Bantams

[Courtney Konieczko]

I am considering getting three bantam chickens but my husband is a little concerned about a few things, and I had some general questions as well. Can anyone spare me some advice? My main goal is to have the chickens for food scrap breakdown. I have the vermicompost processes worked out, but they simply don't work quickly enough. I think if the chickens could break it down first, I think the process could go so much quicker. We compost everything, but the rate of breakdown is slow and we end up not being able to use it in the gardens because there is always part of it waiting to break down further.

I have a good idea for a coop, and understand that ventilation is most important for reducing moisture as opposed to heat retention. Is there a good way to provide ventilation from the top of a coop in cold weather? I am thinking of starting from a large, solid bookshelf and putting mesh doors on the front with wood part of the way up to prevent shavings from coming up. There will be ramps that go up to the different levels. My question is, since the top will be flat, is there a good way to finish the top that increases the non-drafty ventilation so if it gets really cold, I can put a tarp or something in front of the mesh. Something like a covered chimney vent? Or, should I just focus on waterproofing with sloped shingles?

How much noise will bantam chickens make? My husband's coworker said they are really loud. I just want hens, and didn't think they were any louder than standard chickens.

In this area, have you needed to do supplemental heating, and would that change based on the bantam size and the relatively large coop? Would heated water be sufficient?

My husband is worried about the amount of waste we will get. We have a three sided compost bin, and a worm bin set up in the garage that gets moved to the basement in the winter. We have several garden beds that need filling, so could I reasonably move out of space?

Has anyone used wood chips instead of wood shavings? I am thinking of getting a chipper so I can chip brush and use that as the bedding.

Thank you!

Courtney Konieczko

[Sarah Byrns-Grindrod]

Hi I have had many Bantams in my life and large breed chickens. Bantams are wonderful but not more noisy in my opinion and I have had all kinds... one thing about Banties are they do require a bit more draft free secure coop because of their size & our frigid weather. They do well for me because I live in the country and they are with a few ducks ,guineas and larger  chickens with deep beffing in a larger ventilated building (garage sized with rafters for roosting😊.) Anyway so 1. a secure draft free coop but yes goid vents at the top and secure fencing or topped run because many  clean legged Mediterranean Bantam varieties fly well and are very active.. Silkies and feather legged Bantams don't fly but they are easier fodder for predators! The fuzzy calm breeds like silkies and the mini Wyandottes and cochins ate gentle and make great pets. I do love Banties !!! Also their eggs are about 1/3 to 1/2 of a regular hen's egg. Anyway hope this was helpful... (Banties also eat a lot less and create much less manure...!!)  Good Luck!  Sarah

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[Sarah Byrns-Grindrod]

Sorry for all the typos in my answer, I thought I would just write a few sentences and did not have reading glasses on!!! (when I sent it I did not proof read it AND Yikes!!!😊) So sorry!

[Courtney Konieczko]

I would want to get clean-legged bantams for cleanliness. However, would they be able to get over a 7ft. fence if they were to be out in our yard for a bit? We have standard chain link fencing at the bottom and a net-like, but secure extension at the top. As long as they didn't make it up onto our 2nd story deck, I think they'd have a hard time getting over, right? I know how to clip wings but I don't want to forget for a while and then get escapees. They won't be able to fit through chain-link, right?

This is definitely a long build with a lot of considerations to take in, so I am not rushing this. I doubt I will be getting hens before winter and it could possibly extend into the spring. I want to make sure I have everything ready and thought out before I jump in and find out that things aren't working.

Thanks,

Courtney

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[Nola R C]

Hi Courtney,

How many food scraps are we talking about here? And what foods? Chickens should not have anything too salty so you have to be careful about meats that may have extra salt (ham, etc). Chickens should only have food scraps as a supplement to their diet and it should be considered a "treat." They can get fat, and the level of protein in their diet should be at a certain level. If it's too low from being fed too many vegetable scraps, they won't have enough protein to lay eggs. Even if you don't care about egg production, they also need protein to grow new feathers. And while they can have dairy products, they aren't mammals so I try not to give them much. They get some bits of cheese sometimes. I wouldn't give them milk or yogurt.

In addition, an unhealthy hen will have trouble keeping worms and other parasites at bay and at low enough levels that you don't need to treat them for them. 

The noise level varies, but being a bantam hen doesn't mean it's quieter or louder than any other hen. Bantam just refers to the size. The breed will mean more than whether or not it's a bantam, though the same breed standard size hen and bantam can behave differently. It's possible your coworker was confusing bantams with guinea hens, which are loud chicken-like birds. 

That said, their poop is well broken down. However, it still needs to age for four months before it can be used because it's a hot fertilizer. Chickens do eat almost everything, though. Even chicken. (They can't get diseases from eating chicken...mad hen disease is not a thing)

I don't understand what you're planning for the coop. 

I never give our chickens supplemental heat. Ours are standard size though. But I don't think that matters. If you do want to use heat, get a radiant heater. Do NOT use a heat lamp.

What you really need is a goat. HA

Nola

[Courtney Konieczko]

I mean I would feed them vegetable scraps. Potato peels, tomato skins, ends of eggplant, etc. Not leftovers of full meals like most people would call table scraps. They would still have full access to grain from a feeder and water so I'm not too worried about them not having the right balance. I've seen lots of chickens raised on compost, but still again with full access to grains. We are a family of three but even still the worms can't keep up. We cook a lot.

 

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[Sarah Byrns-Grindrod]

Hi Courtney,        

      Not to be a pain ... but chickens and clean legged Banties are usually hardy, active little birds in my experience and a handful of table scraps  & vegetable peelings are a great way to supplement your birds along with their regular feed,just not too much fatty stuff!                 (exception is in very cold winter months oil and fat is helpful ( like suet   for wild birds) Anyway I am 66 years old and have had poultry since I was a teenager. You will find what works best for you. There-is good advice and bad and then also dogmatic have to do this or that advice. ( just use your head research and think things out like it sounds like you are doing & things will work out.) I am wondering why you were thinking of bantams as opposed to a smaller full sized chicken breed? Is it because they are smaller? because if that is all you're interested in  in choosing bantams I would choose clean legged but not the Mediterranean breeds that are very active but more like Wyandottes or a little bit medium to heavier clean legged breed that will stay in a 7 foot fence.  I do not have fences for my poultry so even my Banties just run around and are cooped at night...I don't know if they will stay very well in a 7 foot fence!???  My Bantam breeds actually will fly up into the rafters of our little coop/barn to roost so they can fly whether they will fly out of your yard I don't know!!! They may be too active like the little Mediterranean types like Bantam leghorns bantam old English those small light weight clean legged breeds might be able to get out of your fence. (You can always try them and then if they don't work ,I would take them😃)  Anyway Good Luck!!! 

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[Courtney Konieczko]

My husband especially feels that it's important to have the chickens have as much room as possible in our urban lot, and I thought bantams would be better especially when they are mostly in their coop most of the winter, they won't be unhappy. We don't plan (yet) on actually free ranging in the yard, but we wouldn't want ones that could fly that high either just in case they get out.  And if they are out supervised (so they don't get into the gardens) I don't want them escaping in like two seconds. It sounds like I'll need to seek out a heavier bird or just be selective with my bantam breed selection. I'm working on trying to source some scrap wood so we can slowly start constructing. I want to try to buy as little as possible.