What Is A Good Bantam Chicken Breed to Show?

[Willowspirit]

Wyandottes come in bantam size. They are gentle, easily handled & very pretty.

I have large sized Ws and they are so sweet. We had to move the runt because she was getting picked on. I was holding her while my hubby set up a cage for her next to the Orps we want to integrate her with and she just snuggled down and relaxed. I've probably handled her least of all my Ws. OMG. I'm in love!

 

[TheBantyShanty]

Okay, so I suggest you backtrack and check out what other people are showing. As a beginner you don't want to enter the chicken equivalent of Golden Retriever s. Also with your list of desired breeds you need to find where you can get the highest quality birds to show. Maybe this will lead to a mentorship.

You might see if there is a breed club or group for the chickens you are interested in and you might join that. Any kind of showing can get nasty so remember to be nice to everyone, don't gossip and don't listen to gossip because it can bite you in the rear.

That said a friend of mine has a sweet, gentle OEGB and two adorable D'Uccles. She got all of them as adults and they are friendly. I think they are all beautiful! I'm getting d'Uccle chicks in June including my only rooster. OEGB appeal to me too.

Im envious. If I were younger I would want to do this too! Best if luck to you!

Thank you for all of the information and advice, it is very helpful!

Yes, when I first got my Sebrights, I looked around for groups and websites on that breed and they were very helpful!

Yeah, those are some of my favorite breeds, they are all so pretty, especially the d'Uccles!

Thank you for this advice, it is very much appreciated!

 

[TheBantyShanty]

Wyandottes come in bantam size. They are gentle, easily handled & very pretty.

I have always loved the Wyandottes, they are very beautiful! I actually just got 2 Silver Laced Wyandotte chicks and they are so pretty already! I am very excited to see them grow up!

 

[TheBantyShanty]

I have large sized Ws and they are so sweet. We had to move the runt because she was getting picked on. I was holding her while my hubby set up a cage for her next to the Orps we want to integrate her with and she just snuggled down and relaxed. I've probably handled her least of all my Ws. OMG. I'm in love!

Aww, she sounds so sweet! I believe we also got the large sized Wyandotte, they are going in the laying flock with the other chicks!

 

[Birds of a Feather]

Dutch Bantams are great. They’re small, good layers, frequently broody, beautiful, and recognized by the APA and ABA.

 

[TheBantyShanty]

Dutch Bantams are great. They’re small, good layers, frequently broody, beautiful, and recognized by the APA and ABA.

They are gorgeous! Those are some characteristics that I would prefer, they sound like a nice chicken! One question I do have though, I have heard that they are flighty, and I am wondering how flighty they are. I currently have Sebrights and they fly away from me all the time! I don't really mind if they are flighty but it does make them harder to catch if they get away .

 

[Watermelon123]

Speaking as a current 4her, the best SHOWMANSHIP breed in my opinion would be D'uccles. In my experience:
*They have been very tame and being a bantam, they are easy to control in the ring.
*For showmanship they give you the advantage of "extra" parts- feathered feet, vulture hocks, beards, muffs, AND a single comb that makes it easy to identify its parts.
*They are easy to find and only come in 7 varieties (easier to remember than OEGBs who have 28!)
Of course, go with what you know, I personally know Amerucanas best so I am in the ring with my black hen 98% of the time.

As for SHOWING, I find its a matter of what you can get your hands on. Good advice to go around and looking at local poultry clubs. I would also recommend Poultry Show Central to get in contact with some breeders and/or find some shows where you can get birds from (my current project birds are from a show I recently attended). If you have a certain breed you for sure know you want, look to see if their respective "clubs" have a breeder directory online.

 

[TheBantyShanty]

Speaking as a current 4her, the best SHOWMANSHIP breed in my opinion would be D'uccles. In my experience:
*They have been very tame and being a bantam, they are easy to control in the ring.
*For showmanship they give you the advantage of "extra" parts- feathered feet, vulture hocks, beards, muffs, AND a single comb that makes it easy to identify its parts.
*They are easy to find and only come in 7 varieties (easier to remember than OEGBs who have 28!)
Of course, go with what you know, I personally know Amerucanas best so I am in the ring with my black hen 98% of the time.

As for SHOWING, I find its a matter of what you can get your hands on. Good advice to go around and looking at local poultry clubs. I would also recommend Poultry Show Central to get in contact with some breeders and/or find some shows where you can get birds from (my current project birds are from a show I recently attended). If you have a certain breed you for sure know you want, look to see if their respective "clubs" have a breeder directory online.

Thank you for this advice! D'uccles are one of my favorites, and that is one of the ones that I am considering. I am glad to hear that they did good for you in showing, and that they do give an advantage. One thing I was curious about though, is the maintenance for the bird. Is it very hard to keep their feathered feet clean, or do they not get very messy? I have not yet had a bird that has feathered feet, so I have no experience with that sort of feature. Ok, I will look around in those and see what I find!

 

[Birds of a Feather]

In my experience, Dutch Bantams are the absolute best showmanship chickens. They are very smart and easily trained and pose well for the judge. They are easy to clean for show due to their lack of foot feathers. If handled from chicks, they can become very tame.

 

[TheBantyShanty]

In my experience, Dutch Bantams are the absolute best showmanship chickens. They are very smart and easily trained and pose well for the judge. They are easy to clean for show due to their lack of foot feathers. If handled from chicks, they can become very tame.

They sound awesome! I am glad to hear that they pose for the judge. I practiced that with my rooster and after awhile he learned what to do!