bantam

Bantams are a smaller version of a breed. Standard being the larger size. They lay smaller eggs . As for temperment and broodieness... it just varys from breed to breed.

 

I have 3 bantams and 1 standard. In my little but of experience, I think the bantams are not near as aggressive and scary looking as the bantams. If a bantam pecks at you, big deal. But if a standard pecks at you, you may come back with bloody hands! Just saying...

 

Not all bantams are a small version of a larger breed. Scrolling through the henderson chicken chart I count 8 true bantams which have no standard counterparts. They are only bantam.

There are hundreds of chicken breeds and for nearly every standard breed there is a bantam as well the true bantams. They can look like anything. Every color, every feather type, feathered legs or not, and every weird feathering that exists.... They can also lay every color of egg that the standards can although finding bantam versions that lay the dark eggs is very difficult.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chicken_breeds
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

I have all bantams now and think they are great! If you want to hatch your own chicks, a broody bantam can't be beat. They make great moms. They only draw back is they want to be moms a lot so they are not the best at contiuous egg production.

 

Bantams are not a breed but a size of chicken. Like, a miniature poodle is like a bantam. and a standard poodle is like a standard.

I have only ever had bantams. Silkies, and a bantam cochin. Silkies are good broodies. (from what I've read up. mine are still young)