Bantams!?!? whaaaa???? :/

[tiki244]

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Not in quantity, just size. But I think pound for pound the bantam lays an egg that is proportionally larger than a standard of the same breed. (IE: feeding a 2 lb bantam Orp gets an egg the size of small at the grocery store and feeding a standard size(10 lbs?) Orp gets an egg the size of a XX large egg at the store.) So economically the bantam chicken is laying good eggs, but then you would need more of them to get the same amount of egg product.
Afetr a year they lay larger eggs too. The Old English Game hens lay fairly good size for their size (less than a pound) and they are wonderful foragers too. But if you have males of this breed only get one. LOL

I think the method of producing these bantam breeds was different from breed to breed. Where some bantams are literally smaller standards after years of breeding for this. And other bantams are a mixture of bantam breeds, pproducing the new breed, in the same manner the large fowl were produced. This in both cases is a LONG process, thankfully someone else did.

In some of the bantam breeds I have noticed there are slight differences in their appearances compared to their large fowl counterparts. And I do believe there is at least one breed that does not have a bantam counterpart(just cant remember which one)

 

[LilPeeps]

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Actually, there are standard sized silkies, they're just not in the US.

 

[risurocket]

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Ah, ok, I was wondering about the vague mention I had heard about standard sized silkies. If they are only outside the US, that explains it. Weren't they "made" from bantam silkies though? sort of bred up for size instead of down? Everything else I read mentions silkies as a true bantam.

 

[LilPeeps]

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Ah, ok, I was wondering about the vague mention I had heard about standard sized silkies. If they are only outside the US, that explains it. Weren't they "made" from bantam silkies though? sort of bred up for size instead of down? Everything else I read mentions silkies as a true bantam.

I believe the bantams were developed from the standards,

 

[RoyalHillsLLC]

sadly, one thing I have noticed is that if you have multiple-sized birds, predators seem to pick out the smallest. I lose more bantams than standards.

 

[ladywolfe]

I heard that there are no bantams for Marans but they are working on it.

 

[Chickenaddict]

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I have mostly bantams for backyard pets and eggs. The eggs are a bit smaller but absolutely delicious (just gives you an excuse to eat more

. My whole family gets free eggs from me and all prefer those over store bought anyday! When the banties first start to lay their eggs are really small but they get bigger as the hens mature.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

What a great discussion! I learned a lot too!

 

[tiki244]

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Oh yeah thanks for reminding me.

There is a guy who developed bantam Lamonas

from bantam dorkings, rocks, and leghorns. And he only lives on the other side of the state from me!!!!!!

Lamonas were big at the early part of the 20th century. I have heard there is also 1 LF flock of Lamonas but they seem to be well hidden.

They were developed from LF Dorkings, Rocks, and Leghorns.