What is a Bantam???

[jammyjammy2112]

I am in europe,ireland and have a silkie and never new you could get them as large fowl i have only ever seen and heard them as bantams huh

 

[sparkleeyes]

I never knew any of this!!! Well that's kind of amazing now isn't it. A miniature chicken!!! LOL

So this could just happen naturally with one of my Leghorns, Australorps, or reds???

Right now I have 26 chickies...... maybe???

 

[jammyjammy2112]

I never knew any of this!!! Well that's kind of amazing now isn't it. A miniature chicken!!! LOL

So this could just happen naturally with one of my Leghorns, Australorps, or reds???

Right now I have 26 chickies...... maybe???

nope if you have no bantam in your flock it impossible for your chickens offspring to become bantams

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I am in europe,ireland and have a silkie and never new you could get them as large fowl i have only ever seen and heard them as bantams huh

It seems like most of them are in the UK, Germany and France. Google "large fowl Silkies", there are quite a few pictures

 

[jammyjammy2112]

i will google it

 

[canesisters]

A year ago I picked up two silver laced wynadotte chicks (along with several others) at a swap. These girls are (supposed to be) sisters. One is the same size as my largest hens (australop/jersey giant mixes). The other one is smaller than my easter egger hen. I haven't weighed them but just as a guess I'd say that my large hen weighs around 8lbs and the small one around 4 or 5.
So even though they are hatch-mates - one is a bantam and the other a 'regular' or large fowl.

 

[jammyjammy2112]

A year ago I picked up two silver laced wynadotte chicks (along with several others) at a swap. These girls are (supposed to be) sisters. One is the same size as my largest hens (australop/jersey giant mixes). The other one is smaller than my easter egger hen. I haven't weighed them but just as a guess I'd say that my large hen weighs around 8lbs and the small one around 4 or 5.
So even though they are hatch-mates - one is a bantam and the other a 'regular' or large fowl.

possible same mother differnt father

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Or maybe the smaller one got the short end of the genetic stick?

I've had standards turn out runty, but not that small. Maybe the seller was confused and 1 is LF and 1 is actually bantam?

 

[jammyjammy2112]

yah thats possible aswell i guess we migth never no lol or will we

 

[anthriel]

I'm pretty sure my chickens are mutts. They were abandoned at a property that we subsequently bought.

The rooster is definitely some kind of gaming cock. The hens look like sort of the same breed, but very small. I think they had a hard time of it, those months they were fending for themselves, so maybe they grew up stunted?

We'll have to wait to see if the babies grow up small, too. The only negative to small birds I can think of is small eggs?