Tell me about bantams

[MountainMomma359]

So we just have 4 girls in my backyard on roughly half an acre. My husband is not an "animal person" in the way I am. He likes them in small doses, I would take 10 of each Butttt he has been actually saying maybe we need one more chicken. So Im just thinking maybe 2 bantams? That way it would have a similar friend but still not take up much more space. Tell me your experiences with bantams in general- I know there are different breeds. Egg laying? Temperature tolerance? Friendliness? We will probably end up doing nothing, but just in case lol.

 

[janiedoe]

I would not add just one. That one would probably be picked on for life. As far as bantams, if you buy two be prepared for one or both to be cockerels.

I have a few bantams. They are all friendly. The cochins are especially gentle and friendly. So much so that I keep them seperate from my large flock.
Just be prepared for stress if you add one or two, to your established flock. Best of luck!

 

[Chikenshiken]

So we just have 4 girls in my backyard on roughly half an acre. My husband is not an "animal person" in the way I am. He likes them in small doses, I would take 10 of each Butttt he has been actually saying maybe we need one more chicken. So Im just thinking maybe 2 bantams? That way it would have a similar friend but still not take up much more space. Tell me your experiences with bantams in general- I know there are different breeds. Egg laying? Temperature tolerance? Friendliness? We will probably end up doing nothing, but just in case lol.

I have one bantam! She is a house chicken, mostly. She goes outside for a bit to mingle with the flock and comes back inside at night to sleep in her little crate in my room. Bantams are wonderful. They’re so friendly and cuddly mine loves to follow me around in the yard and let me pet her beard. Their eggs are actually I found not much smaller than my golden comets. Sometimes she’ll even lay a same size egg and I’m so amazed at her! She is my first bantam and definitely not my last. They are a little pea brained but I think my girl is just a little dumb . If you’re adding bantams, they will get bullied heavily. I’ve had my bantam for a year and she’s still not accepted into the flock and not even allowed into the coop without a whole uprising from my big girls. So just be mindful, integrating bantams is not easy. If they are attacked it can be brutal. My first attempt integrating them led it a piece of her crown being bitten off. It’s really difficult! Especially if they are drastically different colors and makeup than your regular chickens. Like them having boots or most of your chickens being brown and the bantam being white. Other than that, I don’t regret getting her at all if I’m being honest she’s a lot more sweeter than regular laying hens and I see a lot of people online with bantams having the same experience. If you’re willing to take the risk of integrating and the possibility of them not being accepted and having their own separate space, you’ll find a lot of love in something so tiny. Here’s a picture of my silly bearded moonbeam bantam good luck on whatever decision you make!

 

[Callender Girl]

I have had great experiences with my Bantam girls, less great with the roosters.

Cochin Bantams Sally, a Barred, and Gabby, a Red Frizzle, were raised with full-sized chickens and had no issues. I was concerned about how Gabby would deal with our harsh winters, but her previous owner pointed out that Gabs had done just fine through two bad weather winters, and she continues to have no issues.

No one sells that I'm aware of sells sexed Bantam chicks, and when I added three Bantams two years ago, I ended up with two roosters. All were supposed to be Cochins, one boy was not. The Booted Bantam boy was a total jerk who attacked the rooster he was growing up with, visitors and me. He went off to live in a rooster flock elsewhere and is doing fine.

Once Pauly was gone, BIlly Boy -- the former "victim" became a jerk, too. It took a long time and effort for him to realize that attacking me was not acceptable. He is very attentive to his girls, tries to keep them safe and lets them have first choice of treats. A light Blue Cochin, he's beautiful but I doubt we will ever be good friends.

The little dark Blue hen was wonderful. Like Sally and Gabby -- who free range with the others during the day but are housed separately at night -- she knew her own name and was an absolute doll. We had an extremely tough bout of frigid weather in December where all the chickens piled into the same nest box. She was on the bottom and was smothered.

Sally, BTW, has one bad foot and leg following surgery for a stricture. She hops with great gusto and is fierce -- she runs off any full-sized hen who messes with her. But, she had never shown any aggression toward people; she just stands her ground when someone tries to bully her -- or, in the case of Billy Boy, mate with her. She runs his fluffy feathered butt under one of the coops every time he makes an attempt.

My little jewels were raised with full-sized girls and do fine with bigger chickens. They were the only Bantams in a mixed flock at their previous home.

The girls' eggs are small, and they have -- like big Cochins -- a tendency to go broody. But I totally love Cochin Bantams and think they could be a great option for you. They are everything that's wonderful about chickens, wrapped up in a tiny, cute package.

Best wishes with whatever you decide!

 

[SouthofFla]

I had a trio of chochin bantams, and they were great. Laid beautiful little eggs and came when called. I tried to recreate that trio with other bantams and found them noisy and unproductive. Good luck!

 

[SueT]

I have a Sebright hen named Moonshine and she’s my favorite chicken and only bantam. She lives with the big flock, she doesn’t think she’s little, she has a big attitude. She’s bossy and is higher in pecking order than several of the large girls.
She lays lovely little eggs, which are actually kind of big for her tiny size. Little eggs are great for half recipes….
She goes broody a LOT! Like once a month in the summer. She has raised several batches of chicks, some standard size, some her own half-bantam children. She’s a great mom.
This little bird is so friendly and smart. I’ve taught her to fly up onto my arm, like a falcon.

 

[SueT]

I wanted to mention that adding any new flock members is usually stressful. Your current hens probably are not going to be kind to newcomers, so have a plan.

 

[Ponyiqandhens2]

I have had great experiences with my Bantam girls, less great with the roosters.

Cochin Bantams Sally, a Barred, and Gabby, a Red Frizzle, were raised with full-sized chickens and had no issues. I was concerned about how Gabby would deal with our harsh winters, but her previous owner pointed out that Gabs had done just fine through two bad weather winters, and she continues to have no issues.

No one sells that I'm aware of sells sexed Bantam chicks, and when I added three Bantams two years ago, I ended up with two roosters. All were supposed to be Cochins, one boy was not. The Booted Bantam boy was a total jerk who attacked the rooster he was growing up with, visitors and me. He went off to live in a rooster flock elsewhere and is doing fine.

Once Pauly was gone, BIlly Boy -- the former "victim" became a jerk, too. It took a long time and effort for him to realize that attacking me was not acceptable. He is very attentive to his girls, tries to keep them safe and lets them have first choice of treats. A light Blue Cochin, he's beautiful but I doubt we will ever be good friends.

The little dark Blue hen was wonderful. Like Sally and Gabby -- who free range with the others during the day but are housed separately at night -- she knew her own name and was an absolute doll. We had an extremely tough bout of frigid weather in December where all the chickens piled into the same nest box. She was on the bottom and was smothered.

Sally, BTW, has one bad foot and leg following surgery for a stricture. She hops with great gusto and is fierce -- she runs off any full-sized hen who messes with her. But, she had never shown any aggression toward people; she just stands her ground when someone tries to bully her -- or, in the case of Billy Boy, mate with her. She runs his fluffy feathered butt under one of the coops every time he makes an attempt.

My little jewels were raised with full-sized girls and do fine with bigger chickens. They were the only Bantams in a mixed flock at their previous home.

The girls' eggs are small, and they have -- like big Cochins -- a tendency to go broody. But I totally love Cochin Bantams and think they could be a great option for you. They are everything that's wonderful about chickens, wrapped up in a tiny, cute package.

Best wishes with whatever you decide!

Meyers sells sexed bantams and i think ideal has a few breeds of sexed bantams

 

[Chikenshiken]

I have a Sebright hen named Moonshine and she’s my favorite chicken and only bantam. She lives with the big flock, she doesn’t think she’s little, she has a big attitude. She’s bossy and is higher in pecking order than several of the large girls.
She lays lovely little eggs, which are actually kind of big for her tiny size. Little eggs are great for half recipes….
She goes broody a LOT! Like once a month in the summer. She has raised several batches of chicks, some standard size, some her own half-bantam children. She’s a great mom.
This little bird is so friendly and smart. I’ve taught her to fly up onto my arm, like a falcon.
View attachment 3402660View attachment 3402661

Your bantam is adorable! I’m wondering, since you also only have one bantam in a big flock, how did you integrate them? Or were they hatched together? Never had success in integrating mine it’s more like me and her are flock mates now! She’s switched to a sweet house life because of this. I thought I’d have greater success integrating them because my chickens were docile but I was very very wrong

 

[Ponyiqandhens2]

My best bantam is a spangled old english,very broody.. very much a people bird when not with a clutch or chicks

Floof is a mille fleur belgian d'uccle ,shes a sweetie talkative opinionated fun to be around

Golden sebright roo is not people oriented but exceptional rooster
Golden sebright pullet looks into your soul flighty smart good free ranger.. independent

Green queen pullet and cockrel bantams 4 months younger than the rest.. flock is mixed with assorted ages from large heritage to eggers to tiny sebrights..

If i intentionally add bantams i will add old english game,color wontmatter just like the breed