Australorp Bantam – Everything You Need to Know

Australorp bantam chickens are a miniature version of Australorp chickens. Bantam Australorp chickens are very friendly, weigh between 2-3 pounds, and can lay 5-6 eggs a week. With good care and a proper diet, these chickens can live up to 10 years.

From as early as 1000 CE, sailors would spend considerable time on the sea handling vessels or ocean combats. Unquestionably, these encounters played a significant role in introducing Bantam chickens to the world. The name was derived from a renowned seaport in Banten province, Indonesia.

The impressive story behind the Bantam chicken started when some sailors came across a tiny but beneficial local chicken within the seaport. Out of curiosity, they put them on board as a source of meat and for ornamental purposes.

Later, the term Banten was coined into Bantam and registered as an English name. Today we will define why raising Austalorps bantam chickens is never a wrong decision.

What is a Bantam Australorp Chicken?

A bantam chicken is a miniature size version of a particular variety. Most regular-sized fowls have a bantam equivalent. In other terms, bantams are chickens that share similar traits with standard-sized species but are smaller in posture.

When it comes to Bantam Austalorps, this refers to a miniature counterpart of the famous dual-purpose chicken breed from Australia. Records suggest that the Australorp bantams were first developed in England probably way before World War ll.

The brighter side is that they possess similar impressive qualities similar to regular Austalorps. This translates to a prolific production of meat and eggs. In addition, the petite birds have an admirable temperament that enables them to coexist peacefully with humans and other bird’s species.

Most novice farmers assume that Bantams may receive the worst form of the pecking order due to their small size. It is worth pointing out that the species are pretty hardy and comfortably manage to find their way to the top.

However, consider placing them with less aggressive species to prevent any ugly scenes. They also come in handy when it comes to insect control and the production of manure.

Bantam Australorp Chicken Characteristics

Below are vital characteristics of Austalorps bantam chickens.

– Size and Weight

Bantam chicken breeds sizes differ from one bird to another. Mainly they weigh at least 1/2 or 2/3 of a regular chicken. A healthy adult rooster can weigh about 2 to 2.7 pounds. On the other hand, hens weigh slightly less at approximately 1.7 to 2.3 pounds.

Bear in mind that the petite size is ideal for farmers with limited space. In truth, you can keep two tiny Bantams in an area occupied by one standard size chicken. Still, you may have to feed them less food because of their small anatomy.

There is a higher chance that such an arrangement may bore many desirable results. After all, you may end up spending less money on chicken feed and habitat maintenance.

– Lifespan

Regardless of their size or plumage color, all Australorps are hardy creatures that withstand most fowl ailments. Moreover, rarely would you come across an Australorp bird with physical defects like twisted beaks. Often, it is never easy to pinpoint exact infections in poultry because there is a whole load of potential culprits.

Luckily, most fowl diseases are treatable, which is crucial in prolonging your bird’s life. Common diseases you should be on the lookout for include Air suck disease, Coccidiosis, Bumblefoot, Botulism, Bronchitis, Fowl cholera, Fowl pox, New castle, and Marek disease.

The brighter side is that healthy Australorp Bantam can enjoy a long life of 6-10 years. To achieve this, ensure that the birds live in clean enclosures to minimize contamination.

– Temperament

One outstanding feature about Australorps is their docile and gentle disposition. Be wary that the birds can become excessively attached to their keepers.

However, this nature enables them to live comfortably either in rural or urban settings. Above all, they are perfect around young children because of their meek and pleasant personalities.

– Egg Laying

Subject to nutrition and environment, your pullets may produce the first egg from 18 weeks. Unless you want to breed your birds, a rooster is not always needed in the process. Note that eggs produced without roosters are not fertilized and are only ideal for your kitchen recipes.

After the first egg, the hens may produce tiny uneven eggs known as fart eggs. It might take a couple of weeks for the production to normalize. Altogether, your petite bird friends are excellent layers who can produce up to 300 eggs annually.

Australorp Bantam Rooster vs Hen

Differentiating between a bantam male and a female chick is never easy, especially to novice farmers. Nevertheless, when they grow bigger, roosters become physically bigger and develop distinctive narrow plumage.

Also, you may notice pointed tips on the feathers around the shoulders and necks. What is more, roosters have taller and more vibrant red combs. Additionally, roosters have more prominent wattles which hang loosely around the beaks.

Where to Buy Australorp Bantam Chickens?

With several fraud chicken breeders coming up, it is vital to buy your chicks from reliable sources. Still, you can tell a pure Australorp by its well-rounded body and featherless legs.

The birds also have an erect posture with the tail standing firm. Keep following as we define where to find the first-rate Bantam chickens for your backyard.

– Certified Breeders

The fundamental objective of a chicken breeding program is to raise the standard of birds produced. It requires an expert to start and accomplish the task at hand while following the ethics given by the law. For this reason, only buy chicks from vetted breeders to increase the chance of raising prolific breeds.

– Forums and Facebook Groups

An upsurge of digital platforms undeniably enables farmers to find reliable breeders using the latest technology. The beauty of technological advancement is the availability of instant reviews from previous customers. That way, you may not have to worry much about buying substandard species.

– Local Hatcheries

Dependable chicken hatcheries incubate thousands of healthy eggs for the market. The advantage of this approach is that you are guaranteed nothing but high-quality chickens because of the top-notch production mechanisms used.

Thankfully, online presence makes it less complicated to contact the nearest hatchery in your area. With a touch of the dial, you can have healthy, robust chicks deliv delivered to your doorstep real fast.

Bottom Line

Breeding and raising Bantams can be a lucrative and fun business idea. You see, the tiny bids eat less and require minimal space.

Most importantly, they are hardy and likely to survive life-threatening chicken ailments and are impressively productive.