Pipd's Peeps!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I will take a look at meyer. Of course, I've looked there already, but not with bantams in mind.

Our snow is so heavy, it would make good snowmen! I let the dogs run around in it yesterday - they just love it!

Same here, heavy, wet snow. My nephew spent an hour out there rolling an absolutely massive ball of snow to make a big snowman yesterday, and then just put a basketball-sized snow ball for the head and called it good enough.

Yikes. Meyers has lost its mind. I understand paying more for certain breeds/sexed, but $15+.
Is that normal? I love chickens, but I'm not a breeder. Just doing it for fun and some eggs. Guess I will just keep searching for someone to post they have some and snipe it as soon as I see it (not think it over for a week like I normally do). Lol

Shoot, yeah, I forgot about that! That's why I've only been thinking about them and not actually ordering any.

For a long time MyPetChicken was the only place to get sexed bantams (interestingly enough, through Meyer Hatchery even though Meyer, themselves, didn't offer them until recently!) and as I recall they also charged a lot for them, so yeah, that's probably typical for sexed bantams.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

It looks like some of Cackle Hatchery's bantams are sexed, too, and a little bit cheaper per chick than Meyer's sexed bantams, but pretty limited on the breeds that they sex. They have a sexed bantam pullet assortment deal, too, that says free shipping but then the price is more expensive than picking out the same number of specific breeds so I think the shipping is just built into the cost of that one.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Thanks for doing the research for me. I planned on it, but haven't gotten that far yet. I'm being super lazy right now. It's my day off and had a lot of things planned - but snow happened. Even though it doesn't affect half of what I have planned.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Haha, no worries! I thought I had remembered another hatchery having sexed bantams so I just did a quick google search to figure out which and thought I'd pass the info on since you were thinking about it!

I hear you! I've got some household chores to do today (mostly dishes, ugh), but I just want to snuggle with a blanket and maybe some hot cocoa on the couch and play on my computer.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Exactly!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

These are listed as silkie bantams, but they don't look like silkies. Do you know? Are they a mix? https://fortwayne.craigslist.org/pet/d/kendallville-silkie-bantam/7577110334.html

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Yeah, those appear to be Buff Cochin bantams. I'd say it's weird, but it's not the first time I've seen someone confuse those two breeds.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Yeah, those appear to be Buff Cochin bantams. I'd say it's weird, but it's not the first time I've seen someone confuse those two breeds.

I'm going to go look at them tomorrow. The person said they are 1 yr old. Is there anyway to actually tell age?
I will have them quarantined, but after that, I will have a set up for them in the run. Do you let your bantams and full sized birds mingle together? I have a couple of options if I need to keep them separate always.
Of course, I had a plan to order the special of 5 female bantams from cackle. But, they aren't available until June. With the special, you don't get to choose the breeds - which would be fun to guess once you get them. And then there is the constant worry with having chicks. I guess you take a risk either way.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

If they're a matter of weeks old, it's easier to pinpoint age. Once they get into months or years, it's harder to say. I would have pegged those birds for about 8 months old based on that picture, personally, but they're of the age where it's hard to be sure because different lines even within the same breed can mature at slightly different rates. I do wonder if the seller is saying one year old to indicate they hatched last spring, though, rather than meaning they hatched last January specifically, if that makes sense?

Yes, my bantams run with large fowl in my mixed flock. I've never had a problem with it except for years ago when I had a particularly aggressive large fowl hen that proved to be a danger to bantams, but nothing else in many years keeping them together. I would advise against having a large rooster if you have bantam hens for obvious reasons, but otherwise, they do fine in a mixed flock. For the most part, bantams don't even realize they're smaller than everyone else and will hold their own. As long as you integrate them carefully and keep an eye on things afterward, there should be minimal squabbling and they should get along fine once the pecking order has adjusted to them.

As far as chicks go, yeah, there are risks either way. You've just got to decide for yourself which risks you're willing to take, and if chicks seem to risky or stressful to you, that's perfectly fine, too.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

So, what you're saying is that chickens are like dogs - they don't know their size. I appreciate all of the input! I still might get chicks, just haven't decided as of yet. When I hatched those polish under my duck, we set up a camera. I could do that again to keep an eye on them when I'm not home.
So many decisions!