Raising My First Batch of Bantam Chicks!

[Senorahoney]

Those sound amazing! I haven’t received my mille fleur yet…I’m getting a “mottled “Cochin..I’m gonna look yours up
I also getting a blue sex- linked Easter egger bantam hen and a frizzle Easter egger hen…are yours all hens?

 

[Senorahoney]

Here is a photo

4- Millie Fleur D’Uccles
4- Black Silkies
3- Birchen Cochin bantams
3- Black-tailed white Japanese bantams

(My first time for all these breeds! )

Beautiful beautiful beautiful!!! I absolutely love the birches and the Japanese bantams…are they all hens?

 

[pecky33]

I love Easter Eggers, and yours sound like really fun varieties!!!

No mine are not all female. I got straight run.

• Out of my 3 Japanese it looks like I have 2 cockerels.
• 1/4 of my D’Uccles is surely a male
• And it looks like maybe all 3 of my Cochins are girls!
• (No idea what any of my Silkies are )

I am hoping to keep a rooster from each breed if they are kind-enough (the Japanese are already looking to be the most sassy…). It’s been a long time since we’ve had roosters and I love them! We also let our chickens free range our field so I’m not worried about close quarters for the roos.

 

[Senorahoney]

Beautiful beautiful beautiful!!! I absolutely love the birches and the Japanese bantams…are they all hens?

I’ve re-read my replies to you and I seem to be repeating myself a lot. I still haven’t been able to send photos when I meant to. I also don’t know how to put a little heart the way people do when they like a reply

how is everything going?

 

[pecky33]

I’ve re-read my replies to you and I seem to be repeating myself a lot.

That’s totally okay!

I also don’t know how to put a little heart the way people do when they like a reply

Instead of just tapping the “like” button, try holding it for 1 second, then the other reaction options should pop up.

how is everything going?

Good! The days where I am have been getting up in the low 90s (Fahrenheit) so I now leave my chicks’ heat lamp pff during the day and on at night. They probably don’t even really need it at night, but I just want to be cautious. But if I leave it on during the day, they pant and are too hot!

I know you’re not supposed to take the heat off them completely until they are fully feathered (the silkies are farthest from that…) but I think that’s for colder climates. I have never raised chicks this late in the year, so I’m still learning. The last time I raised chicks was 5 years ago and we got them in the end of March, versus mine now which I got at the end of May.

 

[pecky33]

Hi everybody!
I know for sure I have 3 roosters (2 Japanese, 1 D’uccle) and the D’uccle has started trying to crow! It’s pretty much like a hoarse scream right now, but you get the gist. It’s pretty cute! His name is Scuby, and he’s so friendly and snuggly. I love him so much! I’m planning on keeping him and hopefully one of my Japanese cockerels: Francisco.

 

[Senorahoney]

I just saw that you took them outside? I didn’t know that you could…maybe you can give me some tips? They are only four days old and I should wait.View attachment 4146960

Hi Pecky…I didn’t abandon you…I had a stroke (actually 2)but I am doing better…just keep me out for a while having my little chicks to take care of was a great encouragement and something I look forward to and enjoyed it very much. I was looking at them yesterday and remembering that you had a Cochin bantam and Mille Fleur d’uccle…
The Cochin bantam is hilarious to look at, don't you think? I told my grandson I was gonna nickname her buddy because she look like one of the Budweiser Clydesdale horseshow are you and your little chicks doing?

 

[pecky33]

Hi Pecky…I didn’t abandon you…I had a stroke (actually 2)but I am doing better…just keep me out for a while having my little chicks to take care of was a great encouragement and something I look forward to and enjoyed it very much. I was looking at them yesterday and remembering that you had a Cochin bantam and Mille Fleur d’uccle…
The Cochin bantam is hilarious to look at, don't you think? I told my grandson I was gonna nickname her buddy because she look like one of the Budweiser Clydesdale horseshow are you and your little chicks doing?

Sounds like you had a rough time! I hope you’re doing better! Wishing you luck!

Yes, those cochins are hilarious! Mine are very personable and always are the first to waddle up to me. And they’re so fluffy! That’s a funny comparison. I love it.

 

[pecky33]

Chick update! They are no longer free ranging with our standard hens because 2 of my Silkies got killed by some animal (including my favorite Silkie: White Toes). So I had to do some unexpected payments to buy them a coop and run and THEN a run extension (the gray one). Oh and that white tub has dirt in it for them to dust-bathe because they’re in all grass, but they haven’t used it yet…

Otherwise they are all safe and happy now.

They were all in the coop for these pics despite it being daytime and I’m hoping this means someone’s laying and egg soon! I have standard hen’s eggs in their nest boxes to help promt them.

I’m down to 9 bantams. This is because 2 Silkies died and I gave away 2 other bantams to a friend (Penny, a cochin pullet, and Pickles, a Japanese cockerel). Nothing was wrong either of those two and I loved them, but I was freeing up space in my banty coop and I had planned to give some away anyway when I bought them.

 

[ChickenChick46]

Chick update! They are no longer free ranging with our standard hens because 2 of my Silkies got killed by some animal (including my favorite Silkie: White Toes). So I had to do some unexpected payments to buy them a coop and run and THEN a run extension (the gray one).

Otherwise they are all safe and happy now.
View attachment 4218676View attachment 4218677

They were all in the coop for these pics despite it being daytime and I’m hoping this means someone’s laying and egg soon! I have standard hen’s eggs in their nest boxes to help promt them.

I’m down to 9 bantams. This is because 2 Silkies died and I gave away 2 other bantams to a friend (Penny, a cochin pullet, and Pickles, a Japanese cockerel). Nothing was wrong either of those two and I loved them, but I was freeing up space in my banty coop and I had planned to give some away anyway when I bought them.

They are beautiful! I'm really sorry for your losses.