When we moved to the farm in April of 1998, one of the first things we did was purchase some Ameraucana bantams. That summer I discovered the Ameraucana Breeder’s Club and soon purchased our first breeding stock of white Ameraucana bantams from Mike Gilbert the club president. The original white bantam cock bird died in the summer of 2006, but his genes flow not only in the white line of bantams at Bantam Hill, but also in the black and blue lines of bantams at Bantam Hill.

From those humble beginnings began the quest of establishing a Missouri presence for standard bred Ameraucana bantams and large fowl in all of the 8 standard colors.

We continue and support the club’s work in creating and standardizing the colors of silver and black gold in the bantams, and black gold and brown red in large fowl. Experimental breeding for the color of cuckoo is being explore at Bantam Hill. Progress is being made in the color, but much work will have to be done to achieve a slate colored leg and the project may have to be abandoned if a slate leg cannot be achieved. We have had some limited success with slate as the base color for a mottled leg. We also have been breeding for lavender (self blue), black tailed red, millie fleur and silver millie fleur.

A childhood dream of owning a peacock became a reality in 2001 and has progressed quickly. The peafowl have added much enjoyment and an exotic touch to Bantam Hill.

As children grow their interests develop and parents are sometimes led down roads they did not plan for. Starting 2006 we explored and researched dairy goats. I think the obsession began with a love of the movie "Heidi" and has led us to the addition of dairy goats to the farm. In June 2007 we purchased two Nubian doelings and a Nubian buckling. They have added a lot of excitement to the farm and we sure enjoy the personalities they have. The kids are now excited and planning for spring 2008 when the goat kids arrive and milking begins . . . of course mom and dad are not quite as excited about the milking schedule!