How to Raise Bantam Chickens? A Complete Guide to Breeding Techniques and Methods

AbstractThe bantam chicken is short and small in body shape and is a dual-purpose breed for both meat and eggs, and raising it is a little more complicated than raising ordinary chickens. Bantam chicks need the environmental temperature changes to be controlled; growing bantams need their feed amount and feed ratio adjusted appropriately; and bantams in the laying and breeding-stock period need longer lighting time and an adjusted feed structure to promote their growth and reproduction.

The bantam chicken gets its name because its leg diameter is relatively short and its body shape is rather small. Bantam chickens can be used for both meat and eggs, and their quality is excellent, with tender and fresh meat, giving them high economic value. For newly hatched bantam chicks, the temperature must be strictly controlled to avoid large temperature differences, which would lead to a low survival rate.

Young bantam chickens need outdoor activity, and the activity area outside the chicken house needs to be twice the size of the chicken house. The outdoor activity time should be chosen during the hours when there is sunlight, which can promote their growth. Breeding-stock bantam chickens over three months of age need their feed amount appropriately controlled; the daily feed amount per chicken should not exceed 100g, and more feed rich in crude fiber needs to be added.

Adult bantam chickens need 15 hours of lighting time per day to increase their fertilization rate. For each cage of bantam chickens, males and females need to be matched at a ratio of 1:4. The daily feed needs an increased proportion of crude protein; in addition, 10 mg of vitamin E needs to be added per kilogram of feed, which is beneficial to the growth and reproduction of bantam chickens.