Thinking about getting bantams.

[Irksome]

Hello, I have been thinking about getting chickens lately but I don’t have a huge garden. It is small by local standards at about 30-35 sq meters but large by urban standards. Do i have enough space for maybe 3-4 small bantam type chickens? The garden is largely paved with rockery and terrace flower beds, mostly shrubs rather than flowers and nothing delicate. There is no lawn or grass although I can plant it I pots if necessary. Do chicken require grass? I would of course provide a spacious coop.

 

[CryptFan]

self named chicken expert (nerd) here!
the general rule for bantams is 2-4 sq ft In the coop (with 2 being the absolute minimum) and in the run 5-10 sq ft. I would build them a little 10x10 run with a coop in the corner or connected to it. If you let the, out in the garden they will tear up anything and everything.
they do not need grass, but they do love it! After a few week all the grass in the run will be gone. I have 8 bantams myself, along with 40 other chickens, I have 4 calico Cochin bantams (look them up, they’re gorgeous!) 1 sliver laced sebright, 1 Easter egger bantam ( commonly mislabeled ameracauna), 1 mottled Cochin, and a buff Mille fleur d’uccle (highly recommend d’uccles!).

 

[Irksome]

Thankyou for your reply. I will bear all of this in mind when planning my setup.

 

[sadness child]

if you are looking for certain breeds silkies are great moms and are the best pet chickens, they are docile and fuzzy.
I have a frizzle cochin they are adorable but not as docile as silkies I agree with Crypt about the d'uccle, but if you are going to get 4 I would recommend two of one breed and two of another or 4 of the same breed. keep in mind bantams are sold as straight runs witch means that there is a 50/50 chance you might get a rooster

 

[Irksome]

if you are looking for certain breeds silkies are great moms and are the best pet chickens, they are docile and fuzzy.
I have a frizzle cochin they are adorable but not as docile as silkies I agree with Crypt about the d'uccle, but if you are going to get 4 I would recommend two of one breed and two of another or 4 of the same breed. keep in mind bantams are sold as straight runs witch means that there is a 50/50 chance you might get a rooster

Thankyou for letting me know, I think roosters are prohibited in my town, so I will try and find a seller with older sexed birds. Frazzles and d’uccles look nice and as they would be pets than temperament is most important. I think Silkies look cute too but a friend of mine with them recons they are prone to lots of health problems, particularly their eyes.

 

[CryptFan]

Thankyou for letting me know, I think roosters are prohibited in my town, so I will try and find a seller with older sexed birds. Frazzles and d’uccles look nice and as they would be pets than temperament is most important. I think Silkies look cute too but a friend of mine with them recons they are prone to lots of health problems, particularly their eyes.

Yes silkies are overbred one hatcheries, you could get some from a reputable breeder though. Normally any Cochin (frizzles, sizzles, and frazzles) and D’uccle are very calm and friendly.

 

[sadness child]

So I would go with 2 D'uccle's and 2 Frizzle Cochins

 

[Irksome]

So I would go with 2 D'uccle's and 2 Frizzle Cochins

I like this as a plan. Of course I now have to secure permission from my landlord which should be easy enough...and wait for the quarantine to be lifted... I can get hatching eggs fairly easily by post but i think that is likely to be a weird game of chicken roulette for a beginner. If I could get any to hatch at all.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I know for sure @JuiceBox52 has chickens. It seems that @CryptFan is a self proclaimed chicken nerd, listen to him!

 

[JuiceBox52]

I like this as a plan. Of course I now have to secure permission from my landlord which should be easy enough...and wait for the quarantine to be lifted... I can get hatching eggs fairly easily by post but i think that is likely to be a weird game of chicken roulette for a beginner. If I could get any to hatch at all.

Feed stores are open because they are considered essential. They usually y have chicks. I ordered mine on the mail from tractor supply through hoovers hatchery

 

[CryptFan]

I don’t know about the uk but every feed store here has chicks right now. If you find chicks the store should have an assorted bantam bin, it’s males and females of all different breeds though.

 

[CryptFan]

I know for sure @JuiceBox52 has chickens. It seems that @CryptFan is a self proclaimed chicken nerd, listen to him!

You now know for sure that I have chickens too!
here are my most recent chicks, 26 of them.

here they are today, they are 2-4 weeks old.

 

[JuiceBox52]

I don’t know about the uk but every feed store here has chicks right now. If you find chicks the store should have an assorted bantam bin, it’s males and females of all different breeds though.

My local feed stores have not assorted bins, they have separate bins for each, like cochin bantams etc

 

[CryptFan]

My local feed stores have not assorted bins, they have separate bins for each, like cochin bantams etc

Lucky! I can’t imagine how many bins there would be!
the family farm and homes and tractors supply’s in Michigan have normally around 20 different bins, 1 or 2 for assorted bantams, 1 or 2 for ducks, rarely 1 for turkeys, and like 5-15 for 2-3 different breeds of layer chicks. ( some are pullets, some cockerels, and some straight runs).

 

[JuiceBox52]

Lucky! I can’t imagine how many bins there would be!
the family farm and homes and tractors supply’s in Michigan have normally around 20 different bins, 1 or 2 for assorted bantams, 1 or 2 for ducks, rarely 1 for turkeys, and like 5-15 for 2-3 different breeds of layer chicks. ( some are pullets, some cockerels, and some straight runs).

They usually only have a few types of chickens at a time so theres like 3 bantam bins