It’s no secret that I love bantams. I’ve had the true pleasure of having raised them my whole life. As a little girl, my sister and I used to spend hours in the chicken coop, dressing them up in doll clothes. They were our pets and companions and it is because of them that I have such a deep love for chickens to this day.
Me {left} and my sister holding our Easter Eggers “Brownie” and “Cutie”.
My chicken coop now consists of more than 50% bantams. At one point, I had even considered raising only bantams- but the problem is I love all breeds of chicken and just have to have them all {can you relate?!}. And if you have never had a bantam for yourself, you are missing out.
Let’s take a look at what a bantam is, and how they just might “fit” into your own life.
Fun Size
Our B.B. Red Old English Game pullet “Half-Pint”.
The word “bantam” simply means
“any of numerous small domestic fowls that are often miniatures of members of the standard breeds”. Just as the standard Snickers candy bar has a “Fun Size”, so do many of our standard chicken breeds- although there are true bantam breeds as well who do not have a standard size counterpart. But unlike the smaller of the candy bars, bantams are in no way a disappointment when compared to the full size. They are delightful little creatures that are generally friendly and easy to tame, making them ideal pets- especially where children are involved. The hens tend to be relatively calm {as always, every breed and individual presents its own special circumstances at times} and the roosters are known to be quite proud {little man syndrome?}, and can borderline on being aggressive.
They Will Fit Right In
Easter Egger/Old English Game Cross pullet and Silver Sebright/Old English Game cross cockerels.
Bantams are generally 1/4- 1/3 the size of a standard chicken and weigh in between 16-30 ounces. This makes them an ideal chicken for urban living, small back yards, or small coops desiring more chickens. They require 1/3 of the space of a standard breed, meaning you only need approximately 1.3 square feet per bantam, compared to 4 square feet minimum for standard poultry.
Eat Right
“Sunshine”, our Buff Columbian d’Uccle bantam pullet.
Not only can bantams eat the same feed as a regular chicken, but they eat 1/2 as much, consuming approximately 1 pound of feed per week. Therefore, they are not only efficient when it comes to housing them, but also when it comes to feeding them- making them excellent choice pets for the backyard chicken owner.
Dual Purpose?
“Amber”, our Red Laced White Cornish bantam pullet.
Some like to argue that bantams are not efficient when it comes to providing food for us. I completely disagree. Though you can obviously expect smaller eggs from a smaller chicken {on average approximately 1/2 the size}, they are just as delicious and nutritious for you. You can expect breeds and individual situations to vary as far as egg production, just as you would your standard breeds. I’ve heard people say that their Sebrights are terrible layers, whereas my Sebright hen and her daughter are excellent layers. I’ve also been told that traditional best laying breeds {such as the Leghorn} also are excellent layers in their bantam version.
“Blind Side” {Old English Game/Silver Sebright cross} and her mother “Lacey” {Silver Sebright hen}.
As far as meat birds, bantam meat is highly flavorful despite the fact that you get very little meat from them.
Entertainment Value
There is nothing quite as precious or entertaining as a flock of bantams scurrying about the yard. Their spritely attitudes and appearance make them a farmyard gem. They are excellent foragers, making them popular garden keepers. Additionally, bantams are incredibly beautiful and are more varied in color and pattern than standard breeds, boasting over 85 plumage patterns.
The Options are Endless
Blue Cochin bantam chicks.
There are nearly 60 different bantam breeds which come in over 400 different varieties {bantam ducks included}! The options truly do seem endless. I’ve found great joy in breeding and cross-breeding my bantams as they always produce such unique varieties each time.
“Ruby”, a Old English Game/Quail Antwerp Belgian bantam cross pullet.
The American Bantam Association provides various publications, including the Bantam Standard {to its members} which carefully lists each of the accepted true bantam and miniature varieties. The acceptance of what makes a true bantam varies from country to country, but here is a short list of some of the true bantams available to us here:
Belgian Bearded d’Anvers
Belgian Rumpless d’Anvers
Belgian Bearded d’Uccle
Belgian Rumpless d’Uccle
Belgian Bearded de Watermael
Booted or Sabelpoot
Dutch
Japanese or Chabo
Mericanel della Brianza
Mugellese
Nankin or Nankeen
Pekin
Pépoi
Rosecomb
Sebright
Silkie {U.S. does not have a standard available- though other countries do}
Serama
Tuzo
Mommy Material
Easter Egger bantam “Sahara” and chicks.
Bantams are excellent setters and mothers, protective of their young and have been known to be good at adopting the chicks of unfit mothers. I once had three hens setting at once and discovered that two of them were attacking and eating the babies. I was able to rescue some of the chicks and unhatched eggs and give them to the third {bantam} hen, who lovingly took them in. Silkies are especially known to be an excellent choice in this department.
Man of the House
B.B. Red Old English Game bantam rooster “Rusty”.
Bantam Roosters are upright and proud by nature, making them a perfect choice for head of the household. They do not let their size deter them in protecting their flock; they are aggressive toward predation, always on alert, and most definitely sound out the alarm should anything appear awry. I have a personal preference toward Old English Game bantam roosters as they have always taken to their duties with confidence and ease. They take care of their girls, are gentle with them, always offer them the most choice edibles, and are as gentlemanly as they come.
“Lola” {Red Pyle Old English Game bantam hen} and “Rusty” B.B. Red Old English Game bantam rooster.
Like any other rooster, bantam roosters love to crow {they have a bit higher pitch, though}, they will most certainly spar with other roosters, and they’re not afraid to breed the bigger girls. {We successfully hatched an OEG rooster {bantam}/Easter Egger hen {standard} chick last summer}. Size does NOT matter, my friends.
Longevity
“Lucy”, our Quail Antwerp Belgian hen; a proven layer, setter, and mother.
Although some might argue that bantams tend to have a shorter lifespan, claiming them to be easy targets for predators, I find myself once again disagreeing. I live amongst a vast variety of predators, and I have lost more of my standard breeds to them than the bantams. They are small, fast, and fit into smaller hiding spaces than the larger birds. Time and again, they have outlived the standard size chickens with great health and tend to produce eggs longer as well. But of course, my personal experience might differ from that of another. Either way, they most certainly are capable of providing you with everything that a standard breed can…
…in a “fun size” package :).
Stopping by from Backyard Farming Connection. I love my bantams, too, but overall mine do lay far fewer eggs than my full sized birds. Feed conversion might be almost as good, though, because bantams lay eggs that are larger relative to their body size. As for which is more vulnerable to predation, I think several other things factor in, such as plumage coloration (i.e., how well camouflaged they are), body type (slender breeds with relatively long wings fly better than fat breeds with short wings, whether bantam or full-sized.), and head feathering (birds with blinding head feathers can’t see predators as well.)
-Janet
http://ouroneacrefarm.com/
What a great post! I’ve always wanted bantams but we haven’t raised any yet. I think they are just soooo cute. Whenever I see them at the feed store I want to bring them home! Maybe one year we’ll get some “fun sized” chickens 🙂
I’m in love with your Mama Sahara…what is she and where can I get one? My heart’s a pitter patter. Thanks! Terrie
Hi, Terrie! She’s an Easter Egger bantam (they are often sold under the breed “Araucana” or “Americauna”, neither of which are accurate but I have an article that addresses that topic haha!)~ unfortunately because the breed is so incredibly diverse in color, comb, etc- you never know what you will get when you order them! But you just might end up with a Sahara in the bunch 😉
Thanks so much for visiting!
Hi! I love your website and have been researching bantam chickens as I prepare to get back into chickens. I’m curious if a bantam would provide enough meat for 2? It’s just me and my husband here so a full size bird is more meat than we need at once.