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 many shapes and sizes, from huge broiler chickens raised for meat to tiny bantams that make great pets. What do you call a small chicken? Let’s look at some common names for small chicken breeds.
Bantam Chickens
The most general term for a small chicken is a bantam. Bantams are miniaturized chickens that are about one quarter to one third the size of regular chickens.
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.
This little chicken got its name from the port of Bantam in Indonesia, where European sailors first saw it 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
A poussin is the French term for a young chicken under 28 days old Commercial poussins are usually slaughtered at 21-28 days when they weigh just 14-16 oz, The term 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 is worth spending couple dollars more per chick to get females and avoid the heartbreak of having to re-home half your flock because they are roosters. Plus it is just more fun to be guaranteed to get eggs from the chicks you fall in love with!.
Bantam Egg size vs Chicken Egg size Comparison
Curious about how bantam eggs compare to a full size chicken egg? These eggs were laid by a full grown, 1 year old Golden Seabright bantam hen and a 7 month old Golden Lace Wyandotte hen:
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.