New to chickens,(don't have any yet)

[Arlene Woodall]

I would like to know which would be best for just starting out with chickens, bantams or large fowl?  I have never had any. I live in a town, so I won't be breeding, I just want them for pets. I only want 3 or 4.  I would really appreciate your advice!! Thank you!!!

[Linda Ferguson]

Arlene - I've had large fowl chickens most of my life. Most of my bantam experience is with Silkie Bantams because they're supposed to have sweet personalities and won't scratch up the yard so bad. I learned the Silkie bantams are sweet to me, but peck each other just like LF chickens do. Silkies don't really fly so they're easily confined. LF chickens and bantam chickens can fly so consider the type fencing you'll need if you plan to let them free range. I live in the city and either type still need to be locked up at night to protect from predators.
I like LF chickens because the eggs are bigger, and LF chickens are more aggressive bug eaters than Silkie bantams. The regular bantams I've had were good bug eaters.
If you want them as pets, it's just as easy to make pets of the LF chickens as the bantams in my experience. LF take a little more room and eat a little more.
I've settled on LF as my favorites but it depends on what you want them for. I'd suggest taking your time deciding because there are so many types to choose from. Love to hear what you decide on. Linda

[John W Blehm]

None of my chickens are pets and don't get handled anymore often than needed, but bantams are my favorites.  What you prefer or has the most eye appeal may what it gets down to.  I like to sit in a lawn chair and watch them.  Maybe consider a variety of colors (varieties).  Just due to being small bantams are easy to handle, take up less room, eat less and produce smaller droppings to clean up after.  I can house up to a dozen in one of my bantam condos.  The condo would probably house 4 to 6 large fowl.  If you sell eggs than size may matter, but for personal use the bantam eggs are great. 

[Linda Ferguson]

A couple more thoughts Arlene is that chickens don't introduce to each other easily. If you add chickens to your flock later on, it's quite a process to introduce them and get them to get along with each other. Pecking order can be kind of brutal in my view.
It's good to get chickens as babies so they can grow up together, or buy from one person who has raised them together so they already get along.
If you get them as babies and they're straight run, you won't know if they're girls or boys and it can be difficult to find a good home for a rooster you've become attached to. These are some of the things I've learned along the way about chickens. Others may have different thoughts. This is a pretty friendly group so ask more questions if you have them. Linda

[Tailfeathers]

I wish I'd learn to save things I write because I could just cut & paste it here!  That's a good question and it deserves a good answer.  However, that said, one would probably have to write a book to do so.  So, let me try by just saying that your question is like asking, "What's the best car?"  Or "What's the best dog to get?"

I would recommend sitting down with pen & paper (or keyboard these days) and making a list of what is important to you in a chicken.  Is eating eggs a priority?  If so, how many per week?  Remember that bantams lay much smaller eggs than LF.  How about egg color?  Will you be eating your "pets" at some point?  Again, if you do a Google search there is a site that lists most, if not all, the various breeds in a comparison chart that can help you with some of that.  There are basically four types of chickens:  Egg Layers, Meat Birds, Dual Purpose, and Exhibition/Ornamental.  And, just like dogs or any other animal, chicken breeds have their known personalities as well, generally speaking.

You'll also wanna give some forethought as to housing, care, maintenance, etc.  How much time, effort, and expense do you plan to put into your birds.   I don't have chickens as "pets" but I once watched a show on chickens and it showed one woman with a White Silkie who actually put a diaper on the bird and let it run around the house, took it with her anywhere she went, and even put it in her purse in the grocery cart while she went shopping!

But before you do all that I'd suggest doing a Google search on "Chicken Math".  Those of us who understand, and have learned our lesson in "Chicken Math", all probably gave a real LOL at your "I only want 3 or 4."

[Rebecca G Howie]

Hi Arlene,

I started out several years ago with both LF and bantam EE and cochin chicks from the feed store. I quickly fell in love with the bantams. My chickens are both pets and breeders, I hope to show my Ameraucanas a little in the future. i go into the run every day to watch them and scratch their bellies and tell them how pretty they are. The bantams are so much friendlier and come to me to be petted. The 3 big girls I still have don't want to be bothered.

They all get along fine, but it is true that introducing new members into the flock can be brutal. Been pretty lucky with that challenge so far.

My bantam Lavenders from John think they are parakeets and want to ride around on my shoulder and even my 10 year old granddaughter can pick up the roosters when it is time to put them into their separate cages. If I am not hatching I don't mind breaking 2 eggs instead of 1 for an omelet, but some folks think that is too much trouble.

As John pointed out, you can house more bantams in a given space  and there is less mess to deal with. They quickly scratch the smaller droppings into the sand. Don't eat nearly as much, never did the math, but I think I get more egg value from the banties. I think the LF eat 4 times as much food and only give me an egg 2 times as big.

I would echo everyone's advice to do some research and put some thought into what you want them for and how much work/money you want to put into having chickens. Either way, they are fun and entertaining.

[John W Blehm]

...Don't eat nearly as much, never did the math, but I think I get more egg value from the banties. I think the LF eat 4 times as much food and only give me an egg 2 times as big...Either way, they are fun and entertaining.

The Seller's Poultry Genetics for the Nonprofessional site backs that up your "value" idea and even tells of other benefits that come with the Dwarf (df) gene that bantams have.
Chicken Genes of Common Interest

dw homozygotes are more resistant to Marek's Disease and spirochetosis, fewer laying accidents, more aggressive immune response. Abnormal eggs are suppressed (soft-shelled, double yolks). Dwarfism, dw, does not effect mortality but does postpone the onset of lay in pullets up to two weeks. Although egg number and mass are slightly decreased by dw, feed efficiency (feed consumption per egg layed) in laying stocks is usually increased 13-25%.

[Rebecca G Howie]

WOW, gonna have to do some reading on that! Have some "prepper" friends and I keep telling them they need to go with bantams if they are serious about the issues of "survival".

I think I could go underground with a few banties, but I don't think I could live with LF in confinement. LOL

[Arlene Woodall]

Thank you for replying, I really appreciate it. By pets I meant I would not be eating them, I will keep them as long as they live. I am leaning towards bantams and I am trying to decide which color Ameraucana to get. I really like the lavender though.  I am really glad I joined!!!!!  I hope to get them in the spring.  I haven't built the coop yet. So I am very new to this!

[Rebecca G Howie]

I would have sworn that John breeds his Lavenders for disposition as well as for the standard. From day 1 they have been calm, curious and friendly. Beautiful sweeties!!