Description
Easter Egger Bantam Chicken
Breed Overview and Origin
The Easter Egger Bantam chicken is the miniature version of the standard Easter Egger. If you want a smaller backyard bird with colorful eggs, mixed feather patterns, and plenty of hobby-flock charm, this bantam is a fun choice.
Easter Egger Bantams are not a standardized show breed with one set color pattern. Instead, they are bred for variety. Cackle Hatchery® does not offer one specific feather color in this bantam, but the breeding program does aim for a wide range of mixed feather colors and natural egg shell colors.
Cackle’s article Easter Egger Bantam Chickens in the Spotlight explains that Easter Egger bantams are a smaller version of chickens that come from blue-egg-laying Ameraucana-type background crossed with breeds that lay brown eggs. That background helps explain why egg colors can vary from blue to green and sometimes brownish or pinkish tones.
Appearance and Characteristics
Easter Egger Bantams come in many mixed feather colors and patterns. That variety is part of the fun. You may see different shades, markings, and combinations within the same order or flock.
Because this is a bantam, the birds stay smaller than standard Easter Eggers. Their size makes them a good fit for hobby flocks, smaller coops, family backyard setups, and customers who simply enjoy miniature chickens.
Many Easter Eggers have beards or muffs, though appearance can vary. Since this is not a standardized breed variety, do not expect every chick to mature into the same color, pattern, or look. That said, the surprise is one of the reasons people enjoy them.
Easter Egger Bantam vs Standard Easter Egger
Easter Egger Bantams and standard Easter Egger chickens share the same colorful egg appeal, but the bantam is much smaller. Cackle’s standard Easter Egger page describes Easter Eggers as friendly backyard chickens that lay colorful eggs in shades of blue, green, and sometimes pinkish brown.
Choose Easter Egger Bantams if you want a miniature chicken for hobby keeping, broody mothering, smaller spaces, and colorful bantam eggs. Choose standard Easter Eggers if you want larger birds and larger eggs.
Both versions bring variety to the flock. However, the bantam is especially nice when you want a small chicken with a big personality.
Easter Egger Bantam vs Araucana and Ameraucana
Easter Eggers often get confused with Araucanas and Ameraucanas, but they are not the same thing.
True Araucanas have specific breed traits, including rumpless bodies and ear tufts. Cackle’s Araucana category explains that the tufted trait can carry a lethal gene and that rumplessness can create fertility challenges.
Ameraucanas are also a true breed with recognized traits and color varieties. Easter Eggers, including bantams, are different because they are mixed-color birds selected mainly for colorful eggs, backyard usefulness, and variety rather than strict show standards.
So, if you want a standardized exhibition breed, compare Araucanas or Ameraucanas. If you want a small, colorful, backyard-friendly bird with surprise egg colors, Easter Egger Bantams are a better fit.
Egg Production and Utility
Easter Egger Bantams lay natural-colored eggs that may range from shades of blue and green to a few brownish or pinkish eggs. Each hen usually lays one shell color consistently. In other words, one hen does not lay blue on Monday and pink on Tuesday. A colorful egg basket comes from having multiple hens with different shell colors.
These bantams can be useful layers for their size, but they lay bantam-sized eggs. If you want full-size eggs, choose the standard Easter Egger or another large-fowl colored egg layer.
Cackle’s colored egg layer category notes that colored egg layers can add color to your flock and generally hatch and ship from February through September, depending on availability.
Broodiness and Mothering Ability
Easter Egger Bantams are great broody mothers for hatching and raising babies. That makes them especially useful for hobby keepers who enjoy natural chick raising.
Because bantams are smaller, they cannot cover as many eggs as a large hen. However, their broody instinct and smaller size can work well for bantam eggs, small clutches, or carefully managed hatching projects.
If you want a miniature colored egg layer that also brings mothering ability to the flock, this bantam offers both.
Temperament and Suitability
Easter Egger Bantams make great hobby backyard chickens. They are enjoyable, colorful, and well suited for customers who want something more interesting than a plain egg layer.
Their small size makes them easier to house than standard birds, but they still need good care. Provide clean water, balanced feed, dry bedding, predator protection, and enough room to move. Since bantams are small, hawks, cats, and other predators can be a bigger risk than they are for larger chickens.
These birds are a good fit for backyard enjoyment, colorful eggs, broody mothering, and small flock projects. If your main goal is maximum egg size or maximum egg count, a standard-size production layer will suit you better.
Crossbeak and Beak Development Note
Easter Eggers can have an inherited beak issue called crossbeak or scissor beak. This happens when the top and bottom beak do not line up correctly. In mild cases, a bird may still eat and drink with extra management. In more severe cases, the condition can worsen as the chick grows.
Cackle notes on related blue egg layer pages that about 1 out of 100 chicks may show some level of crossbeak, and that the condition can get worse as the bird matures.
This note is not meant to scare customers away. Instead, it helps customers know what to watch for as chicks grow. Early attention, feeder adjustments, and careful flock care can help some mild cases.
Is the Easter Egger Bantam Right for Your Flock?
Choose Easter Egger Bantams if you want:
A miniature Easter Egger
A bantam colored egg layer
Blue, green, or pinkish egg possibilities
A wide range of feather colors
A broody bantam mother
A hobby backyard chicken
A smaller bird for limited space
A fun family flock addition
A standard Easter Egger version to compare
A colorful egg layer with personality
Overall, this bantam is a great choice if you want small chickens, colorful eggs, and backyard enjoyment. While it is not the right bird for large eggs or high-output production, it is a delightful choice for hobby flocks and customers who enjoy variety.
If you are still comparing bantams, browse Cackle Hatchery’s bantam chickens category. Cackle notes that bantams are popular for pets, showing, broody hens, and small backyards where space is limited.
Breed History and Preservation
Easter Egger Bantams come from the broader Easter Egger background, which connects to blue egg genetics and mixed-color breeding. They are not a standardized heritage breed in the same way as Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, or Brahmas.
Instead, their value comes from variety, colored eggs, and backyard usefulness. Cackle’s spotlight article describes Easter Egger Bantams as smaller birds that originated from a cross between blue-egg-laying Ameraucanas and brown-egg-laying breeds.
Because Easter Egger Bantams are not a standard breed variety, preservation works differently. The focus is not one exact feather color or show standard. Instead, the goal is a small, useful, colorful bird that brings natural egg color and enjoyment to backyard flocks.
Recognition and Availability
The American Poultry Association does not recognize Easter Egger Bantams as a standard breed variety. They are best understood as miniature colored egg layers selected for variety, egg color, and backyard charm.
You can choose Easter Egger Bantam chicks when they are available. Cackle’s bantam category notes that many bantam breeds typically hatch and ship from February through August, depending on the breed and hatch schedule.
Before you plan your order, check the Availability Chart for current hatch and shipping options. Cackle notes that the chart updates often and may change as egg numbers become more accurate.
Related Breeds and Helpful Cackle Hatchery® Resources
If you like Easter Egger Bantams, you may also want to compare the standard Easter Egger Chicken, Easter Egger Started Pullets, blue egg layers, and other colored egg layers. Cackle’s Easter Egger Started Pullet page explains that Easter Eggers have tails, do not have pure color types, and are bred for a wide variety of feather colors and egg colors.
For more background, read Easter Egger Bantam Chickens in the Spotlight and Cackle Hatchery’s Best Blue Egg Layers. The Best Blue Egg Layers blog explains that blue shell color is dominant, but breeding for the best blue egg layers still takes careful selection.
For broader flock planning, browse baby chicks for sale, bantam chickens, and the Chicken Breed Selector.
FAQ: Easter Egger Bantam Chicken
What is an Easter Egger Bantam chicken?
An Easter Egger Bantam is the miniature version of the standard Easter Egger. This small chicken comes in mixed feather colors and may lay blue, green, or sometimes brownish/pink bantam eggs.
Are Easter Egger Bantams a true breed?
No. Easter Egger Bantams are not a standardized APA breed. They are mixed-color bantams selected for colorful eggs, variety, and backyard usefulness.
What color eggs do Easter Egger Bantams lay?
They may lay shades of blue, green, and sometimes brownish or pinkish eggs. Egg color can vary by hen.
Does one Easter Egger Bantam hen lay different colored eggs?
No. Each hen usually lays one egg color consistently. A colorful basket comes from keeping multiple hens that each lay different shell colors.
Are Easter Egger Bantams good egg layers?
They can be useful layers for bantams, but the eggs are bantam-sized. For larger eggs, choose a standard Easter Egger or another large-fowl colored egg layer.
Are Easter Egger Bantams broody?
Yes. These bantams can make great broody mothers and are useful for hatching and raising chicks.
Are Easter Egger Bantams good mothers?
Yes. Their broody nature makes them a good choice for hobby keepers who enjoy natural chick raising.
What do Easter Egger Bantams look like?
They come in a wide range of mixed feather colors and patterns. Since they are not a fixed color variety, each bird may look different.
Are Easter Egger Bantams good backyard chickens?
Yes. They are great hobby backyard chickens, especially for customers who want small birds, mixed colors, and natural-colored eggs.
Are Easter Egger Bantams good for beginners?
Yes, they can be a good fit for beginners who want small colored egg layers. However, they still need secure housing, clean water, balanced feed, dry bedding, and predator protection.
Are Easter Egger Bantams the same as Ameraucana Bantams?
No. Easter Egger Bantams may have Ameraucana-type blue egg background, but they are not the same as standardized Ameraucana Bantams.
Are Easter Egger Bantams the same as Araucana Bantams?
No. Araucanas have specific traits such as rumplessness and ear tufts. Easter Eggers are mixed-color birds selected mainly for colorful eggs and backyard usefulness.
Do Easter Egger Bantams have crossbeak issues?
They can. Cackle notes that about 1 out of 100 Easter Egger-type chicks may develop some level of crossbeak or scissor beak as they grow.
What is crossbeak?
Crossbeak, also called scissor beak, happens when the top and bottom beak do not line up correctly. The condition may become more noticeable as the chick grows.
Do Easter Egger Bantams carry the lethal alleles found in some Araucanas?
Most Easter Egger chickens do not inherit the lethal alleles associated with tufted Araucanas. That is one reason many backyard keepers choose Easter Eggers for colorful eggs without the same Araucana breeding concerns.
Where can I read more about Easter Egger Bantams?
Read Cackle Hatchery’s Easter Egger Bantam Chickens in the Spotlight for more breed background.
Where can I check chick availability?
Check the Availability Chart for current hatch and shipping options. Availability can change as hatch dates and egg numbers change.
Adrian Uridel –
The females of these are quite charming, chatty and with a wide range of colors – some were a bit skittish but others extremely friendly, and they look more like real ameraucanas than a lot of “easter eggers” do. However, the males (i had 4 out of the 9 chicks i received) were very aggressive from an early age, chasing the hens and pulling feathers out. I didn’t keep them long enough to find out if they would be human-aggressive but they were antisocial and high-strung and caused a lot of stress in the flock before I removed them.
So, if you’re prepared to dispose of the boys, these are fine – but I wouldn’t recommend them if you care about personality much. I would give 3 or 4 stars for the hens alone but the males were just too obnoxious.
Brandy Waugh –
Such sweet and curious chicks. Amazing variety of colors and personality just like their full size counterpart. Can’t wait for them to start laying.
Michelle Hall –
Friendly, cuddly, gorgeous, great layers. As chicks, they weren’t quite as friendly, gentle, or healthy as Cackle’s bantam rhode island reds. But I do love having these bantam EEs in the flock. The grab bag of colors they come in makes them very fun to watch grow.
I ordered 10 straight run and received 12. One died at a few days old and another at a few months old (seemingly dropped dead of unknown cause). Unfortunately the friendly chicks all ended up being male, and the standoffish chicks all turned out to be female. But of the 3 females that I kept, 2 did warm up once they reached laying age, and now they hop onto a lap for cuddles.
They have been great layers of gorgeous green and blue-green eggs that are a good size for a bantam. They laid steadily through a summer heat wave, and so far have only stopped laying during the coldest couple months of winter, when they also happened to be molting. Now that that’s over, they’re back to laying steadily, about 2 eggs per day from 3 EE hens.
furkan19955 –
I love these little fluffy cheeked, blue/green laying, little chickies! I had ordered 15 of these in May and about 7 turned out to be roosters. I re-homed 6 and kept one that was super handsome and very friendly. Unfortunately he passed away without any symptoms of illness. All of the hens are super healthy and I have such a variety of colors! They are super pretty and have started laying about 2 weeks ago. Since then, I get a minimum of 4 blue/green eggs from them daily! Which is great! Considering bantams dont have the egg production normal sized birds do. One of my hens did turn out to have cross-beak which is a genetic deformity that this breed can develop but she can still eat and drink normally and is very healthy! I named her Derpy bc she has a derpy face haha. Overall I highly recommend this breed for any bantam flocks that want to add a bit of color to their daily egg collection! They are more skittish than some of my other breeds but again, I love them!
Deborah Ponds –
LOVE THEM!
These bantams are amazing! Super sweet Mama hens! They lay well, and I am super happy with the overall quality of these little birds! bought six and want more! One of my hens snuck off and I thought she was gone, but it turned out she made a nest and hatched 4 more! Very happy with them! Thank you!
joycea916 –
Ordered 10 EE bantams and received 12 in total.
6/12 were between a dark grey and black color, 3 were splash, the other 3 were a brown/cream/partridge color. Out of all 12 I received 11 females which is an outcome I’ve never had happen when purchasing unsexed birds. I kept all 12, the females began laying right at 6 months, all a nice beautiful teal-blue color! The rooster has become my favorite, as his temperament is amazing yet he is dedicated to protected the flock. Overall 10/10 for this breed from Cackle’s line.
Calli OConnor –
I received 15 chicks and only got 5 girls, wild odds however these 4 month olds are absolutely adorable with their fluffy cheeks and such a delight in my flock. I love the variety I got- one splash, blue, cream, and two buff/creams. They are bright and curious and get along well with my Cochins and silkies. One thing to note- they fly higher than any of my other bantams. Endless entertainment with these birds, highly recommend!
Carly Kubinski –
Out of 11 chicks- 7 ended up roosters. Which is pretty disappointing.
I realize this was a “straight run only.” But I won’t be ordering anymore unless they start offering sexing for this breed. Other than that, the roosters are beautiful. The hens haven’t started laying yet.
Cassie Wood –
I ordered my first batch of five, and was sent 7. All but one died within 48 hours. They all exhibited symptoms of failure to thrive. One after another they became lethargic, developed a dumpy disposition, held their wings out, heads started to droop, and acted like they were struggling to breath. Honestly all the Easter eggers that I was sent seemed to be a weak hatch of chicks. I had another breed of bantams shipped at the same time with the Easter eggers and they all were very active and did not have the issues like the Easter eggers and were very healthy. The one Easter egger that did survive is a sweet little peachy faced tan and light grey hen. After losing all but one of the chicks over the weekend after receiving on Friday morning, I contacted cackle hatchery first thing Monday morning about losing all the chicks so suddenly, and they did send replacements of all the chicks I lost. I was very thankful for receiving the replacements up until recently. The replacement chickens are about 11-12 weeks old now. I was sent six replacement chicks and it has ended up that five of the six are roosters. All five are crowing and growing sickle and saddle feathers. Out of receiving a total of 13 Easter eggers, I now have two chickens of the 13 which are the only hens. I ordered this breed because they are good layers for bantams. I know they are sold as a straight run and roosters are a possibility, which I planned a head for this knowing it’s basically luck of the draw. I was thinking/hoping that I would be rehoming a few roosters and having 3-4 hens for egg laying. I cannot have roosters in my area if residence, but even if I could, there were far too many roosters in ratio to the hens to keep without rehoming or culling.
Disappointed that I have two chickens left out of receiving a total of 13-14 and had to give away almost all the replacement batch that I was sent.
kendra gubyadullin –
The chicks arrived healthy, lively, and beautifully formed for an excite expectant new momma hen, Birchen, who never raised her own clutch before. Only issue is that some ended up with pasty butt (something stressed out babies commonly experience). Olive oil on q-tip after washing their behinds with a luke warm washcloth fixed the issue within a day. Birchen snapped out of her broodiness and purred in delight. Unforutnately, for Birchen and the chicks, I didn’t know it was possible for momma hens to be unable to successfully raise chicks. To lack a fundamental skill, such as balancing on eggs and chicks. Fast forward, as of today, she flattened 4 babies under her body (out 11 chicks). When she flattened the first one (as in pancake flat), I figured that a thick cushioning pad and removing the extra feeder would fix the flattening issue. Then I found more this morning, one next to her body and the rest under her. She faught me, as a good momma will, but she is now back in the gloomy weather with her husban. My mistake for trusting babies to a new momma who lacks a key skill. Birchen can never raise babies again.
Michelle Groover –
Too much of a good thing. I have had these bantam Easter eggers for two years now. They arrived healthy and I haven’t had an issue with chicks from cackle and I initially loved these chickens. They laid so extremely well with the prettiest blue eggs that were surprisingly larger for a bantam. Particularly for the hens in their second lay season. The chickens themselves were beautiful and i really raved about them and sold chicks because they seemed like the best bantam chicken one could have due to their small size yet laid so well compared to any bantam breed I have had. Like with most chickens, the eggs tend to be larger after the first year. I started having issues with my bantam hens with prolapsed vents. I have had bantams and standards for years and it was the first time I had run into a prolapsed vent but when I looked into it, it seems to be one of those things that happens that chicken owners will deal with at some point. But then more bantam hens started having issues. They still laid a large number of eggs but their poor vents were in awful shape and they would just have fecal matter seeping at all times. Some fully prolapsed and I immediately culled and some only partially but after trying many methods of treatment they were also culled because it seemed miserable to let them live like that especially in the hot summer. By that point I had chicks that I had hatched but no adult hens because every single Easter egger bantam hen I owned had prolapsed vents to some degree. Both the original chicks I purchased and the next generation from breeding them. I have not had any vent issues from any other chicken I had (multiple breeds, including bantams). Torwards the end of struggling with the bantams I was thinking it had to be the breed and they were laying too often and too large for that breed. I tried free ranging some so that they weren’t potentially over eating layer feed. Didn’t help. But I brought the few chicks left I had to my new house and raised them and had two hens. Had. Because after about a month of laying I started noticing their vents were starting to look concerning (I noticed the droppings caking around their bottoms so I picked them up to look). One started to look ill and died to unknown causes and I know that could have been a number of non related issues. The other one eventually became egg bound. I tried helping her but the egg was the size much to large. I opted to cull her because there was no way that her vent was going to fully recover after that even if she could expel it. I like my other cackle birds but I cannot recommend this breed. It started out well but it HAS to be this breed. No issues with any of my others. Every single EE bantam hen had this issue. Otherwise I might have bred for the hens with smaller more appropriate sized eggs and without the vent issues. I’m done with this breed and I hope that the people that I sold chicks to don’t have this problem but I’m concerned and I wasted time and money on a flock that I believe do not have good genetics since none of the hens could make it long without prolapsed vents and none of my other chickens, even bantams, had this issue. It’s strange to complain of too many or too big eggs but these little birds just aren’t made for that.
FowlQueenfarms –
Extras Extras
I have been always very happy with the health of my chickens from here! I ordered 14 and got in 20. Most were black, and blue with a few white, lavender, splash. Didn’t lose one bird. Only one turned out to be mean. Very good mix
Michelle –
Love mine!
Beautiful bantam size blue eggs. All 5 came healthy and the color variation was beautiful. I got 1 male and 4 female which was amazing. Planning on ordering more.
Cami –
Beautiful birds and eggs
Arrived very healthy. Hands down the friendliest easter eggers I’ve ever owned. Even my roo. Mine just started laying and the color of these eggs are beautiful. I love the variation in colors among the chickens I received also.
Brent in Florida March 2018 –
Bantam Easter Eggers
I ordered 30 Bantam Easter Egger chicks and received 35. They are now about 3 weeks old and I have 32 lively colorful chicks. I will definitely order from Cackle Hatchery again and would highly recommend them to others. Can’t wait to see all the different colors they grow up to be. Thanks Cackle
B.P –
Healthy chicks
Nice staff and healthy chicks
Jayson –
Easter egger bantams
We ordered some chicks from cackle last year, and we got some of these bantams. A few of them died, but then cackle hatchery replaced them for us. Now they are doing great and we love them. We will be getting more in the future.
Zestokasis –
Easter Egger bantam breed is a great breed.
I got 5 of the Easter Egg bantams from you last year and it wasn’t long before I was regretting only getting 5. I can’t express how much I love this breed. I have 3 other breeds of bantams as well and although they are also pretty good chickens the Easter egger tops them all. In my opinion they are great layers once they get started, very seldom do I go to the coop and not find a beautiful green or blue egg waiting for me to collect. I highly recommend this breed.
Chicken whisperer –
Awesome pick
I placed an order for 15 EE chicks. I received 17 chicks (in every color imaginable). I have had them for a week now. All are still alive and healthy.
Casandra –
Love my chicks, Awsome customer Service
Today I received my order, I ordered 30 bantam chicks (15 EE, 5 Cochin, and 10 hatchery choice) and received 36 chicks. my chicks shipped Monday afternoon and arrived on Tuesday afternoon. one did not make it but the remaining 35 are healthy and happy. I did not receive an email with a tracking number Monday, so called Tuesday and the customer service representative was extremely polite and helpful. I had the email with the tracking number before I got off the phone. these chicks made all my friends jealous as they are losing about 1/2 their orders of chicks, the first question I keep getting is where did you get them from. Even the post office employees could not believe how noisy these chicks where. This was my second order and could not be happier with the company!
R. Davis –
Bantams EEers rock!!
Ordered a small batch of 10 Bantam EEers and they have been wonderful steady producers, weather hardy and friendly. We absolutely love them and their beautiful green/blue mini eggs. Hope to order more in the future (they’re addictive!) thanks Cackle!!
Mary Oklahoma June 2009 –
Happy Customer
I just wanted to tell you how pleased I am with my banties. i have 16 beautiful hens and 2 handsome roosters all healthy and happy.
Clyde Alabama August 2009 –
Dear Sirs
We received the baby chicks Friday morning. They all arrived ok. There was definitely a difference in size from last year. These are a lot tinier. So far they have done ok. But 2 of them got puny the first night. It was my fault and possibly they weren’t as hardy as the others, but I didn’t have my heat light just right and the temperature was about 92 instead of 98. I finally got it adjusted and they are doing ok so far today. They have been drinking water and eating pretty steady. Also I put Sulmet in their water. Thanks again! We are glad we went ahead and ordered them. We will enjoy them.
Saranne, Tennessee September 2010 –
Thanks!
A couple years ago I ordered some blue Cochins from you. I lost several and you replaced them. I never wrote and said thank you, so I am writing you now. This year I ordered 30 Easter Egg bantams and I cannot tell you how pleased I am with them. They were hatched 03/17/10 and have been laying over a month already. They are nicely muffed and bearded. Their body shapes and colors are lovely. I have joined the Ameraucana Breeders Club and have seen some pictures of quality show chickens and realize now how nice my chickens are. I am delighted and appreciative.
Lisa Vermont June 2014 –
My Chick Order
I have to tell you that I have never yet received a bad bunch of chicks from you people. The chicks are wonderful not a single casualty. Beatiful color assortment on the Easter Egger bantams and all the chicks are lively and healthy.. Thanks so much