What to expect from bantams?

Wink

Songster
9 Years
Aug 24, 2010
248
12
101
Texas
We will be buying our first ever set of chicks this upcoming spring and we've decided on all bantams just because the size of the coop
(4x4, not including the run) and Ive read that bantams do better in the heat (ooooh Texas heat, too).

well, I guess I can expect smaller eggs, but I guess I'm just trying to get feedback from bantam owners, since we never had chickens, and I'm trying to build a coop that is tailor made to the smaller chicken!
 
Congrat's on deciding on your first flock.Have you decided what kind yet? Yes you wont be getting the BIG egg's lol.If you decide on them you may need 2 or 3 to equal one large standard store bought egg.They are awesome though and great lap pet's too.I have raised a lot myself and basicaly to hatch and sell chicks or fancy my project's of breeding.If you are wanting just a few little egg's to eat from some bantam hen's I might suggest Cochin's,Silkie's, Bantam Polish,Bantam Sumatra's.OEGB lay really tiny egg's and Maylasian Serama even smaller.Hope you find a good breed for you.
 
Hi, thanks for the response! I'm planning on getting my chicks from mypetchicken, ( I'll have to pay extra because I want them all sexed as hens) an only myp seems to do this AND has small order shipping. So I'm thinking 3 americaunas (for each kid), two brahmas, and if I have to get more for shipping warmth purposes, I'm throwing in some white silkies because I heard they do the best in the heat. Mixed reviews on the mille de fleur and the heat, and i've heard the white leghorns are good with eggs and the heat but are not as friendly (the kids and I want semi friendly). Sooooo, it's more like whatever bantams MYP has in stock when I'm ready to order!
 
I have two Banty cochins... and l-o-v-e them. My 1.5 year old just finished hatching out her second brood and I even added week old chicks to the bunch and it went well
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Very peaceful birds.
 
I have both large fowl (standard breeds) and some bantam breeds of chickens. I love 'em all, but the midget chickens just make me smile MORE.

My favorite bantam breeds are the Cochins - friendly, silly, puffy, wandering around in their bedroom slippers.... But the Silver and Golden Sebrights are gorgeous! I have one pullet of each, plus two Silver Sebright roos. The roos are obnoxious, btw. I don't care for them as much.

I also have two bantam Easter Eggers and they're cute, too. They make me think of doves, though... except for the fluffy cheeks.

I've also got a bantam Buff Brahma rooster, and he's simply adorable. AND gorgeous. And fierce, too! Very good protector, although he isn't my dominant rooster.

Bantams FLY. (Well, maybe not the Cochins.) But the rest of them fly quite well. You know, for chickens. Up a good 5 or 6 feet, across a good 15 or 30 foot distance. They love to roost in trees during the day. Luckily, mine come back to their coop(s) at night so they can be locked up. Roost height won't be a problem - except you might keep a lower one for Cochins. (And I understand most Silkies don't roost at all, but I don't have any Silkies and I probably won't ever have any silkies.)

Hope this helps some with your decisions!
 
I just got 2 Silkies this year with my chick order. They are my first bantams. I LOVE them !!!!!!! One turned out to be a pullet and the other is a cockeral. He's beautiful and a super love. Out of the two he's my favorite. I have not done research as to whether they are heat tolerant or not but I certainly dont have to worry about excessive heat as I live in Maine. Have fun with this new adventure!
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I prefer bantam eggs to be honest... they have better yolk/ white ratio...

and some breeds will actually lay decent size eggs.. like your leghorn bantams, plymouth rock bantams..
 
What about belgian bearded d'anvers? I don't know if MPC sells them, but they're great in the heat, I think, but they're even better in the cold. They're small, curious, and adorable with there huge muffs and beards. Plus, they're GREAT layers, laying just about 1 egg everyday in the summer! You should look them up!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I have had strictly bantams for the last several years and just love them. I have cochins, silkies, and favs and get medium sized eggs, although the silkies and the cochins are some of the broodiest hens. I am always trying to get them off the nests. You won't regret getting bantams.
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