VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

BANTAMS AND OTHER FOWLS

• Bantams are small fowls, which is in some instance have larger counterparts, such as the Rhode Island Red.
• They are valued as foster parents, being capable of hatching the eggs for waterfowl's, pheasants and similar birds. There is also a considerable interest in exhibition bantams.
• The light breeds of bantam weigh up to about 8050 gm. They are generally active and lively.
• The various Mediterranean breeds such as the Minorca, feature in this group as well as the popular old English Game bantams.
• Heavy breeds of bantam tend to prove the best broodiness.
• These include the Australorps, which are black in colour and Marans which lay brown eggs.
• Fancy breeds is the third category that are primarily kept for their decorative appearance. The include the Polish, Silkie, Frizzle etc.
• Bantams have become increasingly popular as pets as well as for show purposes because they are smaller and have more varied and exotic colors and feather patterns than other chickens.
• They are suitable for smaller backyards as they do not need as much space as other breeds.
• Bantam hens are also used as laying hens, although Bantam eggs are only about one-half to one-third the size of a regular hen egg.
• The Bantam chicken eats the same foods as a normal chicken, wheat and grains.
• Bantam hens are also renowned for hatching and brooding purpose.
• Bantams clutch a variety of eggs from quail up to two goose eggs, and are known as fearsome mothers, with a high success rate in rearing any egg hatched.