Which bantam breed?

[Mccluckers]

Hi guys I am try to choose my chicks for this year and I would like them too be Friendly to me but aware of predators, as my run is uncovered and we have a few Hawks. I also want the roosters to be gentle with hens. I am planning to get five chicks, not all the same breed. Below is the breed list from the breeder. Your opinions are very welcome!

Sebright
Sussex
Sablepoot
Wyandotte
Australaup
Hamburg
Rhode Island red
Welsummer
Pekin(cochin)
OEGB
Sumatra
Polish
Barbu d'uccle
Maran
brahma
Rose comb

Thanks

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

Hi guys I am try to choose my chicks for this year and I would like them too be Friendly to me but aware of predators, as my run is uncovered and we have a few Hawks. I also want the roosters to be gentle with hens. I am planning to get five chicks, not all the same breed. Below is the breed list from the breeder. Your opinions are very welcome!

Sebright
Sussex
Sablepoot
Wyandotte
Australaup
Hamburg
Rhode Island red
Welsummer
Pekin(cochin)
OEGB
Sumatra
Polish
Barbu d'uccle
Maran
brahma
Rose comb

Thanks

uh, your title is "which bantam breed" does that mean that you are getting bantams? Bantams IMO are not the best at looking out for things...plus they can be carried away easily.
australorp are a good bird, and are larger, so less of a worry with aerial predetors, good layers and have always been pretty friendly.
Cochins are my favorite breed, and are super friendly, but if you are getting the bantams, they will get eaten. Also, they are not the best layer.
Brahma's are awesome, and my roosters have always been pretty nice. They are big, and friendly
Marens are good too, though i only have second hand knowledge with them
Rhode island reds are great layers, and are fairly friendly, though not as much as the others
Wyandottes are really pretty, hardy, friendly, and can really push your buttons

Good luck!

 

[Mccluckers]

Yes ,these are all bantam breeds. I have a couple of bantams at the moment that I have has for 1 year and nothing has happened to them. Thank you for your suggestions.

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

Yes ,these are all bantam breeds. I have a couple of bantams at the moment that I have has for 1 year and nothing has happened to them. Thank you for your suggestions.

sure

I was going with the standards as my experience...the only bantams i keep are millie fluer d'uccles, cochins, silkies, and japanese bantams

If you have a run, stringing fishing line over the top in a crisscross patten will deter them. They will not swoop in for the kill if the see the string. any other strig works too

 

[Mccluckers]

I have done this in the duck run but I can't stand up! How small do text gaps need to be? My run Is very large, 35x 47m.
If any one else has any other suggestions please do let me know( about breeds)
Thanks again

 

[Ozarkhomesteader]

I have done this in the duck run but I can't stand up! How small do text gaps need to be? My run Is very large, 35x 47m.
If any one else has any other suggestions please do let me know( about breeds)
Thanks again

yeah, a large run would be hard. And not standing up is a problem. I did it in a smaller bantam run, but it was near trees so i could string it up higher....

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I keep Silkies in an uncovered run, they do well. They aren't the best for looking out for predators, but they have hiding places in their run and use them (even when the threat isn't a real one).
I also have several bantams in my free range flock. They're Japanese and a golden Phoenix, they do great out in the yard and are always on the look out for trouble. I had a few OEGB, but rehomed them because my turkeys, for whatever reason, did not care for them one bit. They free ranged well too.
Of the breeds you listed, I don't see why you couldn't pick your favorites and make a small flock of them. They're still chickens, still prey animals and will still flee if they can. Yes, they are smaller, but in my experience, predators don't discriminate based on size. I've lost plenty of standard chickens to them.
Good luck.