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Standard Chicken versus Bantam, What’s the Difference?

What’s the difference between a standard chicken versus a bantam chicken? To understand the difference, let’s look at what a standard chicken is and what a bantam is. Standard Chicken The word “standard” when applied to chickens can be confusing. In some contexts it means that the breed has been standardized by the American Poultry […]
Continue ReadingEaster Egger Bantam Chickens in the Spotlight

Easter Egger bantam chickens are a smaller version of chickens that originate from a cross between blue-egg laying Ameraucanas and breeds that lay eggs with brown shells. The result is a breeding population of chickens with a variety of conformations and plumage colors, and that lay eggs with a wide range of shell colors. Physical […]
Continue Reading5 Best First Chickens for Kids

A child’s initial experience with chickens is often the most memorable. To ensure that the youngster’s introduction to chickens is pleasant and fun, consider these qualities when choosing the best first chickens for kids: They are calm in disposition They are friendly with people The breed is appropriate for small hands The chickens enjoy hugs […]
Continue ReadingWhat You Can Learn from a Chicken’s APA Class

For exhibition purposes, large chicken breeds recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) are organized into six classes. Most of the classes represent the geographic region where the breeds originated or were developed. Knowing a chicken’s APA class lets you infer a number of things about the breed, including temperament, laying ability, climate tolerance, and […]
Continue ReadingSpeckled Sussex Chickens in the Heritage Breed Spotlight

Speckled Sussex chickens are an old breed originating in England’s county of Sussex. They appeared in the world’s first poultry exhibition in 1845, although they date much farther back than that. This large-bodied bird was originally kept primarily for meat. But in the United States Sussex chickens are considered to be a dual-purpose egg-and-meet breed. […]
Continue ReadingCaring for Bantam Chickens

Does caring for bantam chickens differ from keeping larger chickens? Yes and no. Any differences generally relate to the bantams’ smaller size and to their typically gentle temperament. Predator Protection Bantam chickens are so light in weight that most predators can easily carry one away. And because they have shorter legs, they can’t run to […]
Continue ReadingTrue Bantam Chicken Breeds

Nearly every chicken breed has a bantam version. But some bantam breeds have no larger counterpart. The latter are true bantams. Cackle Hatchery® offers the following true bantam chicken breeds: Belgian d’Anvers Belgian d’Anvers bantams get their name from the Belgian municipality of Antwerp, which is “Anvers” to the French. The word d’Anvers therefore means […]
Continue Reading10 Reasons to Keep Bantam Chickens

First, let’s establish that “bantam” is not a specific chicken breed. Rather, the word refers to a collection of breeds that are smaller than the usual egg-and-meat chicken breeds. A typical bantam weighs no more than two pounds, leading practical chicken keepers to wonder, “What’s the point?” Bantams don’t lay exceptionally well, and the eggs […]
Continue Reading11 Cold Hardy Bantam Breeds

Chickens, including bantams, tend to do better in cold weather than in hot weather. However, some bantams tolerate the cold better than others. Certain features — such as dense plumage, leg feathering, beards, and small combs — contribute to a cold hardiness. Often the country of origin provides a clue to a breed’s climate tolerance. […]
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