Heritage Bantam Thread

[Robert Blosl]

R I Red Bantam Mohawk

Buff Brahma Ckl


Colombian Rock Bantam Ckl and Pullets nice stock

Buff Brahma Ckl

R I Red Pullets shrunk down from large fowl 25 years ago Mohawks.

Light Brahma Large Fowl and Bantam see the difference in size?

Three years ago I started a Large Fowl Tread and it has produced at least 75 new backyard members to covert from the popular feed store type of large fowl to Standard Breed Large Fowl or breeds that where started before 1960s and are in need of help from becoming near extinct. In Bantams today its so much different. They are the popularity of Poultry. If you want a rare breed of Bantams its so much easier to locate a source or good breeder to help you get started.

Bantams take up one fourth the room of a large fowl, they do not cost as much money to raise and because of the over all numbers of breeders and quality you don't have to raises so many chicks per year to get good birds for future breeders. They are great with children and many youth show their bantams in 4 H.
So to start off this page I will post a few pictures of my bantams and we will go and try to keep this page alive to help some of you who are interested in these little miniature fowl.

Robert Blosl

 

[BGMatt]

This thread is a good idea. Bantams are very useful and a great alternative for people without a lot of space. I feel like people overlook them for their production potential often too. Bantam Leghorns or Bantam Buttercups, or Dutch bantams (talk about your "Heritage" bantam breeds, Dutch have a fascinating origin) will keep you plenty stocked in eggs.

I'll add pictures when I can of my bantam Buttercups.

 

[CharlieVoda]

Great idea Bob.

Here is a list of probable Heritage Bantam Breeds I could think of.

Single Comb Clean Legged
Ancona, Andalusian, Australorp, Campine, Catalana, Delaware, Dorking, Dutch, Holland, Java, Jersey Giant, Lakenvelder, Lamona, Leghorn, Naked Neck, New Hampshire, Orpington, Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Spanish, Sussex

Rose Comb Clean Legged
Ancona, Dominique, Dorking, Hamburg, Leghorn, Minorca, Redcap, Rhode Island Red, Rhode Island White, Wyandotte

Feather Legged
Brahma, Faverolle, Langshan

All Other Comb Clean Legged
Buckeye, Chantecler, Cornish, Crevecoeur, Houdan, La Fleche, Sicilian Buttercup

The large fowl brothers and sisters would be considered egg layers, meat birds or dual purpose birds. They would have been staple birds on the small farms in the 1980's or before. Thats about the time most small farms disappeared.

If I missed any just pm me and I'll edit the list.

I hope this tread is as big a succes as the heritage large fowl tread. We need more breeders for the bantams too.

Hope you are feeling better. Keep sippin on that jug out back you seem to get a lot of good ideas out there.

Good luck with the birds
Charlie

 

[cbnovick]

Here's some bantam White Rock eye candy compliments of Danny Feathers in Ponca City, Okla. Danny gave me permission to share these fine birds on this thread.
Enjoy!

 

[fowlman01]

The Nankin (R/C-S/C) has been around a long time, but only recently accepted in the APA/ABA.

Walt

 

[BGMatt]

Great idea Bob.

Here is a list of probable Heritage Bantam Breeds I could think of.

Single Comb Clean Legged
Ancona, Andalusian, Australorp, Campine, Catalana, Delaware, Dorking, Dutch, Holland, Java, Jersey Giant, Lakenvelder, Lamona, Leghorn, Naked Neck, New Hampshire, Orpington, Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Spanish, Sussex

Rose Comb Clean Legged
Ancona, Dominique, Dorking, Hamburg, Leghorn, Minorca, Redcap, Rhode Island Red, Rhode Island White, Wyandotte

Feather Legged
Brahma, Faverolle, Langshan

All Other Comb Clean Legged
Buckeye, Chantecler, Cornish, Crevecoeur, Houdan, La Fleche, Sicilian Buttercup

The large fowl brothers and sisters would be considered egg layers, meat birds or dual purpose birds. They would have been staple birds on the small farms in the 1980's or before. Thats about the time most small farms disappeared.

If I missed any just pm me and I'll edit the list.

I hope this tread is as big a succes as the heritage large fowl tread. We need more breeders for the bantams too.

Hope you are feeling better. Keep sippin on that jug out back you seem to get a lot of good ideas out there.

Good luck with the birds
Charlie

Adding to this would be the Nankin (a true bantam, used to help develop many of the other bantam breeds), the Silkie (I hear the groans, but they are one of the oldest of the bantam breeds, and their dark meat has been considered a delicacy at various points in history), Old English Game bantams (used to develop a ton of other bantam breeds, and Game fowl have long been used to increase health and vigor) should all be included.

I'd probably make a strong argument for the Sebright, but it's a truly ornamental bird that never served any other purpose. It has a rich history though and I think that's important. Would make a case for the Modern Game on the same grounds.

 

[Robert Blosl]

Thank you all. I have a Danny Feathers hen and a Sherman indirect male. Might just cross them this winter. I lost all my top white rock super hens to a pit bull last spring. I did share two trios of my line with a good friend in Louisiana who may have had some luck with some chicks from them. They came from another great line of White Rocks that I got four years ago.

Bantams will work great for back yarders especially if you have limited space. Heck you can four or five females for eggs, looks and pets and not have a male. At least they don't make noise like a male bird and you can still have the fun of having chickens in your back yard. Hopefully, you don't live in a restricted sub division's where you got busy buddy women policing your business. If that happens you need seromas in the house in a cage I guess.

 

[Canieldonrad]

I doubt they are as common now. But I liked seeing Bantam Minorcas when I was younger.

This thread is a good idea. Bantams are very useful and a great alternative for people without a lot of space. I feel like people overlook them for their production potential often too. Bantam Leghorns or Bantam Buttercups, or Dutch bantams (talk about your "Heritage" bantam breeds, Dutch have a fascinating origin) will keep you plenty stocked in eggs.

I'll add pictures when I can of my bantam Buttercups.

We had Bantam Buttercups before getting out of showing. Great birds.

A friend knew of an older man up around Dayton, OH, he got them from us. I'm not sure if they still have them or not.

 

[gootziecat]

Bob, stunningly beautiful buff Brahma bantam roo.

I'm so pleased to see a thread for bantams. I think they are far underrated.

One breed I didn't see (maybe I missed it) is the Cornish bantams. Here's a pix of a couple of my girls.

 

[BGMatt]

I doubt they are as common now. But I liked seeing Bantam Minorcas when I was younger.



We had Bantam Buttercups before getting out of showing. Great birds.

A friend knew of an older man up around Dayton, OH, he got them from us. I'm not sure if they still have them or not.

The bantam Mediterranean birds are a lot of fun, I love the look of bantam White Faced Black Spanish to the point that I'm probably more tempted by them then the large fowl. Had Buttercups years ago, and then this is my first year back with them....I'm not super happy with the start that I have though, type is pretty good, and I've got good combs on them but pullet color is not good and male leg color is also not good. I will give it a breeding season and see what these birds produce but...might have to scrap the project to someone that has less on their plate breed wise or bring in birds from another source.