can I have some advice on chickens/bantams and which ones to get?

[Agincourt]

we have a small (5 bird ) coop/run, all set up ready. I had sourced some rhode rock hybrids but they have now all gone, so I have a choice of others. We were going to get three normal sized hens (hybriods) but I have noticed some bantams have become available locally too. I know they are smaller, but egg wise what is the difference? Do they not lay as many? I presume the eggs are smaller :o

anyway any advice on breeds etc would be welcome

Hybrids are more prolific layers, bantams not as much, and if there free range, as they are lighter birds so are better flyers, so you would have to clip wings where as the heavy hybrids eg blue rangers, black tail rangers are heavy and less flighty (except white stars) would always recommend hybrids as there such good layers and so friendly (again except whites, although got mine to eat from my hand today, which was major progress, but now have a sore pecked hand! If your coop is recommended 5 large birds, that's how many you should get if you can, as if you have 3 or less, they will feel the cold in winter. But if it's 5 small birds then 3 hybrids if perfect or 5 bantams. Not sure about bantams egg size, but it would make since they would be a little smaller I guess. Hope this helps :)

Bantam eggs are smaller and many bantams don't lay all year.

thank you Onadietcolabreak. i now have 2 rangers and I think one columbian blacktail (??) and I already have two eggs!