Smaller chicken breeds make great backyard and hobbyist pets. These are usually egg-laying chickens, as a small bird will not produce much flesh. Due to their small stature, they require less food. However, they can be more sensitive to the elements.
There are many good reasons to raise chickens. This article will look at the most popular breeds of small chickens.
Small chicken breeds: The best 12 varieties
1. Silkie chicken
Silkies are small chickens that weigh only 2 to 3 pounds but can lay 120 eggs a year. The Silkies are not meat chickens. However, they can be considered a treat in Asia. A laid-back temperament makes them one of the more popular small chicken breeds. They are also docile, fluffy, and incredibly friendly.
Only in the United States can you find this smaller chicken. The full-sized version is available in other countries. Around 20 weeks old, they begin to lay eggs and make excellent mothers. Due to their tendency to become broody, they will sit on eggs even if there are none. This is why they are great to pair with other breeds that are less motherly.
The fact that they look like puffballs is one of the reasons why they are so popular. Also, they come in a variety of colors that can make your backyard look quite interesting. The skin and bones are completely black, which can make for some interesting conversations if the animals were ever killed to be used as meat.
2. Sablepoot Chicken
This Bantam Chicken is among the oldest types of chicken in the world. It is one of the most difficult to find, which makes it expensive.
They weigh less than 2 pounds and lay between 150-180 eggs per year. The eggs are actually smaller than the average. This is important to remember if you plan to buy one.
The bird is called the “Sablepoot”, in part, because of its six-inch long feathers that cover its feet. The “Booted Bantam” is another name for this bird, though it is more common in the United States.
The chickens will be able to raise their young without any problems.
It is possible that they are susceptible to weather and diseases. These are not hardy chickens, so we recommend them only to experienced people. It’s not a good first chicken as it requires active and special care.
These chickens make excellent pets or exhibit chickens. These chickens are not large enough to lay meat or eggs and are only able to lay small ones. They are therefore not suitable for human consumption.
3. Sebright chickens
Sebrights are beautiful chickens. The Sebright chicken is a beautiful bird. It weighs about two pounds less and lays 160 eggs per year. Due to their small size, they are not used as meat chickens like the majority of those on this list.
It is a more recent breed of chicken, which was not bred before the 1800s. The breed was developed by Sir John Saunders Sebright, thus the name. The breed was developed to be an ornamental breed of chicken, meaning they are beautiful and require minimal maintenance.
They are friendly, but they also talk a lot. If you want to sleep in peace, don’t choose them. However, many people think that their chattiness is a positive trait.
They start to lay around 16 weeks of age and they are not the best mothers. Due to their docile behavior, they are popular with small children.
4. Belgian d’Anvers Chickens
It is another small breed that does not weigh more than two pounds. The breed can lay up to 160 eggs a year. However, fewer eggs are more common. They are still raised as ornamental birds because their eggs are small and difficult to eat.
When it comes to their other chickens – especially roosters – they are very dominant. They are friendly but sometimes aggressive. The birds on this list are not the most friendly. These birds are curious and can get into trouble.
They can be raised for eggs and require very little maintenance. They can be noisy, especially when they’re excited. You may wish to avoid them if you value silence.
5. Cochin Bantam Chickens
These chickens are from China. These chickens weigh less than two pounds and can lay up to 160 eggs per year. In spite of their small size, they make good meat chickens. They make great mothers and are perfect for anyone who wants to hatch their own eggs.
They come in a variety of colors and are quite attractive. These birds add character to your yard and are great for backyard chicken hobbyists.
The larger version can reach up to nine pounds. The smaller version is usually under 2 pounds and therefore smaller in every way.
You can usually expect to see these birds lay between three and four eggs per week.
6. Belgian Bearded d’Uccle
The backyard will be a lot more interesting with these lovely chickens. They can lay 100 eggs a year and weigh less than 2 pounds. Their meat is of low quality, so they are not good meat chickens. You’ll pay less for food because they are excellent foragers. They will produce eggs that are high in protein because they eat more insects than other breeds.
There are many different patterns and colors of these chickens. American Poultry Association only recognizes seven types of chickens, but in reality, there are many more.
They do not lay as many eggs but they do lay all year round and become broody very quickly. This breed is perfect if you don’t require a lot of eggs.
7. Sultan Bantam Chicken
These birds have beautiful plumage and are often considered ornamental. The maximum weight is 1.5 pounds, but they only lay 60 eggs a year. The meat they produce is also not good. They are mainly considered pets and show birds.
The breed dates back to the Ottoman Empire. The feathering on these birds is distinctive and makes them easily recognizable. They are typically white and very fluffy. The five-toed pigs have four toes, not five!
They are calm and easy to relax. They make great pets and display birds. They are not good meat or layer birds.
8. Japanese Bantam Chickens
This breed is Japanese. The breed weighs less than 2 pounds and lays very few eggs. A shy nature makes them more difficult to care for as pets. Because they are easily scared, they may hide from children or anything that they find scary.
Their legs are extremely short, making them very short. The legs are not feathered, but the tail is.
The eggs are also available in a variety of colors. They also lay colorful eggs. They are usually a creamy color but can also be tinted in all kinds of colors. They are excellent mothers, but they usually only lay one egg per week.
This is the only reason they are suitable for keeping pets.
9. Dutch Bantam
Dutch Bantams are among the smaller birds on this list. The Dutch Bantam lays 100 eggs every year. It’s not a large number but is higher than many.
These birds are often called nervous chickens because they tend to be easily frightened. They are easily tamed and friendly with the correct handling. They are not the best chickens to have around children because you need to be careful.
They are great mothers but can be protective. This is a great option if you want to hatch chickens.
10. Buff Brahma Bantams
The Brahma chicken is a popular breed. These chickens are small, weighing less than 3 pounds and producing minimal eggs. These chickens are not considered to be meat or laying birds. They are mainly used for pet owners and for display.
They can survive in many different climates. The animals are easy to care for, making them good family pets.
If you are looking for a chicken that is productive, then this breed may not be for you.
11. Rosecomb Bantams
Rosecomb Bantams are also very light birds, weighing less than 2 pounds. Likewise, they only lay around 50 eggs per annum. They are good foragers, and they can be quite self-sufficient. They are friendly and don’t require much care.
If they have not been handled properly, they can be aggressive. For this reason, they are not suitable for new chicken owners. It is a little work.
12. Serama Bantams
They are among the smallest chickens around. They only weigh about 19 ounces. The chickens can lay up to 160 eggs a year. The meat is of low quality, mostly because they are small.
The chickens are indigenous to Malaysia where they remain popular. They are usually white but other colors may be possible. The chickens are friendly and calm. They tend to be easy to handle and aren’t particularly noisy. They are docile.
The number of eggs produced is not large, but they are plentiful.
The benefits of a smaller chicken
There are benefits to choosing a smaller breed of chicken, no matter which one you choose. Here are some tips to consider if you’re not sure about the size of a smaller chicken:
Smaller Coop
Due to their size, all smaller chickens need a smaller coop. They will require less space in general, as they are smaller.
These chickens will also require less space to live, as they produce less waste.
A smaller chicken is a good idea if you are working with limited space. You can fit more chickens in a small space.
Easy to handle
It is easier to handle smaller chickens. They’re also smaller and easier to handle if needed. Because they don’t have the same strength or weight, they won’t be able to fight as hard as other breeds.
Second, smaller chickens tend to be friendlier and more docile. It’s not always the case, though. Many larger chickens are easy to care for. In general, however, smaller chickens will be more docile.
Raising is less expensive
These chickens need less of everything because they are smaller. In addition to a smaller space for living, as we have already mentioned, these chickens require less food. This will make them cheaper to raise, while still producing the same amount of eggs.
It is possible that this is why many people who are looking to buy backyard chickens opt for a smaller variety. You can get more for less.
What are the tiniest chicken species?
The Malaysian Serama bantam is the world’s smallest breed of chicken, weighing less than 500g. They are barely 15 to 25 cm tall and are the product of a mix of Japanese and Malaysian bantams.
What is a little bird similar to a chicken?
The guinea hen, sometimes known as guinea fowl, is a tiny and sturdy bird related to the chicken and partridge, but with darker flesh than either. Guinea hen is the beginner’s game bird, although it tastes nothing like a game. The flavor is sometimes compared to pheasant or characterized as extra-delicious chicken.
Which of the following birds is tiny in size?
Do you know what the world’s tiniest bird is? It’s the Bee Hummingbird, after all. Because of its small size, this hummingbird sticks out even amid other hummingbirds.
What are the ten different varieties of poultry?
Apart from chickens, which are the most popular poultry bird that people invest in, there are several other species of poultry birds you may raise: turkeys. The first sort of poultry bird to consider is the turkey… Ducks… Geese… Guinea fowl. … Fowl… Quail… Chicken… Pigeon.
What two birds give birth to chickens?
They also discovered that the birds that finally evolved into the current domestic chicken were a red jungle fowl subspecies known as Gallus gallus spadiceous. The data also revealed that the birds were mated with other red jungle fowl and jungle fowl species after being transported to other areas of Asia.
Serama chickens can they fly?
Seramas like flying, so raising your coop vertically will provide them with the adequate room while keeping them happy and active.
Do Serama chickens get into fights?
The Serama have frequently been misidentified as fighting cocks—a common misunderstanding since most people identify any rooster rivalry with the terrible activity of cockfighting. Serama tournaments are essentially beauty pageants.
Japanese bantams can they fly?
Unlike most chickens, Japanese bantams can fly pretty effectively. They often require taller coop fences than normal hens.
When does Seramas deposit their eggs?
around 5 months old While their eggs are SMALL, Serama chickens are outstanding layers of cream-colored eggs and begin laying about 5 months of age! Seramas’ skin can be white or yellow. They also like being broody and having a lot of offspring for you.
What do you call little chickens?
Tiny chickens, sometimes known as “Bantam” chickens, are substantially smaller than conventional chickens. A typical chicken weighs 5 to 10 pounds, however bantams weigh just 1 to 2.5 pounds! Almost every chicken breed has a Bantam or tiny version.