Bantam Chickens
Bantam chickens are small chickens that are about ¼ th or a ⅕ th of a large chicken breed but are similar to their bigger counterparts in most other ways. The name ‘Bantam’ comes from the city of Bantam, a seaport town in western Java, Indonesia. Bantams are great for beginners, as they do not need much space and can be kept in a backyard. However, it is essential to note that after starting to lay eggs at about 20-24 weeks, the hens can produce eggs for about 2 years.
While almost every large fowl breed has a bantam counterpart, they don’t necessarily always have the exact origins. Some naturally developed differently from their larger counterparts, while others have been bred explicitly as bantams.
Different Types of Bantam Chicken Breeds
Bantams are widely split into three categories based on their origins. However, there is some overlap between the breeds. For instance, the Japanese Bantam has no standard counterpart and is classified as a true bantam. On the other hand, its origins come from years of selective breeding, so it could also be classified as a developed bantam.
True Bantams
True bantams are naturally small and have no large fowl counterpart.
| Breed | Adult Weight (in ounces) | Eggs per Year (on average) | Personality | Colors |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbu d’Anvers | Male: 24.7 Female: 21.2 | 250 | Friendly | Black, Mottled, Porcelain, Blue, Quail, etc. |
| Barbu d’Everberg | Male: 24.7-28.2 Female: 19.4-23 | 100 | Friendly | Black, White, Blue, Quail, etc. |
| Barbu d’Uccle | Male: 26.5 Female: 23 | 100 | Chatty, Docile, and Friendly | White, Black, Red, Blue, etc. |
| Barbu de Boitsfort | Male: 21.2-24.7 Female: 15.9-17.6 | 100 | Docile and Even-tempered | Black, White, Buff Columbia, Cuckoo, Quail, etc. |
| Barbu de Grubbe | Male: 24.7 Female: 21.2 | 100 | Aggressive | Quail, Lavender, Black, Mille Fleur, Mottled, White, etc. |
| Barbu de Watermael | Male: 21.2–24.7 Female: 15.9-19.4 | 100 | Aggressive | Black, Brown Red, Buff Columbia, Cuckoo, Quail And White, etc. |
| Bassette Liégeoise | Male: 35.2 Female: 31.7 | 125-180 | Friendly | Quail, Silver Quail, etc. |
| Belgian Bantam | Male: 23 Female: 19.4 | 200-250 | Friendly and Docile | Chocolate, Black, etc. |
| Bleue de Lasnes | – | – | – | – |
| Booted Bantam | Male: 30 Female: 22.92 | 150-200 | Calm and Friendly | White, Black, Blue, Porcelain, Mille Fleur, etc. |
| Burmese | Male: 201 Female: 15.9 | 120-180 | Quiet and Friendly | White |
| Dutch Bantam | Male: 17.6-19.4 Female: 14.1-15.9 | 160 | Friendly | Black, Blue, Lavender, White, Wheaten, etc. |
| Japanese Bantam | Male: 18-21.9 Female: 14.1-18 | 75 | Calm, Friendly, and Trusting | Black, White, Cuckoo, Blue Red, Buff Colombian, etc. |
| Mericanel della Brianza | Male: 24.7–28.2 Female: 21.2–24.7 | – | – | White, Black, Silver, Gold, Pyle, etc. |
| Mugellese | Male: 28.2 Female: 24.7 | Less than a 100 | Active and Personable | Brown, White, etc. |
| Naine du Tournaisis | – | – | – | Maroon, Black, White, etc. |
| Nankin Bantam | Male: 24-26.1 Female: 20.1-21.9 | 80-100 | Calm and Friendly | Chestnut |
| Nankin Shamo | – | – | – | Black, Brown, Red, White, etc. |
| Pekin Bantam | Male: 24 Female: 20.1 | 50-150 | Docile | Black, Blue, Buff, Cuckoo, Mottled, Barred, Birchen, etc. |
| Pépoi | Male: 48-56 Female:32-40 | 160-180 | – | Yellow |
| Pictave | Male: 28.2 Female: 21.2 | 130 | – | – |
| Pyncheon | Male: 24 Female: 22 | – | – | Mille Fleur |
| Rosecomb | Male: 21.9 Female: 18 | – | Friendly | Blue, Black, Ginger Red, Porcelain, Quail, Pyle, etc. |
| Sebright | Male: 21.9 Female: 18 | 52 | Active and Friendly | Gold, Silver |
| Serama | 8.8-18 | 200-250 | Calm | Chocolate, Wheaten, Gray, White, Brown, Blue-red, Brown-red, Black, etc. |
| Tuzo | – | – | – | Black |
| Waasse kriel | – | – | – | – |
| Yakido | Male: 74-91.7 Female: 60-74 | 80 | Aggressive | Black |
Miniature Bantams
These bantams have a large fowl counterpart and are generally smaller but have off proportions. This means that certain parts of their bodies are more prominent, like their heads and tails. Some examples of these chickens include the Brahma and the Polish Bantam
Developed Bantams
These chickens have been selectively bred for specific reasons, such as physical characteristics or traits. Some examples of these chickens include the Cochin and Silkie Bantam.
Classification by the American Poultry Association
The American Poultry Association (APA) classifies bantam chickens based on their physical appearance. These chickens are divided into six categories depending on a set of criteria put forward by the APA.
- Modern Game (Modern Game Chickens)
- Game (American Game and Old English Game Chickens)
- Single Comb Clean-legged (Serama, Orpington, etc.)
- Rose-comb Clean-legged (Rhode Island Red, Sebright, etc.)
- Feather-legged (Brahma, Silkie, etc.)
- All Other Comb Clean Legged (Ameraucana, Malay, etc)
How to Care for Bantams
Caring for bantams is the same as caring for standard chickens, albeit on a smaller scale. On average, a bantam needs about a pound of feed.
One of the benefits of keeping bantams is that they require less space compared to standard chickens. Generally, the space requirements for bantams are:
| Coop Space | 2 square feet per bird |
| Running Room | 5 square feet per bird |
| Nesting Box | 10 inches x 12 inches x 10 inches |
| Roosting Area | 7 inches per bird |
FAQs
On average, bantams live for 4-8 years, but some live for over a decade if properly cared for.
While bantam chickens can live with large fowl, if issues with pecking order occur within the flock, the smaller size of the bantams can be used against them. Female bantams shouldn’t be kept with larger roosters as they can get hurt if the males attempt to mate.
Bantams are generally less hardy than standard breeds, but some developed bantams acquire a bit of hardiness as a byproduct of selective breeding.
The Burmese bantam is the rarest and is on the brink of extinction. It was believed to have gone extinct at the time of the First World War, but a few individuals were discovered later on.
