Thinking I shoud give Bantams a chance...

[Lauravonsmurf]

In the past all we have ever raised was big birds (even my daughters showmanship 4-H bird was a standard sized hen), but since we have less people to feed eggs to now (kids all grown up) and I think it might be fun to maybe do some breeding just for fun, I am thinking Bantams.

So I am thinking about Bantam EE and the ilk, Sultan, Polish, and a few others a try... depends on what I can get when I am ready... got to build a coop, I really love the look of Sultans... muffs, beards, crests, 5-toes and those vulture feathers... so cool!

I wil have to figure out how to keep roosters without annoying the neighbors though... more research to do.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Well been forever since I posted here. This year we expanded keeping and as a result are raising drastically different sized breeds. We were just doing a couple Standard egglayet breeds before. Now it’s bantams to really big. We are completely overhauling the coop area too. Should be a good opportunity to decide what breeds we like the best. Some are keepers no matter what.

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

A few of the birds...

Phoenix Bantams

Our 5 year old Amxericunana /Easter Egger Standard size

A couple of the D’Uccles

One of the Silkies

The Giant Brahmans... they are not even full grown

My Dinochickens (Oriental Gamefowl)

 

[KiwiandPeachthePigeons]

Those are beautiful chicks!

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

More birds at different levels of growth... some of these will be Standard sized other bantams. I have not taken pictures of all the chicks but because of weirdness getting chickens this year I have a crazy selection of breeds. I should have a good amount of eggs and egg colors. I should also be able to set up a couple cool breeding pure programs involving Phoenix, Ayam Cemani, and a few other rarer breeds. I also plan some hybrid breeding... I want to do some cross breeding with my laying hen breeds...

 

[KiwiandPeachthePigeons]

I love breeding hybrids because you never know what you can get! I say go for it!

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

I love breeding hybrids because you never know what you can get! I say go for it!

I am thinking of crossing a Longtail rooster over the various Laying Hen breeds... and select pullets to keep with lowest tail carriage, I love the more pheasant look... and keep breeding in that direction.

 

[FluffyBottomBantams]

Your babies are adorable!! That sultan chick is absolutely hilarious with the crest and foot feathers though I must say I’m a sucker for d’Uccles. Keep us updated on those breeding programs !!

 

[Lauravonsmurf]

Hubby loves the feathered feet so we now have a little gang of D’Uccles, Silkies, and Sultans. In addition he has a few Marans and Brahmas... lol I know he is planning to do some sort of breeding... he also got Ayams and hopefully the Black Swedish will hatch, which he plans to breed.

One of the Ayams is bantam sized so it is going to become a bantam project.

He wants to breed the broilers we have too...

Chicken math it’s a thing