What birds would you say are easier to take care of? Homers or Chickens/bantams?

[aaabirdman]

Hi,

I am wondering if it is easier to take care of white homers or chickens/bantams as pets? Which of these would be better for a kid/young adult to take care of? The pigeons would be kept in a balcony that is 9' by 11', and the coop would be about 4x4, there would be 4 pigeons in the coop. The backyard which can be for bantams or regular chickens is 30' in lenth and 19' wide. 2-3 bantams or regular chickens would be kept in the coop, that would be the same size as the pigeon coop. The chickens would be taken out once a day to roam the backyard for a little bit. Though this may seem like a lot please tell me which of these choice would be better,easier and possibly less disturbing?

please reply I don't know what to do?

 

[larrylofts]

CHICKENS ARE THE EASIEST TO TAKE CARE OF I SAY THIS AS A PIGEON BREEDER AND CHICKEN BREEDER YOU CAN BUT AS MUCH EFFORT IN EACH BUT CHICKENS ARE SO MUCH EASIER TO CARE FOR THE BANTAMS WOULD BE BEST FOR THE SIZE PEN SILKIES OR COCHINS WOULD BE THE BEST BET VERY CLAM CAN NOT FLY JUST REALLY NEAT BIRDS I WOLD NOT GET A ROOSTER LIKE ANY OTHER CHICKEN BREEDS THEY CAN GET AGGRESIVE AND THE CROWING

 

[aaabirdman]

Is the barred rock bantam okay too?

 

[larrylofts]

YES THEY ARE JUST WAS THINKING CLAM AND EASY GOING BARRED ROCKS ARE GOOD JUST THEY CAN FLY UP AND ROOST ON PERCHES AND MAYBE HOP OVER FENCES

 

[NovaAman]

If you are wanting to have breakfast too, I'd look at what bantam chicken would be the best for that. If they are in a fenced yard, you an clip the wings or make a covered run. I have a few cochin bantams and get small eggs from them. BUT they go broody. A LOT. LOL. SO maybe bantam wyandottes. OR better yet, bantam Faverolles. Very calm and friendly birds. They are also very docile, so aren't really good with a more agressive breed as they tend to end up at the bottom of the pecking order. Would work out great with silkies, maybe buff orps as well.

 

[gunnarwordon]

its apples and oranges. Chickens are more efficient for homesteading and eggs, but pigeons are good for racing and showing..... it's all relative.

 

[Count Von Chickula]

What are you wanting to really do with your birds? I would tend to throw my vote toward the pigeons. I have chickens and they are more social (depending on what you get, etc.) and kids love them. They certainly will eat more and p**p A LOT more than pigeons... The chickens won't generally fly away on you (high back fence?), while pigeons can unless you clip a wing on the pigeons (not usually recommended though they grow back yearly). I'm trying to move away from chickens and get back into pigeons myself.

If your birds are going to be in somewhat confined cages most of the time, the pigeons will probably cope better if they have enough room to exercise. If you went with pigeons I'd suggest starting only with two birds and not four for the size of your balcony. I have a similar sized area for my chickens as you but went from 6 to just 2 and they share it with two ducks (and the area is a mess). Don't get me wrong, either scenario you are looking at would work, but unless you have experience with birds and kids are involved the pigeons would probably be easier to start with. If you get homers you can have a lot of fun (if you are willing to take the risk) of taking them out after they have nested -- and they really call your home theirs -- and let them out some distance away and wait for them to find home (for that you best talk to real homer raisers... I'm not).

Anyway, like I said, I'd lean toward pigeons... they are a little cleaner, cheaper to feed, and easy to raise. You can leave them alone if you have to go somewhere overnight and they will be fine if they have food/water (though their young will not win any beauty contests like chicks can)

good cluck...