Bantams vs Standards.. thoughts?

Rooster Rick · Post by **Rooster Rick** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 9:28 am

:chicken1: I am thinking about getting out of standards except for my brahma and Sumatra and just switching everything to bantams... Wyandottes and orpingtons.. I don't really see a difference except the bantams are cuter and eat WAY LESS!! and it seems more people seem to want them.... :chicken: any thoughts? Thanks! :)

ross · Post by **ross** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:02 pm

Yu can have twice as many ...lol

Rooster Rick · Post by **Rooster Rick** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:37 pm

ross wrote:QR_BBPOST Yu can have twice as many ...lol

My thoughts exactly! Do they have the same longevity as standards?

Skinny rooster · Post by **Skinny rooster** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 12:54 pm

ross wrote:QR_BBPOST Yu can have twice as many ...lol

No no no, Ross you are missing the point! Bantams are 1/3 the size of their standard mates, so that means you get to keep THREE times as many bantams, I think I read somewhere it's the law, lol.

I prefer bantams, actually the weird thing was I often got double to almost triple for my bantam hens compared to their standard counter parts. It becomes clear when you get $15 to $20 for standard barred rocks and $30 for bantams, after all the food and time, so if you need to cut back the decision becomes easy. The main thing is however if you go the bantam route, go GOOD or go home lol. Even in bad years when bantams from a reputable breeder comes up for sale, the price will still be good. Even if you keep your standard Brahmas, get the bantam version, they are great little birds, I'm a Cochin guy but I recommend Brahma bantams.

One reason to keep some standards however would be to save a rare breed or two or three.

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:06 pm

I find bantams hard to sell everyone seems to want standard size as the eggs are larger and more meat on the bone. I do like my bantams though as they take up less room and you can have more.

ross · Post by **ross** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 2:10 pm

Don't know bout longevity mine are either eaten ,sold or as they free range the odd one lost to predators. Mine are midsize bantams & mutts so get fair size eggs & also find the bantams more agile & freer flying than stds into trees to escape many critters here in bush country . Luck

kenya · Post by **kenya** » Thu Mar 16, 2017 3:17 pm

I guess it depends what people are looking for with my ameraucanas they always want the standard size I guess because they are looking for egg layers. With the cornish again they want standard as they want the meat. If you just want some cute pets the bantams are a lot of fun and you can have more. If you are looking at some rare breeds sometimes its hard to find either bantam or standard or you can find one but not the other.

windwalkingwolf · Post by **windwalkingwolf** » Fri Mar 17, 2017 1:45 am

To me, landrace bantams are one thing, and a standard breed deliberately miniaturized is another--the latter look weird to me, and not enough like their standard counterparts. The trend for several decades has been towards bantams, and as a result, many breeds and varieties no longer exist or are more rare than unicorns. Like standard Silkies for example.
I don't have anything against bantams at all per se, I own some wonderful little mutts...but it seems to me that the more people go for the toy varieties, the more good standards fade into obscurity. I know some people who want to createa bantam version of Jersey Giants, and I think that is a sign that the trend has left rationality behind and is descending into the ridiculous lol.

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Fri Mar 17, 2017 9:09 am

Really?!? Bantam Jersey Giants?! At best, that's an oxymoron. It's my understanding that one of the most important JG SOP traits is size; i.e., big. I agree, WWW, breeding a JG bantam makes no rational sense.

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Fri Mar 17, 2017 9:19 am

They could call them Jersey Dwarfs.

hahahah bantams are great little birds. I have a few running around here, RIR, Plymouth Barred Rocks and Chanteclars.

The are great broodys n moms, those 3 breeds lay surprisingly large eggs for there size, I haven't processed many bantams but when I get a hold of them I am surprised how big they feel.