Bantam (Miniature) Chickens: Small, Quiet Egg Layers

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 lower than your fence line and the noise and mess to an absolute minimum? Bantam (miniature) chickens are small, slightly quieter egg layers!

What is a bantam Chicken?

A bantam is a miniature chicken. They are anywhere from one-fourth to two-thirds the size of a standard chicken. The word bantam comes from the village of Bantam, Java where the small species of fowl are believed to originate. The bantam label is used to describe all miniature sized chickens, similar to how the word “toy” is used to describe the tiniest of dogs but is not limited to one breed. Since the word bantam indicates size, a Bantam Buff Orpington is simply a miniature Buff Orpington.

How big are they?

Full grown bantam or “banty” laying hens are around 1 to 1.5 pounds and to my eyes, tend to be similar in size to pigeons. Some breeds, such as Silkies, are larger than pigeons thanks to their fluffy feathers but only weigh about 2 pounds.

Bantam chicks, I kid you not, are the size of golf balls! They truly look like fluffy little walking golf balls and are among the most adorable things in all the chicken world!

How much do bantams eat?

It is no surprise that a bird half the size of a full grown chicken only eats about half as much. If feeding nothing but commercial chicken feed, full size chickens eat about ½ cup per day while bantams eat about ¼ cup per day. This would be their maximum feed consumption, which decreases rapidly if the birds are allowed access to any sort of grass and bugs to eat.

Many bantam owners report their birds eat about 2 Tablespoons of commercial food per day (1/8 cup) in addition to free ranging. They eat surprisingly little food and still produce a USDA medium size egg, which is large enough for kitchen use.

How often do they lay?

It depends on the breed. Some breeds of bantam hens are notorious for taking longer to come into lay than standard chickens. It is not unheard of for it taking 8 months to get that first bantam egg. Once they begin laying, getting an egg almost every day or every other day is expected; around 3-6 eggs per week depending on the breed. (When you order your bantam chicks, an estimate of the number of eggs laid per year will be given. Divide this number by 52 weeks in a year to estimate the average weekly lay.)

Are the eggs tiny, too?

Yes! But not as small as you might think. The first time I saw a gorgeous Golden Seabright bantam hen lay an egg, I was shocked at how large it was. At the time several of my Golden Lace Wyandotte hens had just begin laying and their small first eggs were the same size as the bantam egg. I couldn’t believe a medium sized egg came from such a small hen!

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:

Cooking & Baking with Bantam Eggs

A general rule of thumb when baking is to use 2 bantam eggs for every 1 large chicken egg needed.

Inside the bantam egg, the yolk is about the same size as a regular chicken egg but there is less liquid white. If, for whatever reason, you need to consume only egg whites, bantams will not be the best providers.

Let’s do some chicken math

If you need 2 bantam eggs for every 1 chicken egg, how many bantams do you need to provide the eggs your family uses in a week if each hen only lays every other day?

Let’s assume your bantam hen will give you an average of 4 eggs per week:

If your flock lays more frequently, your neighbors will gladly take any eggs you want to give away! Full mouths make for quiet mouths and neighbors receiving free eggs seem to find chicken noises far less annoying, ensuring they are less likely to complain. Most will even save their kitchen scraps to help feed your flock!

Note: Chickens are social birds and tend to not lay as well when kept by themselves. They need at least one feathered friend their same size with them to feel safe.

How loud are bantams?

Most bantams are quiet, especially Silkies and Cochins. ALL chickens are loud in the morning when they are hungry and ready to be fed or let out to free range. Feeding will quiet them and feeding them before sunup will keep them the most quiet. (We’ve got some tips on how to minimize backyard chicken noise and visibility.)

When hens lay an egg, it is typically accompanied by an “egg song”, which is a squawking racket they make to celebrate. It is the classic “bawk-bawk-ba-GAWK” chicken noise we teach toddlers to imitate, but the hen will repeat it at the top of her lungs multiple times and flock members may join in for a few rounds. Because of this, chickens cannot be kept fully hidden from next door neighbors. However, bantam clucks – and even bantam rooster crows – are softer in general.

Coop Size

Bantam hens are smaller than regular hens but it is always wise to not crowd them. Chicken poop does have a smell to it and the more space and air flow there is, the less you will smell anything. When buying a coop, look at the number of chickens it claims it can hold and understand that is the correct number of bantams it can house. Coop manufacturers are a bit unscrupulous in this area, annoyingly quoting how many miniature chickens their coops can fit. (If buying a coop for standard size chickens, it is wise to divide the maximum number given by two to calculate how many adult chickens the coop will comfortably fit.) A coop designed to fit six chickens should comfortably fit six bantams or 3-4 standard adult hens.

Coop Options

Miniature chickens fit nicely in shorter coops that easily sit below the top of most suburban fences. Runs can be made squat and feeders do not need to be huge. If your HOA requires that your coop, run and flock be hidden from street view, this is beneficial. You can use a similar set up for standard sized hens and simply keep fewer.

The Downside to Bantams

Because bantams are about the size of a pigeon, they are at risk from predators all their lives. Cats, which leave standard adult chickens alone, will forever be a threat to small bantams. So will all the usual chicken-killers: hawks, raccoons, opossums and stray dogs. Large rat snakes may also be able to swallow your smallest bantam hens. Because of this, they need coops and runs that offer sturdy protection and plenty of low, dense shrubbery cover in a cat-free yard if they do free-range. (Some small sized cats will leave bantams alone and may keep larger predatory cats away from her territory but there are no guarantees.) It is safe to assume that everything likes to eat chicken so protect your bantam flock accordingly. A chicken coop/tractor combo may be a wonderful option if you have the ability to move the coop to fresh grass every other day. Bantams can also fly right over low fences and they slip through gate gaps effortlessly.

Bantams & Full Size Chickens Don’t Often Mix

Full size chickens often peck until bloody – and can kill – bantam hens. Chickens naturally peck and bully anything smaller than them to establish and maintain a social pecking order. Throwing one bantam into a flock of standard hens is a recipe for disaster. Bantams need to be in equal number to or outnumber the full size hens to keep pecking to a minimum. (The big girls will still peck but it will be spread out among several bantams who hopefully don’t develop gaping wounds.) Full size roosters may also try to mate with bantam hens, which can cause injuries. Many people keep standard flocks and bantam flocks housed in separate coops.

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!

Hatcheries I found that Sell Some Sexed Bantam Chicks:

*Please note that bantams tend to be popular and sell quickly. Plan to order your chicks one to two months in advance during the spring & summer months.

Murray McMurray

Cackle Hatchery

My Pet Chicken

Chickens for Back Yards

UPDATE: We have a list of hatcheries offering Colored Egg Laying Bantams – scroll to the bottom for the Bantam section!

This is not an exhaustive list. Tractor Supply also sells assorted bantam chicks every spring and fall where you could select your chicks in person. These are straight run (males & females together) but if you must select from their stock, request chicks with the skinniest legs. These are more likely to be female as male chickens have slightly thicker legs and larger feet, even at hatch. Feed stores often have open bins of assorted bantams where you could attempt to wing sex the chicks you want to buy.

Need a small, easy flock?

If you find yourself craving the independence of producing your own fresh eggs but must navigate around limiting HOA rules and neighbor concerns, a small flock of bantam chickens may be the way to go! Their diminutive size, smaller poops, quieter clucks and tiny feed bill may allow you to keep chickens while also keeping the neighborly peace. If chickens are strictly forbidden, consider keeping Coturnix quail which are not typically prohibited by HOA’s.

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