, she ALWAYS wants to be sitting on my should when I am in that pen. She just wants to sit there and chat with me. She is always the last one to go to roost and the only one that will wake up and come talk to me in the middle of the night (on those days I get home late from work). She is a darling sweetie.

Now, she is by no means my prettiest bird. She's a mottled grey brown color and pretty drab. Her personality more than makes up for her lack of plumage. I would have a dozen like her if I had the room!

Blue andalusian- another TSC banty bin chick, although andalusians aren't technically bantams. Gorgeous bird. Inquisitive nature. Not terribly affectionate, but not hateful either. She is stunning in looks though.

Silkies- Oh, you have to love the silkies. Mine all have the best personalities. If I had kids, this would be the bird for me for sure. Mine are all so mellow and happy and just funny! You do have to factor in the broody element with them, but even at their broodiness they let me manhandle them when needed (unlike my mille fleurs and sebright). I loved silkies so much that I made them my banty breeding project.

So out of my lot, I would recommend the OEGB and the silkies. Both are loads of fun and very good-natured.
Good luck!

 

[jjdward]

I have been looking into seramas and OEGB. I think those are the ones for me. As far as the seramas go, how small are they. Like compared to a coke can, deck of cards ect. Just trying to get an idea of their size. Thanks for all the help guys!!!!! Still would like any advice, stories, pics ect you might have.

 

[YB192004]

Quote:
Here is a web page from one of the member with all the serama info. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=19809-what-is-a-malaysian-serama
She has some really nice serama.
Oegb is a little bigger, the show birds are around 22-24 ounces compare to serama 19 ounces or less. I got my pair of B class serama which currently are 14.6 ounces from Jerry S. (the serama god father) in LA. I also have a pair of blue red maker (blue red sport roos and a bb red hen) oegb from Charles Cornner in Ak. Both pairs are with in their breed standard.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Personally, I LOVE old english and will encourage anyone who likes bantams to get them.

They come in a bunch of different color varieties, are easily available/inexpensive, have great personalities, and they're adorable little buggers! I have eight and I'd be happy to have more.

They're quite sociable and fun to watch, and energetic and curious! I really enjoy having them in my flock. They tame down very easily and don't mind being handled, and seem to like people. They're great little birds and very funny/fun.

Seramas are my other favorite breed! They're tiny and beautiful, and have very sweet personalities. They're a little more easygoing than the old english, and calmer. I keep mine in a 4.5' x 3' cage in my garage with a heat lamp. The only thing is that they can be a little fragile with cold weather (allegedly), and they are somewhat expensive/hard to get. I don't know if you have an incubator, but I have hatching eggs available--let me know if you'd like some! I won't charge much for them, just enough to cover shipping a make a few dollars. I'm currently working on breeding my seramas, which has been a fun project. Mine aren't show quality necessarily (the mother is close to being SQ, though, I think), but they're small and quite pretty. Anyone who would like some eggs (in a small quantity) is welcome to PM me for info.

d'Uccles are nice birds, too. They're pretty mellow and when raised around people tend to be quite sociable. Mine have been known to fly up on my back if I lean down in the coop. Mine are somewhat reserved and calm.

Sebrights are beautiful to look at, but they're fairly flightly and difficult to handle. I don't bother holding mine much, even though I hand-raised them they mostly avoid my attentions. My Japanese bantams are more or less like the sebrights, but I didn't raise them so they might be better to handle with hand raising.

I only have one silkie and have had one cochin, but in my experience they're docile and sweet and easily to handle. Make very good pets.

 

[YB192004]

Check this serama roos out https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=291246 at 10$, he is a steal imo.

Here are some pics of my serama n oegb;

Blue red sport roos.

My pair of blue red maker oegb( a blue red sport roos and a bb red hen ).

Laced cocoapop silver duckwing serama roos.

Laced cocoapop silver duckwing serama roos and a ginger serama hen.