What is a Bantam???

[sparkleeyes]

Everyone says this, but no one explains it!!!

 

[Rubyroo1]

A bantam is a chicken that is 1/2 to 1/4 the size of a regular chicken

 

[Rubyroo1]

That help?

 

[anthriel]

I had the same question.

Can there be a bantam in any breed, then? They are just smaller sized? Or are there breeds which are all bantams, so that the whole breed is small?

We inherited our chickens, and I think they are American Game Fowl. The rooster is sort of normal sized, but the hens are all quite small.

 

[pappy1264]

Just took these pics of my chickens yesterday. I have two bantams (a cochin and an old english). You can see the difference in size. They are all the same age (about 15 weeks old).

 

[jammyjammy2112]

A bantam is a small chicken not all breeds can be bantams but alot can be bantams

 

[Rubyroo1]

However there are some breeds that can be only bantams like silkies & Japanese bantams.

 

[anthriel]

A bantam is a small chicken not all breeds can be bantams but alot can be bantams

Okay, that just made my head hurt.

Let me see if I got this:

1. My inherited chickens are small, so they are bantams. (At least the hens)

2. They could be a breed that is all bantam, or

3. They could just coincidentally be all bantams, in a breed that could also have non-bantams.


'Zat right?

 

[jammyjammy2112]

Okay, that just made my head hurt.

Let me see if I got this:

1. My inherited chickens are small, so they are bantams. (At least the hens)

2. They could be a breed that is all bantam, or

3. They could just coincidentally be all bantams, in a breed that could also have non-bantams.


'Zat right?

so you have small chickens that are fully grown which means you have bantams you migth be able to buy a breed that looks the same as that bantam except grows big like a normal chicken or the bantams you have you migth not be able to get them as big birds ect silkies
this is a bantam fully grown sometimes there can be a chicken that looks excatly like this except alot bigger

these are large fully grown chickens



hope this helped

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

^ this. Some breeds come in standard and bantam (Rhode Island Reds, Leghorns, Ameracanas, Cochins, Polish- there are lots). Some breeds are true bantams (Silkies, Seabrights, D'uccles- they have no standard counterpart. Unless you go across the big pond to Europe, Silkies are available in LF *Large Fowl* there, but not in the US).

Its also possible to mix a standard and a bantam and get a chicken that falls somewhere in between.

Ha- confusing, huh? Bantams are the minis, or toys, of the chicken world