should I get rid of my new Dutch Bantams?

[azelgin]

I think you would be fine with the larger run area. Giving them room to get out of each others way during the day seems to be more important than how crowded in they are at bed time. They all crowd next to each other as close as they can get on the roost anyway. Our banties sleep under the wings of the bigger hens on the roost at night.

 

[inudat12]

Honestly, I would wait and see. Give them time to adjust. I don't think I would add more or larger birds until you know for sure.

I purchased hens that were shipped from Indiana to Ohio, it took two days for them to get here. One hen starting laying right away the second one waited for 2 months. She and I sat down and had a long talk. I explained to her, she needed to start earning her keep or into the stew pot she was going.

Well, I guess, I wasn't specific enough, because she starting lay eggs in the woods and it took us almost two weeks to find them. Ohhhhh well, she's a laying machine now.

The only thing about banty eggs are they are small. So you may want to crack a large egg into a measure cup and see how much is there. Then crack the banty eggs into the measure cup til you get the same volume.

JMO
Tracy

 

[Kanchii]

I'd get one or two chicks of an egg laying breed (RIRs, golden comets, ect) and raise then introduce them to your dutch when they are still young, maybe at 1-2 months old so that they dont beat up the smaller girls much.

 

[tiki244]

Quote:
this sounds like a good idea, but thne you have to wait for the eggs, but probably only 4 monthes, I think 2 normal sized hens would be good for you to have,,it sounds like enough room to me

They like to be snuggly close at night

I have banties and I dont get very many good sized eggs. When i have breakfast I have to eat 5-6 eggs just to be comperable to 2 large eggs of a regular breed RIR. If it wasnt for my bantam leghorns i would be out of luck but they lay all the time.

 

[chickenlady]

The coop and run is definately large enough to keep the dutch bantams and have 2 or even 3 large fowl. Dutch bantams usually dont grow over 1 lb. I have some dutch bantams and they lay up a storm, each one lays an egg a day, but it takes about 4 eggs to equal 1 large egg, lol. I say go get some new hens, introduce them slowly, you will have no problems and youll have the best of both worlds. Best of luck.

 

[JennsPeeps]

I agree that the hens coudl be going through an adjustment period. Give them a few weeks before you make a hard decision.

McDonald's is fast food. Chickens aren't!

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I have 5 Dutch banty hens and they must have been fairly young when I adopted them last fall. At first I only got 1-2 eggs per week. Now I'm getting 4-5 per day. I actually prefer the banty eggs over the regular eggs and have heard the same from other family members.

They are definitely more skiddish than large hens and hard to catch; I don't dare let them out of their pen or they'd be up in the trees. That's the only downside I've found. They are very friendly IF you can catch them!

 

[a2ms4chickens]

We have 6 bantam hens who lay eggs, but I also have 3 standard hens laying.

I hardboil and cut up the bantam eggs and feed them back to the birds. They absolutely love them.

That way, I get to keep the big eggs for us.

I personally love the bantam hens, they are very sweet.

Good luck with your decision.

Angie

 

[Nigellas]

Thanks you all.

What my husband and I decided was to try to sell the smallest (and shyest) of the three and get 2 young RIRs. (We are only allowed 4 total in the city.) Because she is s shy, I haven't really bonded with her, and based on her size compared to the other two, any egg she gave us would be the size of a quarter. lol.

Thanks for your help - it is very much appreciated.

 

[tiffanyh]

I think maybe your expecting to much to soon. If you have only had them a week, then I would think you are even luck to have one egg. It takes time for them to adjust and get into a routine of laying. I have Old English Bantams, they lay great. Yes the eggs are small, but taste just as good as the others and they are a lot less of a mess than my standards.

You might be diappointed when you get your RIR if you expect them to lay right away also.