Japanese Bantam

A Japanese Bantam hen and rooster pose in front of a blue background.

The Japanese Bantam is a truly unusual breed of chicken! It's one of the few breeds that's a "true bantam", meaning it is not and never was bred as a standard-size chicken. They're extremely short-legged, their tails should be well-spread and pointing almost straight up, and their combs and wattles should be proportionally very large (which makes them susceptible to frostbite).

Origins/History:

Class: Single Comb Clean Legged Other Than Game Bantam
Type: Bantam
Size: Bantam
Rarity: Common
Purpose: Ornamental
Recognized Varieties: White, Black, Black Tailed White, Black Tailed Buff, Barred, Brown Red, Grey, Wheaten

Egg Facts:

Egg Laying: Poor (1/wk)
Egg Color: Cream or Tinted
Egg Size: Tiny (bantam)

Fancy Features:

Comb Type: Single Comb
Crested: No
Feathered Legs: No
Number of Toes: 4

Suitability to Backyard Life:

Cold Hardiness: Not cold hardy
Heat Tolerance: Tolerates heat well
Bears Confinement: Tolerates confinement
Especially Docile: Yes
Setter/Broody: Yes
Personality: Fun to have around; easily tamed