We've always kept a few bantam chickens in our flock because they are friendly, great foragers, don't consume much laying mash in proportion to their size, lay very well, and will often go broody.
The reason we wanted to get more bantams was because we found ourselves down to just two banties . . . one hen and one rooster, both Golden Laced Cochins.
Well, a few weeks ago Mama Bantam went broody so we put her and her clutch in a separated area in the hopes she would hatch out some little ones.
Last Friday morning she presented us with four little (little being the operative word . . . Papa Pea describes them as being about as big as a quarter) chicks. The pic above was the best I've been able to get so far. Two of them out and about but not wanting their picture taken and the other two snuggled under Mama.I really want to get a picture soon, if I can, of one of us holding one of the little guys in our hand so you can get a sense of how small they really are. They are just the cutest little things!
Now I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all four of the new arrivals aren't roosters!
28 comments:
Congrats on the chickies! (Funny how we congratulate ourselves when it's actually the chickens doing all the work, hugh?)
Yes, pictures showing the scale of the teeny-tiny-fuzzy-chicklets would be grand, grand indeed!
awww so cute! Here's hoping they are mostly hens.
Congrats on the baby chicks, little cute fuzzy butts. You know if you wanted a rooster you would not get any. Gotta love banties no need for an incubator, brooder, heat lamps, etc.
So cute!! Can't wait to see pictures and progress of the little ones.
I just started raising chickens this June. I have some Buff Orpingtons, some Silkies and a couple Easter Eggers. I know I have some roosters in my bunch and will be sad when I have to give them away.
Golden Laced Cochins are so pretty! And now you have four more -- good Mama Hen. I can't even imagine bantam chicks - they would be beyond cute! Do they get along well with the regular sized hens? I would love to raise a few myself.
What sweeties. Congrats!
How lucky you are! I have cochin roosters and only one cochin hen. The hen won't come out of the coop EVER! So none of her eggs are fertile and I would love to hatch out some cute little banty cochins!!! Congratulations on your babies!!!
So cute!!!
Awwww, so cute.
Congratulations on your new baby chicks!!! Such cuteness! Looking forward to more photos. Can't imagine how small they must be, as I think regular baby chicks are awfully small. You've got a great Mama Hen there.
love your Banties...I have 7 Silkies and 1 frizzle banty cochin ( had 2, 1 passed away from heat stoke this summer, poor little thing. She was a beautiful white frizzle cochin banty too )Most of my big girls are getting up there in age and I plan on replacing them all with banty chickens when the time comes.
Tina H
So darling but gees Louise ,can't you tell a boy from a girl yet? mahahahahahaha--I'M SO SORRY ,COULDN'T HELP MYSELF
you might not thought it funny but I shared your whole blog with Jerry,(he like to hear what your doing) but I sure gave him a good chuckle ,so I guess it was worth it
AW!!! Here's hoping for four quarter sized hens!!
Carolyn Renee - Yeah, but we have to feed and water and protect the darn things. Bird brains that they are! ;o}
Sparkless - From your mouth to the chicken-god's ears!!
Tombstone Livestock - "Fuzzy butts!" I love it!
Yep, those little banties haven't had all the natural instincts bred out of them . . . thankfully!
Linda - Welcome and thanks for commenting all the way from Hawaii!
Aren't chickens the best? I don't know what we'd do without the healthy, nutritious eggs ours give us. And the banties are such good layers!
Susan - Yes, they are so tiny. That's why I got a real chuckle when Papa Pea described them as about the size of a quarter!
Our banties have always gotten along very well with the regular sized hens. No problem there. But they do have ample room for everybody to roam in which probably helps.
Sue - Thanks! Guess I really can't take ALL the credit myself though!
Kelly - Um, couldn't one of your cochin roosters make a house call inside the coop?
Stephanie - That they surely are!
Jane - Wouldn't it be cool is there was a breed of chicken that didn't mature to get feathers but just grew up remaining the same little fuzz balls (fuzz butts!) as they are when they're born?
Lisa - We've had good luck with standard sized hens being good mamas but the bantam mamas seem to be extra special.
Tina H. - The one and only complaint I have about bantam eggs is sometimes I don't feel confident substituting them for regular sized eggs in a recipe. Are two of them enough to equal a large egg? Or too much? Of course, as far as scrambled or fried or whatever for us to eat . . . no problem.
I have a friend who loves to get our bantam eggs because she hard-boils them for her grandchildren who think the small eggs are very special!
judy - Once again, Crazy Lady, you gave me a good laugh!
Mama Tea - Yes, as much as we love our banties, we really don't need four roosters (plus their daddy) running around!
cute, and just in time to grow up before winter!
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