Dec840 0 Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 I am looking to see if it realistic for me to keep bantams in my back garden, bear in mind I live in the usual lost in suburbia estate..the garden is approx 38'x30 but obviously the neighbours gardens all back onto each other, my parents keep 3 chickens in their back garden and a large aviary with quail/canaries/finches...but the chickens car really stink sometimes especially with the weather we have had of late..that is my thinking of bantams (silkies look nice) as they are smaller so easier to move around..they would probably have the run of the garden thru the day which is fenced off with 6' panels and gated which is enough to Keep my two Akitas in and pests out..(dogs not fussed by birds as tried around the chickens and quail they just lay out and watch in fascination)... At the moment I have signs of red spider mite around the walls/fences and garage areas so this would need to be addressed ( anyone have any good tips??) and how much noise would a cockerel make?? We have allotments nearby and the cockerels down there seem to blend into the background noise..but they are obviously not in the back garden... Any tips and advice appreciated as complete novice to this and have Yet to convince the missus... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
darbo 4,774 Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 i like silkies but they dont do well in wet weather. keeping up with regular cleaning is a priority. light sussex bantams are a favourite of mine very hardy, easily tamed birds that lay very well. google red mite products and read some reviews on them.no need to keep a cockerel unless you are thinking of breeding. on the subject of noise unless you have tolerant neighbours expect complaints. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RubyTex 1,957 Posted July 9, 2012 Report Share Posted July 9, 2012 Check your deeds...I'm not allowed any at mine in the uk but what they don't know won't kill 'em....... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trappa 517 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 A cockerel would be pointless unless your trying to wind your neighbours up Get ready for rats. As sure as eggs is eggs you will get rats. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David K 172 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 I wouldn't worry about the red spider mites infesting your birds as they will be the sap eating variety that are living in your fence/garage and not the blood sucking buggers that come out at night in your coop. Sounds like enough space for a few birds, they will shit everywhere and eat all your plants, so keeping them confined to certain areas to keep the peace with the wife. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,189 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Got 3 jap x bantams only make noise when startled or after laying,keep ground they are on clean an you shouldn't have any issues. I normally get egg a day from each unless moulting or broody . We even had them on 2 quail eggs but I had to move them as they got flooded out an they wouldn't sit on them again. When missus broke one egg there was a half grown chick inside. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
air gun ant 1,666 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 go for it mate i live in the middle of a town my gardens only about 20" by 15" and got 2 silkies last year, a cock and a hen inevitably i had to rehome the cock after an evan bigger cock got on to the council BUT! i did have him long enough to to get 8 eggs put aside and all 8 hatched unfortunatly i aquired another chicken ex battery type and she killed 4 of the chicks but hay ho shes gone now and im left the mother hen which is golden and 2 golden chicks and 2 white chicks which are about the same size as mum now and looks like they are all hens apart from 1 gold 1 and im keep him untill he upsets [bANNED TEXT]. As for rats? ive been trying my hardest to atract rats! my gardens only about 10 metres from the canal but not seen or traped 1 yet! might have somthing to do with the ferrets? hope this helps, i love to just sit in the garden with a drink and just laugh at my chooks atb ant Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Carraghs Gem 1,675 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 If I was in a position where space was limited (ive over an acre now) id keep ko shamo or oeg bantams.. Such characters, not many eggs though, and a few quail Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lawrence 657 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 modern game bantams are a nice wee bird to have about the place Quote Link to post Share on other sites
courseadog 231 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 The rat thing to me is bollox iv had rats in the past and sometimes it was before I got into birds ,that said I live in the country and when the fields r cut the rats move to find food ,town or country rats will come chickens or not , If I lived where u do I would Defo get Ko shamo ,oeg banttems Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The one 8,396 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Boy at the bottom of the rows got them and you only hear them after they have laid Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Carraghs Gem 1,675 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Another bantam breed people seem to like are polish although they are dumb as mud but they come in all different colors Suggest you buy or borrow a book on bantam breeds and basic husbandry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dec840 0 Posted July 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Cheers fella's We have mice regular as we are surrounded by fields and have a river less than a few hundred yards away so I catch the occasional rat..and the mouse traps are out year round..the neighbours are pretty tolerant and we all get along ( for now) all have dogs so plenty of barking which mine don't so enough to negotiate if the hens make too much noise.. I have been hatching quail and brooding them for my dad (rcom king suro) as it was a joint hobby and they all go to his when big enough for the aviary and its been good going..but the missus says they are boring..I have seen some blue silkies at a recent fur and feather Auction and they looked the part to get the missus on side ( fluffy) also there were some hatching eggs on e-bay so that was my thinking..hatch my own and go from there.. My dad saw some small bantams that apparently are the size of quail, but I couldn't find them at the show as he wanted to see if he could get one to sit the quail eggs..( can't you tell I'm new to this) I have applied for an allotment but I think the waiting list is around two years..given if someone moves off etc, so as said toying with keeping a few hens in the garden..I know they strip plants like locus but due to the dogs I have them all in pots/baskets so they can't dig them up..so it's all lawn for them to scrat around on with a few established bushes for summer lazy days( if we ever get a summer) The red mites are the sap ones..but I didn't realise there was a difference..:-/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Carraghs Gem 1,675 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 The small quail size hens could be dutch, japanese or possibly seramas? Other breeds to consider are owl beard, dutch booted bantams, bantam asil, sultans, pekins Quote Link to post Share on other sites
forest of dean redneck 11,189 Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 The small quail size hens could be dutch, japanese or possibly seramas? Other breeds to consider are owl beard, dutch booted bantams, bantam asil, sultans, pekins My jap x bantams which were sold as jap x pekins were at least double the size of my jap quail I had, My preference is bantams over quail the quail were greedy,messy,and fought each other constantly and the eggs were hard to deshell quite liked the cock birds call though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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