This article is therefore a fairly brief summary of the more popular
poultry breeds in each category which area likely to be of interest to
anyone thinking about raising chickens on a non-commercial basis.
The Bantam breeds
These are the small birds, perhaps no more than half the size of normal chickens. They lay small eggs which, from a culinary viewpoint, tend to be less popular! They do taste good, though, and can be excellent for putting in salads.
Bantam breeds need less space for free range foraging then the larger varieties. This makes them quite suitable for small gardens typically found in city environments, but it also makes them more susceptible to attacks from Mr Fox and his ilk.
These are often very beautiful birds and they can make attractive pets.
Here are the main bantam breeds, although there are many others as well:
Belgian Bearded de Watermael
Belgian Bearded d'Anvers
Belgian Bearded d'Uccle
Belgian Rumpless d'Anvers
Belgian Rumpless d'Uccle
Booted
Dutch
Japanese
Mericanel della Brianza
Mugellese
Nankin
Pekin
Pépoi
Rosecomb
Sebright
Serama
Silkies
Tuzo
Silkies,
Belgian Bearded d'Uccles and Sebrights also come in Standard sizes - sounds like a sports clothing store, doesn't it!
The Silkie is a particularly interesting breed with a huge following, and it is well worth taking a peek at the Wikipedia entry for a great deal more about this lovely creature.
The Bantam breeds
These are the small birds, perhaps no more than half the size of normal chickens. They lay small eggs which, from a culinary viewpoint, tend to be less popular! They do taste good, though, and can be excellent for putting in salads.
Bantam breeds need less space for free range foraging then the larger varieties. This makes them quite suitable for small gardens typically found in city environments, but it also makes them more susceptible to attacks from Mr Fox and his ilk.
These are often very beautiful birds and they can make attractive pets.
Here are the main bantam breeds, although there are many others as well:
Belgian Bearded de Watermael
Belgian Bearded d'Anvers
Belgian Bearded d'Uccle
Belgian Rumpless d'Anvers
Belgian Rumpless d'Uccle
Booted
Dutch
Japanese
Mericanel della Brianza
Mugellese
Nankin
Pekin
Pépoi
Rosecomb
Sebright
Serama
Silkies
Tuzo
Silkies,
Belgian Bearded d'Uccles and Sebrights also come in Standard sizes - sounds like a sports clothing store, doesn't it!
The Silkie is a particularly interesting breed with a huge following, and it is well worth taking a peek at the Wikipedia entry for a great deal more about this lovely creature.
