[tez]

i finally got some were to have some chickens so am scratching my head think witch ones to get thinking bantam  but witch ones   also want some  eggs to eat so what you think for that

[too many girls]

if your getting them mainly for the eggs then i woudn't bother with silkies, they are lovely to look at and make great pets but mine spend most of the time being broody and sitting tight on everyone elses eggs Polands aren't much better in the egg laying department (at least mine aren't) and i'm sorry but i don't know much about other breeds, no doubt someone will be along soon with stories of how theirs laid every day for years

[joyfull]

tez as you seem unsure about which breed to get (as earlier you had asked for rare breeds) why not see if there is a poultry show happening somewhere close to you then you could go and view the different breeds before you make up your mind. There are so many different ones and we all have our favourites 

[tez]

thanks for that did go Stafford bird show about a month ago but still cant make my mind up as for them for laying what i meant to put was am getting big birds for my egg about 5 should keep me and the rest off the house in eggs but i want my bantam just to look at really i do want some that are rare colors or breed but cant make my mind up really i want choc oprpinton but there so expensive thanks for your replys

[lucylou]

hi tez - if you want banties for their eggs then i would choose small versions of large fowl - they are not true bantams but are small versions of large fowl. i think the sussex bantams are very good for eggs and they are a good size bantie - wellsummer and rhode island red also good for eggs as are araucana banties - all these lay a good size egg for a bantie (my eggs weigh approx 46g) yolks are same size as small hen egg just that they have less whites in them. i have 6 banties and 2 small large fowl- and i think they are great!!

[joyfull]

if you want pretty bantams then how about sablepoots or seramas 

[Foxy]

Basically you have a choice - bantam miniaturised versions of large fowl so share the same characteristics : Wyandottes, orpingtons, faverolles, sussex...these will lay well. Note that some of the bantam versions are getting quite large and not far of hybrid size. Temperment tends to vary.

True bantams - more ornamental and have no large counterparts. Japanese, Pekins, Seabrights, Seramas.. much smaller than bantams, pretty some need extra care, with hatching,housing and in winter

[chuckmum]

Wyandotte banties are pretty and my blue laced lays every other day, Dotty my silver laced has yet to start laying. They are friendly and very beautiful! 

[Foxy]

Wyandotte banties are pretty and my blue laced lays every other day, Dotty my silver laced has yet to start laying. They are friendly and very beautiful! 

They really are beautiful, chuckmum and lovely in anyones garden

[joyfull]

Chickenlady has some like that as well, very pretty 

[tez]

thanks for all the reply just been looking at some sablepoots pics nice i think this time next year i might of made my mind up 

[chickenlady]

I have various laced wyandottes and pekins which are all laying really well! my banty light sussex and banty faverolle lay well too and lay the biggest of the banty eggs  .
lovely girls chuckmum  my silver laced (Dotty) has been laying for a couple of weeks now so hopefully your Dotty will soon follow! 

[joyfull]

did those laced wyandottes come from you Debbie? they are very very striking 

[grumpydad]

we have 3 bantams, buff laced, blue laced wyandottes and light sussex, all laying lovely eggs, all from debbie, (chickenlady), and all doing well.
other nice bantams are rhode island reds and plymouth rocks.

try to avoid silkies and barnvelders as a first choice for your first time, as they can be more suseptible to some diseases than most, ie mareks.

try a PM to chickenlady.

[joyfull]

if you want blue eggs go for araucana bantams - pretty birds that lay pretty eggs.