Our Japanese
True bantams of great antiquity, these are without counterparts in large breeds. Very small, low built, broad and cobby with deep full breast - they are the shortest legged of all varieties. Breeding is not easy even for those with experience. They require dry conditions all year round, but small spaces are happily adapted to. Long lived and get better with age for showing purposes.
This little hen unfortunately died this summer. She was a lovely example of how short the legs on these birds should be. She is actually standing up in the picture above. Despite the short legs they are very active little birds and can fly quite well. preferring to roost up in the pear tree rather than in the hen house when in the outside run. We never got any fertile eggs off her and her mate. Our mottled pair never laid any fertile eggs either so maybe the short legs affect mating as well as the actual number of eggs that get as far as hatching.
Our Buff and Birchen Grey families are more successful though I have not reared any this year firstly because of limited space in the incubator, and later on because of the lack of eggs from all the birds. They certainly didn't like the hot weather!
I got another pair of BTW's but again never got a fertile egg off them. Not sure if this is due to weakness caused by inbreeding in the colour and again the male died after about 12 months (I've no idea how old he was when we got him, but he was a fully feathered adult). The female then went to live with our original Japanese family - the Birchen Greys.
These are two of my original Birchen Grey trio. Not particularly good show specimens (he's rather squirrel tailed) but they have lovely natures and are very good pets. The two of the hens proved very good broodies and have raised a mixed selection of chicks. They have hatched several eggs this year (2005). We found they had gone broody and all three were sitting on a single clutch when we got back from holiday. I hadn't the heart to turf them off and unfortunately most of the chicks are male. Still maybe I'll get good male for showing! The biggest shock was three black tailed white chicks - two males and a female! Lets hope these are fertile. They obviously have had their genetic material renewed and I need to check the colour is maintained with breeding next year, and that I don't get any odd colours appearing.
As there were only six
chicks between three females, I gave the hens two each then added chicks from my
incubator as they hatched. The hens took to the additional chicks straight
away - they obviously can't count.