Bantam (chicken)

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A bantam is any small or miniature fowl, but the term bantam refers most commonly to small breeds of chickens. Proportionally, bantams have slightly larger heads, and longer wings than larger breeds. Many of the large chicken breeds have a bantam counterpart, sometimes referred to as a miniature. Miniatures are usually one-fifth to one-quarter the size of the standard breed, but they exhibit all of the standard breed's characteristics. Some examples of breeds with bantam counterparts are the Plymouth Rock, the Australorp, and the Wyandotte.

A true bantam has no standard-breed counterpart. Examples of true bantams include the Pekin bantam, the Dutch bantam, the Belgian bantam, the Rosecomb, and the Sebright.

Bantams have become increasingly popular as pets as well as for show purposes because they are smaller and have more varied and exotic breeds than other chickens. They are great for smaller backyards as they do not need as much space as other breeds. It has been said that Bantam Chickens are calmer than standard Chickens. Bantam Hens are also used as laying hens, although it takes about three Bantam eggs to make one standard chicken egg.

Two English football clubs have been nicknamed 'The Bantams', Bradford City (who retain the identity) and, until 1962, Coventry City.

[edit] See also

• Silkie