Bantam vs Regular Chicken: What’s the Difference?

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It’s smart to consider raising bantam vs. regular chickens for many reasons, especially if you’re a homesteader with limited yard space, where size really matters. Homesteaders or backyard chicken farmers tend to favor bantam chickens because they’re easier to raise in confined spaces. Why? I’ll show you a side-by-side comparison that includes everything from their egg size to their noise levels. My plan is to give you all the information you need to choose what suits you best.

And don’t worry. If you’re still wondering, “What are bantams, anyway?” I’ve got you covered there too.

Hi, I’m Ryan

I raise chickens of all breeds and sizes on my homestead, but I have a soft spot for bantams over regular chickens—mostly because they’re just so small, friendly, and personable. If I still lived on an urban homestead, I’d probably choose to raise a whole flock of bantams because they’re a fantastic choice for tight spaces.

Bantam Vs. Regular Chickens: Comparing The Differences

The most noticeable difference between a bantam and a regular chicken is definitely its size. Depending on the breeds of standard chickens they’re compared to, bantams can be half or even a third of the size of regular chickens.

Because of their small size and typically gentle natures, bantam chickens are often called “bantys,” and though they have some downsides—like smaller and fewer eggs—they can also be much easier to care for. They’re an especially good choice if you live in a neighborhood because their small size makes their clucking and crowing much quieter.

What Is A Bantam Chicken?

The term “bantam” generally refers to any type of miniature poultry, but with chickens, there are two types. I had no idea that some chicken breeds have both standard-sized and miniature-sized chickens, depending on how they are bred. Examples of these breeds include Barred Rocks, Brahmas, and Easter Eggers.

On the other hand, bantam chickens are known as true bantams because they don’t have any standard sizes—they’re just born naturally small.

With bantams, what’s considered the mini version is the only true version, and those bantam breeds include Dutch, Sebright, and Silkie chickens, among others.

Bantam Chicken Size

On average, bantam chickens weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 pounds and reach between 10 to 12 inches in height, making them about one-fourth the size of most standard chickens. Their small size makes them easier to handle on smaller homesteads as you can get away with a smaller coop and run, but it also makes them enticing snacks for predators and easily swept away by heavy winds. It is essential to have a covered, safe coop for them to hide away in.

Housing Bantam Chickens Compared To Regular Chickens

My favorite thing about their small size is the amount of bantam chickens I can fit in my coop. Without going overboard and causing crowding, I can house ten bantams comfortably in the same amount of space I’d normally need for three regular chickens. If you’re trying to homestead close to, or in the city, or just in a very small shared backyard, bantams might be the way to go simply because you can have a smaller coop. For easy reference and comparison, here are the dimensions I’ve calculated per bird.

Housing Bantam versus Regular Chickens

Can Bantams Live With Regular Chickens?

Yes, bantams can live with regular chickens. I’ve raised them together on my homestead for years now, and I’ve loved the dynamics of an integrated flock—but it did require some adjustments to their accommodations and taking the right precautions.

How to Schedule a Call For Your New A Tiny House

Bantams can be bossy and sassy for their sizes, and they’re usually pretty good about sticking up for themselves, but all the same, I keep an eye on large roosters to make sure they’re not picking on my bantams. Here are my general rules for a mixed bantam and regular flock.

Rules for a mixed bantam and regular flock

Bantam Eggs Vs. Standard Eggs

People are fascinated by little bantam chickens, and many times over the years, I’ve actually been asked, “Do bantams lay eggs?”. I think some people wonder about this because the birds are just so tiny. Yes, bantams do lay eggs, and they’re quite tasty, but they’re a bit different from standard chicken eggs, so let’s take a look at the most common questions about Bantam chicken eggs.

• How Big Are Bantam Chicken Eggs? On average, bantam eggs weigh about half as much as regular chicken eggs. When cooking, I use two bantam eggs for every one egg called for by a recipe.
• When Do Bantams Start Laying Eggs? Bantams generally start laying between 20 and 24 weeks of age, but it might take longer. On the other hand, standard chickens usually start laying between 18 and 22 weeks of age.
• How Long Does A Bantam Egg Take To Hatch? A bantam egg takes about 21 days to hatch—the same amount of time as regular chicken eggs.
• How Many Eggs Does A Bantam Chicken Lay? Bantams lay between 50 and 200 eggs per year on average in their prime laying years, but keep in mind that this will be the equivalent of around 25 to 100 standard eggs.

As someone who loves cooking, I really enjoy using bantam eggs in my recipes because their yolks are larger, making them contain less whites. This adds a richer, more full-bodied taste to breakfasts.

Feeding Bantams Vs. Full Size Chickens

Bantam chickens cost less money to feed because they don’t eat as much as larger chickens. However, with their smaller size comes smaller beaks, so they do better with crumble or mash-type feeds.

My bantams have also tended to be more active foragers than larger chickens, naturally filling in their own diet.

Just make sure you don’t give them quite as many treats as you feed your larger chickens.

You don’t want their smaller stomachs to fill up on just scraps. I make it a habit of keeping their diet around 90% crumble and 10% healthy snacks to make sure their nutritional needs are met.

How Long Do Bantam Chickens Live?

Bantams have an average lifespan of 4 to 8 years, which is also fairly close to the average for regular chickens. Their smaller size makes them less hardy than bigger birds, though, leaving them more susceptible to extreme temperatures and predators. As with regular chickens, bantams will lay the most eggs for the first 2 to 3 years of life.

Bantams Vs. Regular Chickens: The Pros And Cons

Overall, the bantams I have raised have been endearingly small and friendly, acting more like pets than most of my other chickens. Though there are drawbacks to bantam chicken sizes, I’ve also found them, on the whole, to be quieter, more protective of their young, and more predictable in their habits —always returning to their coop as soon as the sun starts fading. They’re a little daintier and sure-footed than my standard chickens, kind of like the quail I have raised. In a nutshell, here are the pros and cons of raising bantam vs regular chickens.

Pros And Cons Of Raising Bantams Vs. Standard Chickens

At the end of the day, I wholeheartedly recommend raising bantams vs. regular chickens to all homesteaders, especially those raising chickens on a small piece of land. Bantys are fun, friendly, quirky birds suited to both town and country life, and they make a great addition to any flock.

Your Turn!

• Do you find bantams easier or harder to raise because of their small size?
• Have you raised all bantams or a mixture of bantam and standard chickens?