Did you know chickens come in miniature form and they still lay eggs? Miniature chickens are called Bantams and they are proving to be an awesome option for suburban backyard keepers. Want fresh eggs but need to keep the coop below the fence line and the mess and noise to a minimum? Bantam (miniature) chickens are small and lay eggs without making as much noise.
Chickens come in all shapes and sizes, from massive broiler chickens raised for meat to petite bantams perfect as pets So what are the names for tiny chickens? Let’s take a look at some common terms for small chicken breeds
Bantam Chickens
A bantam is the most general word for a small chicken. A bantam is a small chicken that is about a quarter to a third the size of a regular chicken.
There is a bantam version of almost every standard chicken breed that has been bred to be very small. As an example, popular breeds like Cochins, Silkies, and Polish come in bantam sizes. Full-sized chickens weigh between 5 and 10 pounds, while bantams only weigh 1 to 2 pounds on average.
The name bantam comes from the port of Bantam in Indonesia where European sailors first encountered these pint-sized chickens in the 1500s. Fanciers started breeding them in earnest in the 1800s. Today bantams are kept as pets and show birds.
True Bantams vs Miniatures
There are two types of bantams – true bantams and miniatures. True bantams are naturally small breeds like the Dutch, Japanese, and Sebright. Miniatures are mini versions of standard sized breeds. Miniatures tend to be a bit larger than true bantams, weighing 1.5-2.5 pounds.
Other Terms for Small Chickens
Poussin
The French word for a young chicken younger than 28 days is poussin. Commercial poussins are usually killed between 21 and 28 days, when they only weigh 14 to 16 ounces. The word poussin isn’t used much for live chickens.
Cornish Game Hen
A Rock Cornish game hen is a type of hybrid small chicken that lives in North America. In the 1950s, a Cornish chicken and a White Plymouth Rock chicken were crossed to make it.
Rock Cornish game hens weigh 1.5-2 pounds and are slaughtered at 4-6 weeks old. This makes them larger than the typical European poussin.
Spring Chicken
Traditionally, a spring chicken referred to a chicken that was less than one year old at slaughter. The term spring chicken is still used sometimes to refer to a chicken under 1 year old.
Nowadays though, spring chicken is more commonly used to refer to chickens weighing 26-30 oz, making them slightly larger than a poussin but smaller than a Cornish game hen.
Broiler
A broiler or fryer chicken is a young meat chicken. Most broilers are a cross between the Cornish and Rock breeds. They are slaughtered between 5-10 weeks when they reach 4-5 pounds.
So broilers are larger than a poussin or Cornish game hen but still on the small side compared to a mature chicken. The terms broiler and fryer are used mainly in the commercial meat industry rather than for live chickens.
Why Keep Small Chickens?
So why would you want tiny chickens when you could have full sized hens? Here are some advantages of small breeds like bantams:
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They are cute! With their petite size and fluffy feathers, bantams make great backyard pets. Kids and adults alike will enjoy their antics.
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They are quiet. The smaller size of bantams means they have a softer, gentler crow and quieter vocalizations than bigger roosters. Your neighbors will appreciate it.
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They eat less. Since bantams are smaller, they need less feed. A flock of bantams costs much less to feed than standard chickens.
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They fit in small spaces. A bantam’s tiny size – about 1/4 that of a regular hen – makes them perfect for urban and suburban yards with limited space.
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They lay smaller eggs. Bantam hens lay eggs that are about 1/3 the size of large chicken eggs. The small eggs are so cute and fit perfect for a snack or child’s portion.
So whether you call them bantams, poussins, or spring chickens, small chickens make wonderful pets and producers of bite-sized eggs. Just be sure you have the proper space and care to meet their needs. Then you’ll be rewarded with years of enjoyment from your mini flock.
Where can I buy bantam chicks?
Most hatcheries sell bantam chicks as straight run, which means they are unsexed and you will get a mix of pullets (females) and cockerels (males). It’s worth the extra couple of dollars per chick to get females so you don’t have to give up half of your flock because they are roosters. You’ll also have more fun if you know you’ll get eggs from the chicks you love.
Bantam Egg size vs Chicken Egg size Comparison
Want to know how bantam eggs stack up against regular chicken eggs? These eggs were laid by a Golden Seabright bantam hen that is 1 year old and a Golden Lace Wyandotte hen that is 7 months old:
The Adorable World of Miniature Chickens: A Beginner’s Guide
FAQ
What do we call small chicken?
Chicks. Chicks are baby chickens! Baby chickens are called chicks, 3 month old females are called pullets (until they start laying eggs around 6 months), adult females who lay eggs are hens, and males are roosters, cocks, or cockerels.
What is another name for a small chicken?
Chicken Development TermsTermDefinitionChickNewly Hatched ChickenCockerelMale that is under a year oldPulletFemale that is under a year oldJuvenileA young male or female bird.
What are those small chickens called?
Small chickens are commonly called bantams or Cornish game hens.
What is another name for a baby chicken?
Terminology by Life Stages The juveniles, anything between 4-18 weeks, are called pullets for females and cockerels for males. And the babies, regardless of sex, are called chicks or peeps.