Serama or Dutch?

[HayBabies]

I would like to get some small bantams. Are Serama or Dutch easyer to keep and breed? Don't have plans on showing, but would like to hatch out eggs. We already have a heated area for them in the winter. Just wanted to know what ones are better for newbies.

Becky

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I don't have Seramas or Dutch, but my friend has 1 light brown dutch bantam hen, and I would go with the Dutch. They don't eat abunch, they need little space. And lthey lay lots of small white eggs and are very friendly. They are suppost to go broody, too. But they can't hatch a large clutch of eggs, because they're so small. Hope this helps.

 

[poultryhaven]

SERAMAS!!!!!

I love my seramas! I have pics of them on my BYC page! They are friendly, lays eggs quite often. Dont require much space and they can go broody. The chicks are really small.
I have had one dutch and it attacked me. I know there is exceptions so i'm not saying dutch are mean. I just got stuck with a bad roo haha. I would go with seramas!

 

[Akane]

Dutch would be easier to get started in. It's rare to get a really good serama hatch from shipped eggs for a variety of reasons. The quality is also quite random and many don't have more than a pair or 2 which contributes to both the hatching problems (old or infertile eggs) and the quality (inbred birds with no real breeding program). It's even more rare to get a really good looking small serama. It depends whether the small size and look is more appealing to you than the increased difficult or cost. Good quality dutch can be difficult to get your hands on too but if you aren't picky about color then not nearly as bad as seramas. Also japanese bantams and oegb are the same size as the dutch and the larger seramas that will make up most of your hatches from ebay or eggbid eggs. OEGB are hardy bantams that would be easier to raise but are more active and require more space than the other tiny bantams.

Once you have an established flock hatching your own eggs even from seramas is not difficult. They have about the same hatch rates as anything else. Also despite being the most sensitive to the cold my seramas just survived our winters up here in Iowa with -20F nights several times over the winter and no heat. All the rest can handle it even better so that's not really a concern. Mainly it's getting started in each breed that varies on difficulty especially if we are talking anywhere close to show quality. I'd also be more inclined to free range oegb than seramas with japs and dutch in the middle. Being small birds they are all susceptible to more predators than usual. Mine are being penned up in the garden this year with only my extra japs and bantam EE free ranging with the standards and guinea fowl.