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Shameless
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My little banties are growing up, and I spent some time with them snapping pictures to capture their last fleeting moments of babyness before they grow up and go off to college. Seriously though, these little chicks have been such fun to raise. Bantams have personality galore, they come in a thousand shapes and colors, and they are just adorable. Let’s indulge in some shameless cuteness!
Louis XIV and Miss Olivia Peeper (above) are growing into lovely young Belgian booted bantams. While Louis is a beautiful creamy color, Miss Olivia came out a rather washed-out mixed shade of dishwater. I will never be a successful breeder, as I cannot bring myself to get rid of such a sweet young lady. I will not hatch any of her eggs when she’s grown, but she’ll always have a place with me.
Miss Olivia loves to ride on my shoulder and softly chit-chat about whatever strikes her fancy. She is the sweetest, gentlest, and most shy little bird. I hated trimming their glorious foot feathers, but since they are spending their days scratching around like wild chickens instead of caged show birds, I thought it best.
Pippin and Robin are bantam Ameraucanas in slightly non-standard colors. They are sweet girls who look like tiny juvenile hawks. They have been carefully bred for several generations by a chicken buddy of mine who is selecting for a lovely blue egg color. I can’t wait to see the eggs they lay!
As you can see behind Robin, there is an unusual lady in the bunch. Xiu Xiu is a Silkie, a Chinese breed whose feathers lack the barbicels that hold their shape and rigidity. Their feathers feel like soft downy fur. They are very shy and gentle, and they are very good mothers.
Xiu Xiu is not a show quality Silkie, but she is very sweet and will do a fine job of hatching eggs for me in the spring.
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Probably the most unusual of the bantam chicks are Schmoo Belle and Betty Boop, my bantam Araucanas. Araucanas originated in South America, and they are a rumpless breed. While they look very odd, these two ladies are among the sweetest little birds you’ll find! Their color is called “splash,” which is made of blue-black splashes on a white background.
Betty Boop is considered “clean faced,” and Schmoo Belle has ear tufts - - curled feathers growing near each ear. Schmoo Belle likes to jump up on my shoulder and whisper the latest gossip. She also likes to come over and boss things when I am working in the coop.
The bantam cochins are doing well, although they sure have been broody this year! Penny Pretty is still broody and did not emerge for the photo session, but Dolly the Frizzle cochin obliged me:
Her feathers have continued to emerge nice and curled, and she is just adorable. Cochins are another Chinese breed with good mothering instincts, and I love their low, wide bodies and their acres of fluff. And then there are the cochin bottoms - - oh dear Lord save me from the irresistible cuteness of cochin butts!
I could spend all day watching the banties scratch and peck around their pen. They are like a beautiful, colorful bouquet of flowers.
The standard size birds do not particularly appreciate my interest in the smaller birds, however. Even chickens experience jealousy. My poor, bald Baby Mija never likes the attention I pay to other chickens, and when I walk over to the banty coop she always tries to get my attention by coyly walking in circles in front of me:
Her pitiful bald head is just starting to grow feathers back, but right now that baldness really makes her blind eye more obvious.
While she will never win any beauty contests, Baby sure does lay the biggest eggs of the bunch!
It’s probably time to go, anyhow. Louis has grown tired of all the attention - - and he signals this by standing very upright and giving me the fisheye.
OK, Louis. See you later!
