How small are Bantams? *PIC*

[newchickiefarmer]

Okay...so I've been reading through some posts this morning. And one member had some pics of her girls at 6 weeks old. Mine are 6 weeks and they are about a quarter of the size! I know that Bantams are smaller than Standard...but really how small are they full grown? In this pic you can see my finger on the edge of the table. That's the only relative thing in the picture.

 

[arlee453]

They can be quite small - fit-in-the-palm-of-your hand small.

I found the best way to get a sense of the difference was to visit the fair and the poultry barn. They had all sorts of standard and bantam birds grouped by breed - it gave me a really good idea of how the bantam version of a breed compared size-wise to the standard.

 

[NYREDS]

Different breeds, different sizes. Old English and Sebright females are "fit in the palm of your hand" small.
Males in some bantam breeds are actually pretty good sized birds.
Also, many hatchery type bantams, which are most you will see on this site, are much larger than the standard calls for. This is because hatcheries breed for quantity not quality.
Ask your library to get you a copy of the American Poultry Association Standard of Perfection. Weights for the different breeds are listed.

 

[newchickiefarmer]

you guys are the best...thank you! So ..... whats the egg story like with bantams? edible? not worth the trouble? I imagine if they're this tiny you'd have to make a whole dozen for an omelet...true?

 

[KierBri]

ya, i save mine for the fry pan. never the right amout for a recipe and i swear i'll never boil one again! by the time i get done peeling there's nothing left so i leave a bowl in the fridge for the banty eggs, everyone knows if they're gonna due scrambled/fried/omelets to use them first and add big ones as needed.

 

[coffeemama]

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We only have bantams. Unless they are super small like oegb, we use 2 eggs to one large standard egg. So if you would usually make a 3 eggs omelet, plan to use 6

Oh and not to disagree with the above poster

, but I use mine for tons of recipes and baking, and everything turn out just fine.

 

[newchickiefarmer]

So my coop is about 16 feet by 6 feet. I only have the three chickens in there, do you think that would be enough room for them full grown?

 

[shay20]

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that is a frizzle ? man is he cute , ive been whanting to get one?

that is more than enough for them i think.

 

[coffeemama]

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Oh yes, plenty-do they have a run too, or free range area?

 

[coffeemama]

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Oh yes, plenty-do they have a run too, or free range area? Here is a chart on space, though the more the better IMO http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/poultry/factsheets/10.html