Standard vs. Bantam Chickens

Good Morning Permie People!

I have a question.

What differences are there between standard and bantam chickens?



Do you have a preference?

Why?



I have raised standard chickens from the start of my chicken tending pursuit. My grandfather mentioned that he used to raise exclusively bantams and I have been thinking on that for some time. I'm going to have to pick his brain on why bantams but I figured I would ask the greater community their thoughts.

Thanks!

I've heard that bantams are more likely to be flighty? Should I be concerned about flight while they are out on a fenced pasture?

I own heavy bodied standard chickens with partial intent to help them overwinter when it gets cold and snowy. Any specific overwintering needs for bantams?

Check out this video on the topic!

I keep standard chickens, my friend keeps banties in a small area on my land as she had to move into an apartment when her landlord passed.

Yes, Banties can fly, but so can many chickens - just not far or high. Give them reasons to want to stay.

Bantum breeds were developed as "pets" and "garden candy", so they actually *want* human interaction beyond "did you bring a treat?" This it more true of some breeds than others.

They lay small eggs, but they taste yummy. Great for pickled eggs. Probably a tougher sell if you need to sell extras.

Bantums are more likely to be serious about being broody and will want to hatch and raise chicks. We have used them to hatch full size chicks - just give them fewer eggs! This requires extra spring infrastructure and there will be a surplus of males which my friend skins and roasts - small but yummy according to her tastes. After all, people raise Cornish hens, so this is not much different.

Chickens in general are hawk/eagle bait. Banties more so as they're small enough for a Sharp Shinned Hawk to grab a rooster, and a Red Tailed Hawk would grab one from a field in a heartbeat.  That said, particularly if Mother raised, in a polyculture, banties know how to hide.

I'm sure I read someone that in permaculture, "it depends" - I suspect that's your answer. (I haven't watched the Video - later...)

Have not owned any, but admired from a distance.

My artist friend Arch had a free ranging horde of bantam hens , with a few roos for extra drama. He provided a boot camp style care system, left them to it. A few days a week he tossed some cracked corn. With acres to run and a lake 25 feet from the house, self sufficient birds were encouraged. Arch lost track of egg  collection duties, it seemed, so babies were gradually replacing the bantam warriors
These hardscrabble chooks roosted high up in a majestic cedar tree by his front porch.  Beautiful fowl. I think they are closest genetically to the original wild fowl of Asia.  

Bantam chickens are full of personality! But equally they are nice and small. I have 17 hens and 3 rooster. I started with three… so be careful they are addictive. I also find that they are less destructive in the garden. All of mine free range but because they are heritage you will not get a regular constant egg supply. Be aware that during winter things can slow down considerably even grind to a halt. make sure that you learn about percentages of protein in your chicken food as this will assist with laying.

I sell the spare eggs during the laying season.. in boxes of 6 .. I have a lot of elderly people here so they don’t need as many. I also sell them at cost at $3 AUD.. so I know people can afford a meal. .. the money pays towards feed I buy. Oats, Barley, Wheat, and 20% Corn and sunflower seeds for protein.. plus they free range.

My variety are English game hen and Sussex speckled and a silkie.

The nice thing about bantam chickens is you don’t worry about too much about the spurs on roosters they’re just too little. Don’t get me wrong it can still hurt. But I’m in a wheelchair and I do not worry about the chicken is being aggressive. If you’re thinking about eating them then one chicken to one person is the right ratio they are really tiny!

I use the eggs in baking and when it says add two eggs I add three. My eggs weigh 55 g and they produce deep yellow yolks. In fact recently I bought some from the supermarket because they are not laying and my husband hated them because they made white custard! He prefers the home produced ones and no longer complains about the cost of me pampering them.

Bantam chickens are less like chickens.  They are very mild-mannered, easy to pick up, meaning they're more likely to be eaten by some predator.  I have some experience with silkies and Mille Fleur d'Occle. Silkies are good for those who want a broody hen.
I bought 5 d'Occles one year.  They ended up being 3 males and 2 hens.  The hens were eaten by some predator rather quickly.  I didn't think it made sense to keep the three roosters, so I culled them and they became cornish hens. Nowadays, I would try to rehome them first. My impression of them was that they were gorgeous but not very smart.

I first had only bantam chicken and now I'm gradually shifting to a flock with full sized chicken, with currently a mix of both.
Size is different, both in bird and in their eggs. I haven't really noticed a difference in flavour of the eggs, they all forage freely here and the eggs are yummy.
The only difference that is left is broodiness. Bantam chicken become much more easily broody than 'full sized' chicken.
Are they closer to the original wild chicken? Is it because bantam chicken tend to be brooded (?) and raised by a chicken rather than an incubator and the grown up chicken somehow mimic something they can remember? I don't know.
Maybe there are more differences that I haven't noticed. Reading along!

Yes silkies will be eaten by predators first.. I think it’s because they are soo fluffy they can’t see properly.. also they can be real greedy guts for food.. and concentrate on food and not the eagles over head! That’s why I moved to bantam Sussex and bantam English game hens.. very smart birds.

We have 4 sea eagles in our woods and numerous crows, hawks etc... Only lost 3 birds in
5 years.

Bantams just means you can have more cause they are smaller lol! Great information here