egglicious Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 I was wondering if anyone could tell me how my lawn would do with five bantams tractored around in an eglu cube. I was going to get three LF and three banties but have been talked into only banties for my lawns sake and also because I didn't want to get a WIR just yet.. so, i'm just wondering how banties are with lawns? I do plan to move the cube around but the their area of lawn won't be that large. I am going to try to let them free range as much as I can but the hubby really cherishes his lawn... thought? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy ben grace Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Hi, you could always try keeping the cube in one spot and putting down some wood chip instead. At least then it would save you dragging the cube around and the rest of grass will be ok. If they are fr anyway they will be able to peck some grass. Your lawn should be ok , i have 5 banties/silkies on mine at the moment although i am not sure how the lawn will cope in the winter! Mine also have an area to themselves sectioned off with the omlet netting(stops them pooing all over the garden!), this works really well for me. Good luck with your new hens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egglicious Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Thanks so much for your reply. I'm going to try and place my chicken order right now. I am such a newbie I just have no idea what to expect! It will be an adventure for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Thanks so much for your reply. I'm going to try and place my chicken order right now. I am such a newbie I just have no idea what to expect! It will be an adventure for sure. Enjoy it all - it is the best thing I have ever done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 What banties are you going to get? If your hubby cherishes his lawn then ones with feathered feet might be a good idea as they tend to scratch a bit less. Examples are Silkies, Pekins, and I think Sablepoots (not sure if these are the same as Booted Bantams ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egglicious Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 Just placed my order!! Got one of the following: Rhode Island Red Americana (easter egger) Partridge Cochin (pekin) Buff Brahma Frizzle Cochin (for fun) I believe three of those have the fuzzy feet lol. It's just funny, the whole reason for chickens was supposed to be for eggs. I don't think i'll get many eggs, who knows. But it should be fun! Oh, and chicken bark, thank you SO MUCH for saying that. I tend to get very apprehensive about new projects but I have been wanting to do this for ages. Can't wait!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy ben grace Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 How exciting! we will want to see lots of pics when you get them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Oh yes would love to see them! I'm afraid you're lawn will take a bit if a bashing although the feathered feet chooks are a little gentler. All my current chooks have feathered feet and would still leave patches in the grass (this was 3 banties moved every 2 days). Once I got 3 more I moved them. They are now in a fixed area which is fenced off so they can do as they wish. It was full of weeds and plants to start with but is bare now. It has a 25m netting around it and they cleared it in a month to give you an idea. (I did have a pair of big hybrids at the time too though.) To be fair my grass was newly laid so maybe yours will fair a bit better. Yes you won't regret it. And you'll quickly forgive the mess they make. There's no reason you won't get lots of eggs esp from your rir. My pekins lay every other day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 It won't make any difference whether they have feathered feet or not sorry Some dig some don't - I would keep the cube in one place like someone else suggested Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted May 31, 2011 Share Posted May 31, 2011 Hi, I have silkies and I am afraid to say that our lawn really suffered last year so in feb we laid netting over the whole area and reseeded and now we have a lovely green lawn. The girls FR every day and eat the grass but crucially can,t dig or scratch it up. I would really recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarlettohara Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Hi, I have silkies and I am afraid to say that our lawn really suffered last year so in feb we laid netting over the whole area and reseeded and now we have a lovely green lawn. The girls FR every day and eat the grass but crucially can,t dig or scratch it up. I would really recommend it. I have the protective stuff and it's very good, my orp bantam digs holes in the grass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffypigs Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Yes my pekin bantams still managed to trash the lawn. They also moved all the loose topsoil from the flowerbeds onto the lawn so I had to install high border edging so that they couldn't flick the dirt out. Feathery diggers i call them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Just placed my order!! Got one of the following: Rhode Island Red Americana (easter egger) Partridge Cochin (pekin) Buff Brahma Frizzle Cochin (for fun) Are they all banties? Did you say where you were getting them from? I'm very about the Cochins and the Brahmas if they are banties. I can't wait to see some pictures of them. Will you be getting them as chicks or as POL? So many questions, sorry, just shows how I am Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egglicious Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 Just placed my order!! Got one of the following: Rhode Island Red Americana (easter egger) Partridge Cochin (pekin) Buff Brahma Frizzle Cochin (for fun) Are they all banties? Did you say where you were getting them from? I'm very about the Cochins and the Brahmas if they are banties. I can't wait to see some pictures of them. Will you be getting them as chicks or as POL? So many questions, sorry, just shows how I am Haha, yes they are all banties. I am in the US, Washington State. I just ordered them from my local feed store! So eggcited!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egglicious Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 I did order them as chicks but a farmer I met is going to raise them to six weeks for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopingforchickens Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 How exciting, I've had my chickens for 2 days now and I'm still skipping around!!! Can't wait for eggs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 I'm very about the Cochins and the Brahmas if they are banties. I can't wait to see some pictures of them. Will you be getting them as chicks or as POL? So many questions, sorry, just shows how I am Am I being blond? Aren't banty cochins just what most now call pekins? I'm too. I'm lusting after lf cochins now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Oh dear now I'm just the colour of Am I being blond? Aren't banty cochins just what most now call pekins? No Pekins are what they call 'true bantams' in that they have not big girl equivalent, however they do look a bit like Cochins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Yeah that's what I mean. But people used to call them cochin bantams didn't they?! Ignore me being blonde Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egglicious Posted June 2, 2011 Author Share Posted June 2, 2011 I thought that pekins and bantam cochins were the name thing, just different names in different countries..??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 I know for sure that the books say that Pekins are 'true bantams' with no standard equivalent. As to the unofficial difference, I agree that Cochin banties and Pekins do look pretty similar, but I believe they have different personalities i.e. Cochins are laid back gentle gals, whereas Pekins are feisty wee souls and very talkative. I don't know for sure but the colours they are available in probably differ too and, now on dodgy groud, I suspect that a Cochin banty is larger than a Pekin . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egglicious Posted June 3, 2011 Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 Cheeky, I think you are right. I also don't think there are any pekins available on this side of the world but I could be wrong. Would be awesome to get a stowaway in the cube I ordered! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffy chick Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 Yeah I think you're right. I know pekins don't have a lf equivalent but thought banty cochins didn't exist iykwim. I think they do though, I googled them and they look different to my pekins. So I live and learn! So now obviously I want a cochin banty. Are you sure you can't find pekins? They are everywhere here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egglicious Posted June 3, 2011 Author Share Posted June 3, 2011 Yeah I think you're right. I know pekins don't have a lf equivalent but thought banty cochins didn't exist iykwim. I think they do though, I googled them and they look different to my pekins. So I live and learn! So now obviously I want a cochin banty. Are you sure you can't find pekins? They are everywhere here! They better exist cause I'm gonna get two of them! Lol. I have never seen/heard of any one having a pekin over here but i'm sure someone does. Now I want one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted June 3, 2011 Share Posted June 3, 2011 In the US, i believe they call Pekins 'Cochin Bantams'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
