[lou-b-lou]

Hi, i am new to this site and to keeping chickens.  Am confused about whether to buy fullsized chickens or bantams...  I am not too worried about how many/what size eggs we get.

We have a small back garden which I intend to let the chooks free range on, but there are a lot of cats in the area.  If we get bantams will they be more tasty looking to the cats??  Or should we go for bigger chooks that can defend themselves better?

They will be pets mainly (eggs a bonus!), so i'm really after a breed that is friendly, docile and easy for a first-timer.

All suggestions greatfully recieved!

[evie2]

Hello lou-b-lou and welcome.

We have 5 big hens that we got for eggs, 1 Speckldy, 1 Light Sussex and 3 Ambers all are free range and can see off the neighbours cats but I still worry, we haven't clipped their wings so they can fly to escape if needs be and usually fly up the garden to meet us.  Although the Ambers were slow starters they all lay daily now, even through the snow.

Our Bantams on the other hand don't free range, Poppy and Pansy are too flighty and would probably fly into the neighbours garden and get eaten and the poots, even though they like to fly about are too small (and precious) so they stay in their run.  No eggs from the Bantams and the poots are just beautiful so any eggs will be a plus.

We had a look around at various birds before deciding on our layers so we could look at size and temperament, very important to us because of our grand daughter. 

Whatever hens you get, you'll never be bored again

 

[jinty1911]

I have banties free-ranging in my small back garden and dont have a problem with cats.  Used to have lots roaming about but they dont seem to bother now, just walk along the wall and dont even look at the chicks, possibly cos next door neighbour has aquired a nice big dog. 
Jinty

[grenhouse]

I have a mixed flock with a couple of large fowl and 3 banties. They all live happily together and we never have problems with cats. A squirrel did try it on last week and subsequently got shoed off by the smallest of our girls (she is also the noisiest!).

Go with what you like. There are so many different breeds to chose from and many bantams. It all depends upon the space you have available.

Steve

[Alec]

Hello Lou- B -Lou,I only have personal experience of bantams free-ranging in our back garden.
But I think it depends what your requirements are.My reasons for choosing bantams which have proved pretty well correct were as follows:- I try to keep a reasonably well planted garden + pond,I think bantams are a little less destructive(I have a very good lawn too that they graze but don't dig up.)
With a little bit of protection i grow lots of flowers,shrubs and veg.
Eggs are smaller but very tasty and versatile(fit perfectly on a bacon sarnie!)
We get plenty of eggs for the two of us + grandchildren.
They do go broody a lot but they make great mums if you want some eggs hatching.
I have had one cat episode in 3 years and that was when they were very young(Kind neighbour rescued "Mabel" to live on!!)
They are very tame and easy to handle especially for children.
Having chickens opened a new world to me and I can honestly say they should be given on prescription,as one of the best stress busters ever.
Hope you enjoy your chicks whatever your choice.Good luck and Best wishes-Alec

[bluemaran]

I agree alec,great to spend time with the chooks.I have no trouble from our two cats,in fact i think they sense that the hens are part of their garden and just amble on by.

[lou-b-lou]

Thankyou all for your replies - most useful.  Will probably see what's available and what takes my fancy when I see them!

very excited - can't wait!!

[PaulineM]

Hi
I have a mixed flock also and all live happily together.
The banty eggs are my personal favourite and I can't wait for my two to start laying again. The down side of banty's is them going broody which can take a lot of time and patients to get them safely through this period.
Just go for what you really like! 

[ehs284]

We have a very mixed bunch and they get on well (accepting the usual squabbles). The bantams can be a problem with being broody which can upset the others. This seems quite common. For easy to handle, intelligent (read cheeky) friendly birds then it's hard to beat Blackrocks. You get good eggs and they don't seem to have the same problems with prolapses as do Warrens. The bantams don't seem to be worried by most animals, but only a Blackrock will outface a full grown sheep (to my horror!).

[dennis]

i have 5 large hens and 3 bantams free range we have a lot of cats near us they used to come in the garden to torment the dog,since we got the girls they don't come in they walk round the garden along the fence don't know why

[Catsmuvva]

Hi lou-b-lou, if you only want them as pets, eggs a bonus, have you considered giving a home to a few ex-bats? Ok, so they're not beautiful when they first arrive but the rewards are phenomenal. I started off with 6 ex-bats a couple of years ago and despite recently having got a selection of other chooks for a bit of variety, the old girls still have #1 slot in my heart.
I see you're in Poole - the RSPCA at Kingston Maurward regularly rescue ex-bats in partnership with BHWT, why not give them a call? Also, I have 5 cats and they're no bother to the girls, more vice versa!

[hillfooter]

Sorry to disagree with Catsmuvva and I think people who rescue exbats are great but I wouldn't recommend them to novices.  You can get lots of health problems with them which are best dealt with by experienced keepers unless you don't mind the vet bills.  Unless you are really switched on to the charitable side of rescuing hens there are far better choices for free range hens as pets.

L/F (large fowl) or bantams was the question and I think you've probably answered it yourself. Bantams are good pets, full of character take up less room and aren't as destructive.  On the downside they are flightier (needn't be a problem with reasonable fencing even without wing clipping which I dislike), they lay smaller eggs but are just as tasty as L/F layers and can be equally prolific.  They are pretty hardy too and in my experience more healthy than hybrid layers since they aren't stressed by egg production.  Like most pure breeds they are susceptable to going broody and make excellent mothers and are a delieght to see with a brood of chicks.  They are if anything more attractive looking than pure breed L/F and certainly much more so than hybrids or exbats.  If you can find some attractive bantams, for your situation, you won't go wrong.  Don't worry about cats and also they are no more vulnerable, if not less so, than L/Fs to foxes.

A couple of my bantam Spangled Orloffs (unfortunately rare and not commonly available) but there are many equally pretty one's around such as silver laced seybrights.  Poots are very popular too but not so hardy as are silkies.





Best of luck
HF

[evie2]

HF that's a seriously good looking hen, I might have to consider adding one to the brood

[dennis]

  hillfooter - what a beautiful bird

[Hayley'sHens]

HF that is a beautiful hen you have there