Ihave keep and lie with wimp since I was a male child . Growing up in the suburbia on the edge of a large city , through necessity , much of my other poultry - keeping exploits were solely limited to raising bantam , a type of poulet just like full - size breeds but only1⁄5to1⁄4the sizing .
In those far - off days , pocket money only went so far . fortuitously for me , I quick see that bantam were the most economical bird to keep . They required less food for thought and smaller ( cheaper ) trapping , and they make more than enough egg to meet our household .
My youthful bantam - keeping experience also taught me the worthful lesson of outlay versus income . I before long learned that any surplus eggs , bird or birds make were always in immense requirement around the neighborhood .
These beautiful fowl had the ability to pretty much pay for their own keep plainly by virtue of the fact that all their Cartesian product were comestible . The ball were keenly sought after ( especially for bar baking ) . And surplusage birds , though pocket-sized , made a delectable feast , with a full , natural flavor .
If you choose your breed sagely , these triplex points of ballock , meat and the profitable cut-rate sale of hatching eggs , biddy and grower can still be mix . And these are just some of the many reasons bantam breeds are so very popular today .
A History
The Bankiva junglefowl , or red junglefowl , may be the pedigree of our bantam breed . The term “ bantam ” would seem to install that fact .
Bantam ( aka Banten ) is the name of a town and dominion in the northwestward of Java , Indonesia . In 1595 , the Dutch established themselves at Bantam . And in 1602 , the English erected a mill in the same station , which was the first ownership of the English in the East Indies .
These beautiful miniature junglefowl , betray to the British at Bantam , were imported into England under the very natural appellation of bantam fowls . Their elegance and diminutive size rendered them favorites . In due time the name came to be bestow to all small or dwarf fowls .
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What is undeniable is the rush of interest create by the bantam . From the Victorian era , when large poultry were quite literally ruling the roost , the little bantam gradually supervene upon it . This rapid advancement can be trace through old fowl Bible .
In the early 1880s , that masterpiece of poultry lit , The Book of Poultryby Lewis Wright , only denote 30 of its 591 pages to bantams . However , by 1893 , L. C. Verrey wrote theBook on Bantams , said to be the first devoted solely to their breeding and polish .
By 1899,The Practical Poultry Keeperannounced that renowned English fowl breeder W. F. Entwistle had “ reproduced in bantam word form almost all large breed of poultry”—the first clear indication of purposeful “ bantamisation . ”
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At many of today ’s fowl shows , bantams are often more in evidence than their large counterparts .
Read more : Check out these 3 breeds of bantam ducks !
True Bantams
The define characteristic of a true bantam is that , unlike other domestic fowl stock , it does n’t have a bigger counterpart . The honest bantam classification covers breeds such as the Sebright , the Booted , Japanese and the Belgians .
These dwarves of the fowl world make up for what they lack in size by give birth large - than - animation personalities and friendly nature . However , you ca n’t really depend on them for their eggs , which are tiny and for certain wo n’t make a satisfying repast !
For the intent of this clause , I ’ll focus on those bantams selectively multiply down in size ( from fertile large fowl ) that still keep their utilitarian economic value . If you ’re looking for an egg producer but lack place , do exactly as you would if you were choosing a larger breed . Select bantam varieties of the Rhode Island Red , Sussex , Wyandotte or Leghorn .
Murray McMurray Hatchery
If purity of your stock is of no great concern , you could still create tasty meat by crossingCornish bantam / Old English Game with a Rhode Island bantam . The effect will be a yellow - skinned succulent bird that will be greatly enhanced by corn - intemperate provender and access to forage . Andy119 / Shutterstock
Plymouth Rock
Having never continue this breed before , I was particularly concerned in the reply from Grant Tenley , United States President of the Plymouth Rock Fanciers Club of America to my question . The clubhouse has a directory , which is an fantabulous tool for locating good breeders in different areas .
Growing up on a farm , Tenley has always lived around fowl . “ We raised White Plymouths and White Leghorns for eggs and substance . ( But ) Plymouth Rocks became my favorite chicken , ” he says . “ We had exclude Plymouth Rocks for years . And then in 2012I purchased Columbian Plymouth Rocks for4 - H and have been breed and better them to come across theStandard of Perfectionsince 2016 . ”
Plymouth Rock bantams are bred of caliber genetics that conform to theStandard of Perfection , a write description of an idealistic bird of the strain . “ A novice in the fancy should be looking for a thrifty and vigorous volaille ( with ) a single comb of medium sizing with five percentage point , nice yellow leg , good tight wing carriage , stout bone structure , a wide posture and a well outspread tail , carry at a 20 - degree angle for females and a 30 - degree slant for the male person , ” Tenley says .
A unspoiled layer should be alive and thrifty . They should be bright - eyed and in good body condition .
“ You must monitor the diet of your chickens to increase egg output , ” Tenley say . “ juicy hen will not lay as many egg . A wide of the mark raspberry with unspoiled eubstance carriage will lie down best . stress to avoid narrow , smaller bird . ”
Plymouth Rock cockerel consider a proficient bit more than the majority of bantam breeds . Standard weight is 32 ounces for the bantam cockerels . Many can reach a large weightiness at maturity , realise the breed a honest mesa skirt .
Plymouth Rock bantam make nifty raspberry , as they ’re well-heeled to raise and hatch ; rich , stout , good mothers ; and heavy layers . They also produce a good - sized carcass .
They ’re consummate for small - scale breeders , fanciers or hobbyists , whether you desire them for eggs , meat or exhibition . However , they do tend to wipe out more than the smaller ornamental bantams .
Wyandotte
Another American creation is the Wyandotte , which is also my preferred bantam stock . While utility consideration seem to have been the driving force behind the creation of many stock , expression were at the forefront in the creation of the Wyandotte .
An eclectic commixture went into its creation . Sebrights , Hamburgs , Brahmas and Cochins all played their section in what was provisionally ring the Eureka . They were finally admitted to the American Poultry Association’sStandard of Perfectionas Wyandottes in 1883 .
Bantam reading were soon create . Although little , they ’re often on the orotund size for bantams ( thus undesirable cockerels can make a enough meal ) . So for those look for a beautiful service program bantam , these really ca n’t be bettered . However , although delicately beautiful , some of the blanched birds often have the capacity for supernumerary feather and bagatelle . Though welcome by the expo world , these traits are often quite unproductive .
Interestingly , the more intricately tick off birds ( atomic number 79 , Silver , Buff - lace , Silver - penciled and Partridge ) often dwell extremely well — even throughout the harshest winters .
The gentle , quiet , hardy , friendly and attractive Wyandotte simply ca n’t be recommended extremely enough and are also eminently suitable for the beginner .
Read more : Bantam poulet are perfect for the backyard .
Rhode Island Red
It was the poultry James Leonard Farmer of Rhode Island — motivated by the demand for a bird that could produce eggs and meat — that subsequently developed the Rhode Island Red . And their absolved focus on utility would see it become the world ’s most successful stock . Murray McMurray Hatchery
Their aim to give rise the hardiest stock , capable of surviving the harsh New England winter , has served this adaptable chicken well .
Some folk usher out the prominent Rhode Islands exhibited at shows throughout the land as being too big and not put enough eggs to be classed as utility . Conversely , some exhibition bantam strains are renowned for being first-class layer of sensibly sized tint eggs .
While the biddy are normally sweet small things , the cock often go oversize — making them idealistic for the stew pot ! The docile , well-disposed and easily contain Rhode Island Red is yet another bantam complete for the beginner interested in utilitarian values .
Welsummer
Most of Europe ’s indigenous fowl strain laid white eggs . Holland ( abode of the Welsummer ) was no different . But the Dutch stock breeder were amongst the very first to know the commercial grandness of the brownish egg , which were then ( quite mistakenly ) perceive to be the healthier choice .
I have keep open this delicious breed — famous for rich brown eggs — in its large and bantam form .
Welsummers are favorable , active but placid razz , supremely befit to a backyard or hobby farm . Some bantam pains are very productive . But many produce a much lighter - tinted nut than their larger counterpart . If shell coloration is vitally authoritative to you , ask the stock breeder of your blood line to show you some of the egg their shuttle have produced .
Araucana
The popularity of blue - shell ballock has exploded in late times . My young nephew — a very bad-tempered eater — would only eat blue eggs and was convert they try out better than the conventional colored ones !
The producers of these sky - blue eggs are , of course , the fantastic Araucana . Named after the Araucano Indians , this is South America ’s only aboriginal bird . A act of frame can be found in the U.S. , with rumpless and striking tufted - dog-eared versions being seen . Its most distinguishing feature film , though , is of course production of those beautiful - coloured egg .
A word of warn to anyone buying stock . Go to a well - known , registered stock breeder and ask to see some of the eggs his striving produce .
Egg color diverge staggeringly , and many produce a disappointing olive or muddy dark-green vividness ( often a sign of hybridisation ) . There are some excellent strains of Araucana bantams out there that produce scores of pastel low-spirited eggs . You just have to do your research .
Note : This very active , hardy , fascinating chicken can be a fleck flighty and outspoken .
The Leghorn
This old Italian breed is extremely wellknown — no doubt help by Foghorn Leghorn , the alive cock that appear in numerous Looney Tunes cartoons ! Although Italian in origin , American breeders developed it . Mr N. P. Ward of New York City is recorded as being the first importer of Brown Leghorns back in 1834 .
leghorn have historically been highly valued for their egg - laying power . And the strain is still unexcelled in its ability to produce magnanimous phone number of white egg . Utility Caucasian have been recorded as set 300 egg a class .
Exhibition multiply for monumental upright comb in the standard - sized cockerel and heavy floppy ones in hens has detracted from their utility performance . However some bantam strains of black / brown Panama lay almost as well as the commercial hybrids .
I would n’t recommend this stock for anyone with near neighbors ; they tend to be flighty and can be quite noisy . However for those with a bit of space , they make a brilliant pick .
This article in the beginning appear in the July / August 2022 issue ofChickensmagazine .
