* Pippin's advice *

[Twinsies]

It looks male to me. Do you have any close ups of the face

That what I was afraid of.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

That what I was afraid of.

Unfortunately that's a little rooster

 

[Twinsies]

Unfortunately that's a little rooster

Thank you for the help! I just had a gut feeling because of how tall he was standing when the lady grabbed it out of the bin.

 

[FredHill]

Hello @PippinTheChicken ! Glad I found BYC and your info in particular. I'm considering getting a bantam-only flock due to a number of reasons.

1. Largely, it's because I'm space constrained with my coop and run (all yet to be finished).
2. My primary goal is to have birds that are very interesting to watch, i.e., cute, "ornamental", beautiful, unique personalities, interesting breeds
3. I also want birds that are fairly docile and easy to handle. I'm thinking smaller might be better in this regard?
4. I am a total novice and would like to start with a flock (with coop and run) that's easy to maintain. Smaller birds make smaller messes?
5. Egg production is a secondary goal. However, I am interested in whether I could get a larger hen for egg laying that would integrate well with a bantam flock?
6. I don't want roosters, at least not to start.
7. I'm thinking of a 6 hen flock, maximum, all bantams with 1 possible exception, a larger hen.
8. I live in central coastal Florida and it is HOT most of the time. 85% of the shade my flock will get will be because the coop and run will all be covered.

Sorry for so many asks, but could you speak to the above points specifically from a bantam expert opinion? Especially with regard to recommending particular bantam breeds, i.e., docile, pretty, low maintenance, flock integration, heat tolerant, space required for coop and run for this size flock.
If this is too much of an ask, I certainly understand. If so, perhaps you could just hit on some highlights?
Forever grateful!

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Welcome to BYC @FredHill ! I'm so glad you decided to message me.

Largely, it's because I'm space constrained with my coop and run (all yet to be finished).

Bantams don't need as much space as standard or LF chickens. They need a minimum of 2 square feet each in the coop, and 5 square feet in the run.

My primary goal is to have birds that are very interesting to watch, i.e., cute, "ornamental", beautiful, unique personalities, interesting breeds

Bantams are gorgeous! I have silkies, cochin mixes, a d'uccle, a frizzle, and a polish silkie. (And a silver sussex but she's standard size. Still gorgeous and sweet though!) They are all beautiful and have amazing personalities!

I also want birds that are fairly docile and easy to handle. I'm thinking smaller might be better in this regard?

All of my chickens are docile.
My order of sweetness in my flock goes like this:

• D'uccle- a lap baby
• Frizzle- likes hugs
• Brahma x cochins- very friendly
• (Silver sussex)
• Silkies- friendly but no cuddles
• Polish x silkie- don't touch me

I am a total novice and would like to start with a flock (with coop and run) that's easy to maintain. Smaller birds make smaller messes?

Smaller chickens may eat less, and therefore, produce less, and smaller poops. But all chickens come with mess, so maybe a small flock is right for you.

Egg production is a secondary goal. However, I am interested in whether I could get a larger hen for egg laying that would integrate well with a bantam flock?

I have my silver sussex, she's kind to the bantams and gets pecked more by them than she pecks them. They are very good together though. She lays a lot considering she's quite old. She's still very docile and friendly.

I'm thinking of a 6 hen flock, maximum, all bantams with 1 possible exception, a larger hen.

disclaimer. Always prepare for double the number of chickens you plan to get. They are addictive.

I live in central coastal Florida and it is HOT most of the time. 85% of the shade my flock will get will be because the coop and run will all be covered.

You'll need to research on some more heat hardy breeds, but all my chickens are fine in summer (30-35 degrees celcius)

recommending particular bantam breeds, i.e., docile, pretty, low maintenance, flock integration, heat tolerant, space required for coop and run for this size flock.

I recommend d'uccles 100%. They're sweet, beautiful, tiny, and friendly to all.

 

[FredHill]

Welcome to BYC @FredHill ! I'm so glad you decided to message me.

Bantams don't need as much space as standard or LF chickens. They need a minimum of 2 square feet each in the coop, and 5 square feet in the run.

Bantams are gorgeous! I have silkies, cochin mixes, a d'uccle, a frizzle, and a polish silkie. (And a silver sussex but she's standard size. Still gorgeous and sweet though!) They are all beautiful and have amazing personalities!

All of my chickens are docile.
My order of sweetness in my flock goes like this:

• D'uccle- a lap baby
• Frizzle- likes hugs
• Brahma x cochins- very friendly
• (Silver sussex)
• Silkies- friendly but no cuddles
• Polish x silkie- don't touch me

Smaller chickens may eat less, and therefore, produce less, and smaller poops. But all chickens come with mess, so maybe a small flock is right for you.


I have my silver sussex, she's kind to the bantams and gets pecked more by them than she pecks them. They are very good together though. She lays a lot considering she's quite old. She's still very docile and friendly.

disclaimer. Always prepare for double the number of chickens you plan to get. They are addictive.

You'll need to research on some more heat hardy breeds, but all my chickens are fine in summer (30-35 degrees celcius)

I recommend d'uccles 100%. They're sweet, beautiful, tiny, and friendly to all.

Thank you so very much for taking the time to give me your expert advice! Now how do I mark this so I can come back to it.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Thank you so very much for taking the time to give me your expert advice! Now how do I mark this so I can come back to it.

No problem! I'm always happy to help. There should be a little bookmark button at the top of my post.

 

[chickengr]

Hello @PippinTheChicken ! Glad I found BYC and your info in particular. I'm considering getting a bantam-only flock due to a number of reasons.

1. Largely, it's because I'm space constrained with my coop and run (all yet to be finished).
2. My primary goal is to have birds that are very interesting to watch, i.e., cute, "ornamental", beautiful, unique personalities, interesting breeds
3. I also want birds that are fairly docile and easy to handle. I'm thinking smaller might be better in this regard?
4. I am a total novice and would like to start with a flock (with coop and run) that's easy to maintain. Smaller birds make smaller messes?
5. Egg production is a secondary goal. However, I am interested in whether I could get a larger hen for egg laying that would integrate well with a bantam flock?
6. I don't want roosters, at least not to start.
7. I'm thinking of a 6 hen flock, maximum, all bantams with 1 possible exception, a larger hen.
8. I live in central coastal Florida and it is HOT most of the time. 85% of the shade my flock will get will be because the coop and run will all be covered.

Sorry for so many asks, but could you speak to the above points specifically from a bantam expert opinion? Especially with regard to recommending particular bantam breeds, i.e., docile, pretty, low maintenance, flock integration, heat tolerant, space required for coop and run for this size flock.
If this is too much of an ask, I certainly understand. If so, perhaps you could just hit on some highlights?
Forever grateful!

you can choose a bantam egg layer breed. you can google to find out what breeds are good layers. easter eggers and sussex bantams definitely are good layers.

 

[Donna Ritter]

Lots of people ask me about the things I know a lot about so I've decided ot make a thread where you can ask me questions about any of these things:

• Broody hens
• Hatching
• Helping to hatch
• Raising chicks
• Saving weak chicks
• Sexing silkies
• Raising chickens (specifically bantams) in general
• Any other advice

Please ask away! You can also post links to threads (your threads or someone else's) about any of those topics so I can find them and help out!

If you know about these stuff too, feel free to answer some as well. @Silkie Princess you know about broodies, and @LadiesAndJane you know about silkie sexing.

Hopefully we can end up with a large gathering of information so newbies can stop by and learn!

I have a hen sitting. My husband just built a new nesting box. Now he wants to move the eggs to the new box and take the old nest box out. How will that affect the hen and her eggs? She has been sitting for about 2 weeks.

 

[Donna Ritter]

I have a hen sitting. My husband just built a new nesting box. Now he wants to move the eggs to the new box and take the old nest box out. How will that affect the hen and her eggs? She has been sitting for about 2 weeks.