juttley72 Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Hi I have recently got myself 8 hens. My mother in law just loves them so much and would like to get some for herself. She has a small garden and room limited. There is no grass but ground has shale/pebbles. Her boundaries will be secure but around 4/5ft high in parts. She wonders whether bantams would be the best. Preferrably a good layer not a good flyer as she doesn't want to collect them from neighbours gardens. Certainly need to be friendly. Does anyone have any suggestions? She likes the look of sillkies but not particulalry good layers I wonder whether a hybrid would be suitable? Cheers Sally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 We have Polish Bantams- they are the ones with the bouffant hair dos. They are good layers ( 10-12 a week from 2 of them from Feb to end Dec) and they are also very funny and friendly. Some people say their hairdo is a problem but we've never found it so. They can fly and their wings are not clipped, but the only time they do is when they are at the bottom of the garden and they see me with treats - then they lift off the ground a few inches and zoom down! A friend has silkies which are also cute. They don't fly. I think it fair to say that bantams make less mess - but that's relative - all chickens make a mess! Hope that helps Tricia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 How about looking at bantams with feathery legs - seemingly they are less destructive of the garden, but this is from heresay not experience. Dutch Bantams have a reputation for laying reasonably well and being tame, palcid, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 My next door neighbour is very garden proud and has 3 pekin bantams. They don't scratch the grass at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Yep, Bantams would be the way to go. I have a small selection - Polands are as mad as a bag of snakes, & lay a decent sized sgg, Pekins are full of character & very pretty, laying a 'half' sixed egg. My others are tiny Barbus, laying the same size egg as the Pekin. They don't scratch as much, BUT they are as noisy as my big girls sometimes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlotta Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 My pekins certainly dug up my grass!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teri Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 She likes the look of sillkies but not particulalry good layers I wonder whether a hybrid would be suitable? Cheers Sally i would avoid silkies if your looking for a good egg layer. mine stopped laying early spring and went very broody. after a week or so i gave in and got some eggs for her. they failed to hatch....she remained broody...i got more eggs...i now have seven chicks!!! pekins are very cute but i'm not sure about egg production to be honest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juttley72 Posted August 13, 2009 Author Share Posted August 13, 2009 Hi, Cheers for all your responses. We went to a local breeder and she loved the silver laced wyndandottes and red hampshire bantams. Think she will go for these. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
