The American Bantam Association (ABA) is an organization of bantam chicken enthusiasts who enjoy breeding and showing bantams, as well as socializing with other people who share their interest. Here’s why you should join the American Bantam Association:
ABA History
The non-profit American Bantam Association was founded in 1914 to support the poultry fancy, and in particular bantam chickens. Fancy, or exhibition, bantams are selectively bred for their beauty and ornamental qualities, rather than to produce eggs or meat.
Here, the term “poultry fancy” refers to the breeding and exhibition of chickens having unique traits as described in the American Bantam Association’s book Bantam Standard. The periodically updated ABA Standard describes 57 breeds, 85 plumage patterns, and more than 400 varieties. To ensure reliability in conformation and lineage, these diminutive chickens must be pure bred, no hybrids or crossbreeds allowed.
Exhibition Bantams from Cackle Hatchery®
Cackle Hatchery breeds several diminutive varieties that, says co-owner Jeff Smith, “We feel are close to show type.” These include:
- Buff Brahma
- Buff Orpington
- Rhode Island Red
- Barred Plymouth Rock
- Black Wyandotte
- Columbian Wyandotte
- Mille Fleur Belgian d’Uccle
- Porcelain Belgian d’Uccle
- Silver Duckwing Phoenix
- Ginger Red Old English Game
- Self Blue Old English Game
- Brassy Back Old English Game
- Wheaten Old English Game
- Barred Old English Game
- White Bearded Silkie
- White Japanese
- Gray Japanese
- Black Japanese
- Black Tailed Buff Japanese
- Black Tailed White Japanese
Exhibiting Purebred Bantams
Breeders who are seriously interested in exhibiting such birds should join the American Bantam Association, which sponsors national, semi-annual, state, and special meets in both the United States and Canada. To ensure fairness at sponsored shows, the ABA licenses approximately 170 judges trained to evaluate bantam chickens and ducks through active participation in continuing educational programs.
ABA Benefits
Another reason you should join the American Bantam Association is to receive information on the breeding and husbandry of bantam chickens, as well as finding ready resources to facilitate the purchase and sale of purebred bantams. Members receive the following benefits:
- A quarterly digital newsletter featuring ABA news and timely articles.
- A 350 to 400 page annual yearbook listing all members, judges, and ABA award winners from the previous year, plus educational articles and scores of relevant advertisements.
- Discounts on ABA leg bands.
- A scholarship program for post high school student members.
- Eligibility for ABA prizes and participation in a cumulative awards program, eventually leading to a Lifetime Achievement Award for long-term, consistent wins over numerous competitors.
In short, membership in the ABA promotes purebred bantam poultry and offers opportunities for networking among like-minded breeders.
Helpful Links
And that’s today’s news from the Cackle Coop.
Gail Damerow has raised chickens and various other poultry for more than 5 decades and has written numerous books about them, many available from the Cackle Bookstore.
