New from Canada! Lots to Learn

[Costley]

Hi there, I'm brand new to this forum and have a few questions about raising my own chickens... where do I start...:/

I have worked on a hobby farm caring for animals including chickens a few years ago, and am looking to start raising my own. At my job we had two coops of chickens, the "bantys" and the "laying hens". The bantys were all different colours, while the laying hens were all brown. I am unsure if "Banty" is actually a breed.. this is just what they were called. I would like to find out using my pictures which kinds of chickens they are in the future..

But for now, I am looking for general information on which type of chicken is recommended for laying eggs(just enough for a small family) and the general maintenance aside from feeding/cleaning etc. One thing my boyfriend mentioned, do they need yearly vaccines? Like a household pet or livestock?

Sorry for my ignorance, but I joined this forum to learn, so please give me any advice you have!

 

[ChirpChickens]

Hi! And welcome to BYC!

Your "Bantys" are bantams, personally I love them! Chickens do not have to be vaccinated (Dang that would be ONE bill!!) goodluck on your chicken ventures and I hope you learn a lot from BYC! It's proven to be very helpful!

 

[Costley]

Thanks for the advice! Do you think this little one is a Bantam? I adore the colour pattern and would love to find one of my own

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC!
Bantam is a size of chicken, they are usually about 1/4 the size of the regular/ standard ones, there are bantam versions of almost all breeds, and some that only come in bantam. You might like to check out Feathersite, lots of pictures, these are d'Uccles the Mille Fleur color pattern is similar and really popular and really pretty http://feathersite.com/Poultry/CGK/Millies/BRKMilleFleur.html
If you have pictures of the ones you are trying to id, you can post them in the What Breed Or Gender Is This forum for help with figuring them out www.backyardchickens.com/f/15/what-breed-or-gender-is-this
Most people with small flocks do not vaccinate their chickens mostly because it is not really practical (poultry vaccines usually come in around 1000 dose vials etc). Hatcheries do offer some that need to be done when the chicks are a day old, ie Mareks which is usually a good idea to have done. Many people do worm once or twice a year as a matter of routine, otherwise keeping an eye our for lice / mites etc and treating if they crop up is about it.
For breeds, you might also like to check out your state/country thread to see what people in your area have. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/270925/find-your-states-thread
Here are a couple of links to some nice chicken breed comparison charts you might like http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html and http://www.albc-usa.org/documents/chickenbreedcomparison.pdf when you have narrowed down your choices, don't forget to check the BYC Reviews section for member reviews on the different breeds. For egg numbers alone, the Red Sex Links (Golden Comet, Red Stars, ISA Browns etc) for brown eggs are probably the most popular layers around. If you want breeds that don't lay quite as well but will lay for a longer time, Australorps, Orpingtons (lots of people really like these, great pets though broody), Plymouth Rocks, Sussex, Delaware and Wyandottes are some other popular breeds that are usually pretty easy to get along with, they all lay different shades of brown eggs. And for different colored eggs, the Easter Egger, often sold as Ameraucana by hatcheries, are a fun breed because they usually lay green/blue eggs, abd the Welsummer and Marans for dark brown eggs.



You might like to check out the BYC Learning Center, lots of good articles on all aspects of chicken keeping. https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/1/Learning_Center

 

[drumstick diva]

Bantams are small sized chickens and can be any number of breeds. Some of the larger breeds of chicken like Cochins also come in a bantam size.

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

I have never kept bantams, so I am not much help to you.

Kelsie has really left you with some great links to follow. And definitely look at those breeds pages. Lots of info about the different breeds there.

Good luck with your new poultry adventures and welcome to our flock!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Welcome to BYC.

Glad you joined us.

 

[gander007]

 

[liz9910]

Welcome to BYC! I raise Seramas, which are the smallest breed of bantam chickens. They are so cute.