Your experiences with Japanese (standard & bantam)

[beepbeepinajeep]

DH ordered four Japanese phoenix, but was mistakenly sent Japanese bantam. Three have died & the fourth one is sick. We have not had a problem with any other breeds or ages! Our extension agent had us put them on sulmet & I thought this last one was fine (been two weeks since we lost one). He told us that Japanese just aren't hardy. DH would love to get some Japanese phoenix, but losing birds is heartbreaking to me. What has your experience been?

 

[becky3086]

I have a few Japanese, they seem just as hardy as the others. I would say there was something else going on with yours. I did however lose all but one of my mottled Japanese bantams, but I never found out why. I still have the black tailed buff hens, a mottled roo, and a black tailed white that I hatched though and I have a whole bunch of Japanese black tailed buff x mille fleur chicks, lol.

 

[beepbeepinajeep]

I think maybe I need to find a local breeder. These came from Ideal. I have had great luck with what I have bought locally/hatched myself. Are show quality Japanese pretty expensive? Would I be able to find breeders with show quality birds at our fair?

 

[Cuban Longtails]

Japanese are bantam only. There is not a standard size.

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGD/Japs/BRKJap.html

If you mean Phoenix:

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Phoen/BRKPhoenix.html

there are a few breeders who are members of this board. Napalongtails is one of them. Locked Hearts is another.

 

[mom2chicksandpups]

I received a mixed box of bantams a few months ago that stayed in the mail too long. It was horrible because I lost the majority of them. There was one little tiny black tailed buff Japanese in the box that just seemed to thrive. She held her head high with all the larger chicks from the very beginning and we still have her now. She is a tiny girl still, but she has personality and holds her own even though she's the smallest pullet in my pen. I was surprised that she made it when she was so tiny and most of the larger breeds didn't do as well. She is a bit snippy and will bite at other chickens a little, but I think she has had to be this way because of her small size. She's not the friendliest pet chicken, but there is just something about her personality that I like.

 

[beepbeepinajeep]

Maybe that is how we got the bantams I think on McMurray's site they have the Phoenix listed as Japanese Phoenix.

 

[StrawberryHouseMouse]

I never had trouble with Japanese bantams. But I never tend to do well with hatchery chicks. This spring I bought 20 chicks from Cackle Hatchery. 10 polish and 10 sultans. Out of that ten, currently I only have 4 polish and 5 sultans left.

 

[mom2chicksandpups]

The chicks that I mentioned above were also from Cackle Hatchery. Most of mine died. I actually got a call from them today saying they could not ship any more chicks to my area (after I placed a new order with them) because of too many chick deaths during shipment. I guess this is something new that they are doing. The ones that did live are great chickens now--and very pretty. This is why I had tried to order from them again.

I have 4 Polish from them. I had ordered 10 and 5 lived. I sold one rooster because I had 2 and only wanted 1. I get compliments all the time on the 4 that I have left. They are great! I have one white crested black, one white crested blue (my rooster), and 2 buff laced. One of the buff laced has the cutest beard and the others are non-bearded.

 

[beepbeepinajeep]

I think this has made me even more resolved to try and buy local if at all possible. I will be on the lookout for someone near me with them

 

[SPRING CREEK FARM]

Wow, it must have just been a sickly batch that you got or something; we have white Japanese black tails, 3 roos and 7 hens and buff Japanese black tails, 2 roos and 3 hens and we have hatched out literally dozens of chicks and so have the hens! They have never been sick and absolutely thrive and I can't get over how many babies these few hens can produce in a season. I wish that I were closer to you, I would certainly cut you a great deal on some chicks; I reckon I have at least 40-50 chicks right now ranging in age from less that a week up to 2 months and there are still hens setting this very minute...