It is so hard when you lose one of the flock, and foxes, weasels, raccoons, whatever predators are in your area can smell them for miles and will snatch one eventually. But, for all the sobbing beside a pile of feathers I have done, I still wholeheartedly recommend that you go for it!

Right now we have three orpingtons, two brahma, one cochin, three golden comets, two marans, two plymouth rock, one silkie bantam, two sussex, and one wyandotte.

I had more bantams but they are really really good jumpers because they're so small and light, they can nearly fly, and they would insist on roosting in a tree... Their steadfast refusal to come in at night ended in their demise.