Bantam Chicken Breeds – Knowledgeable Facts
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The Bantam chicken breeds is well recognized within the chicken world. Although a small bird, approximately one quarter the size of a regular breed, it has its own unique characteristics. They were spread throughout the world by sea on ships for both their meat and their eggs, and are known in history to have come from the city of Bantam, that is located in Indonesia.
Each Bantam chicken has it's own characteristics, and their exist several different breeds within this family of chicken. You have the D'Uccle, Polish, Common Bantam, Barnevelder, Cochin, Japanese, Old English Game, Sussex , Serama and Perkin Bantams to name a few. Each has different characteristics.
The Pekin breed, for example, has feathers on their legs and feet, with plumage that hangs to the floor. The Polish chicken has pink, purple and blue colors and produce pure white eggs. Both of these breeds are very popular for shows. The Barnevelder is also popular for shows as well as egg production and carcass, while the Cochin is one of the largest birds in the breed.
The coloring of the Bantam chicken breeds are beautiful and has more varied and colorful patterns than regular chickens. They are used as show chickens, as well as layers, and are extremely popular with 4-H clubs as they are easy to handle and display. Although they are small, they still need the same amount of food and water as a larger breed.
The rooster is well-known in the UK and can be aggressive and loud, unlike the hen which is quiet. The hen is a wonderful egg producer as well as for hatching eggs and is very protective of her brood. The Bantam is a superb pet to have if you want your garden or flower beds to be free from insects and bugs.
There are a number of advantages to raising bantams. Their beautiful coloring and variety of feathering make them a very attractive pets or show birds and they do not require a great deal of space. These hens are wonderful at hatching their own eggs, and have also been known to hatch the eggs of other bird species, such as geese and quail. For those who want to enter them in competition, their size makes them very easy to transport to and fro. In addition, they use much smaller land or coop space than a normal sized chicken breed.
For owners of these chickens that keep them for egg production, it is common to keep them in a specific type of chicken coop or pen. These pens are smaller than those needed for regular sized birds. It is always recommended that the coop get plenty of morning sun because warmth is important for them.
Naturally, the pen should be raised enough above ground to permit good air circulation, as well as keeping the pen dry. Clean straw should be provided and changed regularly to avoid any chance of disease. Providing some kind of wire around the coop is always wise to keep any potential predators at bay. With excellent care it can be expected that a member of the Bantam chicken breeds will live approximately ten years