sebowyer Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 Hi folks, Until our recent fox attack we had two full-size hens. Now we have an sadly-empty eglu in need of re-populating. Although I've almost always kept "normal" hens, the last two were extremely noisy - waking the neighbours at 5am every day throughout the summer - I think one of them was actually a cockerel in disguise! Anyway, I did rear a couple of bantams once (we thought they were just normal hens until they hatched!), but it was 1982 and I can't remember much about them. So, if anyone has (more recent!) experience with bantams and a functioning memory, could they hazard a guess at some questions: 1) do they lay? if so, how often, what size and which breeds are good layers? 2) are they noisy? I don't mean the lovely high-pitched cheeping, but the full-blooded "I've-laid-an-egg-come-and-see" shrieking at dawn... 3) would you recommend them over full-size hens? That's about all - thanks for any advice! Sarah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cate in NZ Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 I know very little about bantams I'm afraid, so not much help, but I'll give Claret a prod for you, I'm sure she'll be able to answer your questions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 My silky (when she actually bothers to lay) is noisy as...well a noisy thing. I've mistaken her for one of the cockerels before now. The Pekins can be chatty and occasionally piercing, but generally are much better on the noise front. Of course, I only have the one silky, and she could be a freak of nature, it wouldn't surprise me. None of mine are good layers. The silky eggs are pretty big, and when she is in lay, there are three or four a week, but they're all broody ALL the time. ALL THE RUDDY TIME. You might find that light sussex bantams or RIR bantams were less inclined to broodiness. Or an araucana bantam, my araucana was mindlessly violent (I miss her so much) but never broody and laid brilliantly. Personally, if they were the only chickens I was going to have, I would have large fowl rather than bantams, cute as they are. I do need the eggs. Noise wise, I found if I kept them locked in until eight or so, with the shade covering the bit of the run by the door so that no light got in, they were pretty quiet. My blue comet and my amber comet never make any noise at all, unless I pick them up. Similarly my Black Rock is a lovely quiet, docile bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebowyer Posted October 1, 2007 Author Share Posted October 1, 2007 Thanks. For me, the Rhode Island Red never laid more than once or twice a month, went broody for several months at a time and was quite noisy. The Black Rock was, however, in a different league of noisyness. I did find that keeping them in until 8ish, covering the end of the run with the winter shade and leaning a piece of wood against the sunny side normally worked to keep them a bit quieter, but it wasn't foolproof. They were both almost silent until they started laying. However, the other RIRs I've kept have been perfect layers and relatively quiet. I don't really need that many eggs, so it doesn't matter too much if they're not spectacular on the laying front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 Hi folks,Until our recent fox attack we had two full-size hens. Now we have an sadly-empty eglu in need of re-populating. Although I've almost always kept "normal" hens, the last two were extremely noisy - waking the neighbours at 5am every day throughout the summer - I think one of them was actually a cockerel in disguise! Anyway, I did rear a couple of bantams once (we thought they were just normal hens until they hatched!), but it was 1982 and I can't remember much about them. So, if anyone has (more recent!) experience with bantams and a functioning memory, could they hazard a guess at some questions: 1) do they lay? if so, how often, what size and which breeds are good layers? 2) are they noisy? I don't mean the lovely high-pitched cheeping, but the full-blooded "I've-laid-an-egg-come-and-see" shrieking at dawn... 3) would you recommend them over full-size hens? That's about all - thanks for any advice! Sarah. Thanks for the prod Kate *rubs bum* 1) Mostly they lay well, although if your after prolific layers then get full-sized hybrids. People who keep banties usually keep them for the hens rather than the eggs. I get eggs varying from 32g through to 51g. They rarely lay every day and as they are pure breeds, often give up in the winter, but that means that they tend to live longer. RIR and wyandottes are good layers, as is my araucana cross (blue eggs). I'd avoid pekins if you want more eggs as they go broody quite a lot, but are terrific mothers and great personalities. 2) A couple of them like to announce that they've laid - it's a bit noisy, but nothing like as noisy as a full-sized hen. But then each bird is different. £) Personally yes, but then you're not goign to get an unbiased opinion from me - I love all chooks, but bantams have my heart - they are such lovely personalities, especialy the pekins and they don't wreck the garden so much. Being small, you can fit more in too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aunty e Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 Maybe you could get some birds from a smallish breeder who knew the personalities (and relative noise levels!) of their birds and could tell you which might suit? I think some of the minature versions of large fowl birds are lovely, and you'd still get some eggs and I don't think they're as noisy when telling the world they've laid an egg. Not welsummers though, my welsummer makes a racket. Even when she's not laying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 Whereabouts are you located Sarah? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted October 1, 2007 Share Posted October 1, 2007 My Pekins aren't laying yet and even the young cock is quiet. My polish x silkie bantams lay 6 eggs a week one laying eggs around 40g and the other around 50g. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 I have some show quality Pekin bantams... And I keep them as pets - more for their good looks than their egg or meat production (I don't show them either as I am not really into that). Our bantams used to be with all our heavy breeds (and they got along fine) but they are now seperated as we found out recently that one of them was a cockerel (and I didn't want to breed him with our heavy breeds). We have not eaten any of the eggs as we are going to breed the bantams under some of our broody hens. There are all very quiet indeed - almost silent, until they catch sight of a potential predator! Even the cockerel only crows from about 06.30 - 08:00 in the morning and then nothing after that. Our chicks have just reached POL and we recieved our first egg from one of them last week! The eggs they lay are much smaller than heavy breeds/hybrids (but then you expect that) and they have been laying every day since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebowyer Posted October 2, 2007 Author Share Posted October 2, 2007 Thanks everyone for your advice. I'm near Reading, so I suppose that as we're quite rural there are quite a few breeders near me. Does anyone know? I do like the sound of the blue eggs - perhaps araucanas are the ones to have, although the personalities of the pekins also sound appealing. The laying isn't the most important part - we couldn't keep up with the 14 eggs a week that the full-sized ones laid. Cheers for the help! Sarah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Hi Sarah, I am just between Reading & Henley & I have some Bantams as well as larger hens too. In fact I have just gained 3 new Bants this weekend from a great place in Windsor I have a Pekin, a couple of Polands - pm me if you would like to pop over some time & see them before you decide what to buy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Thanks everyone for your advice. I'm near Reading, so I suppose that as we're quite rural there are quite a few breeders near me. Does anyone know? I do like the sound of the blue eggs - perhaps araucanas are the ones to have, although the personalities of the pekins also sound appealing. The laying isn't the most important part - we couldn't keep up with the 14 eggs a week that the full-sized ones laid. Cheers for the help! Sarah. Sarah, I passed the details of two breeders near Reading on to Barbara earlier this summer; Margaret and Ted - only a couple of miles apart. neither of them have bantams though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebowyer Posted October 6, 2007 Author Share Posted October 6, 2007 Thanks Sarah - it'll be a couple of months until we're ready to get some more inhabitants, but if it's OK, we might contact you then - thanks for the offer! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted October 6, 2007 Share Posted October 6, 2007 No problem - I look forward to hearing from you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
