Dutch Bantam
Dutch Bantam pullet
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| Conservation status | Common |
|---|---|
| Other names | Dutch: Hollandse Kriel |
| Country of origin | the Netherlands |
| Standard | |
| Traits | |
| Weight |
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| Skin color | white |
| Egg color | light brown |
| Comb type | single with 5 points |
| Classification | |
| ABA | single comb clean legged |
| PCGB | true bantam |
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The Dutch Bantam (Dutch: Hollandse Kriel) is a breed of chicken originating in the Netherlands. It is also one of the true bantam breeds, meaning it is a naturally small bird with no related large fowl from which it was miniaturized. Dutch Bantams have many color variations, and have grown in popularity as worldwide.
Dutch bantams are also practical chickens, being especially hardy, good layers for their size. They are desirable family pets due to their reputation for thriving on loving care and easy keeping in confined space.
Diminutive chickens of similar coloration to today's Dutch Bantams have been seen in the Netherlands for hundreds of years, but the exact origin of the breed is unclear. It is likely that the ancestors of the Dutch Bantam were Southeast Asian bantams brought back by sailors from the Dutch East Indies. Historically, it is supposed that these tiny chickens were selectively bred because only small eggs could be kept by peasant farmers, while larger ones were required to be sent to the kitchens of the landed gentry. The first written referring to Dutch Bantam (as a distinct breed) is from a Hague zoo record dated to 1882, and the Dutch Poultry Club recognized the breed by 1906.
The first export of Dutch Bantams was to the United States after World War II; they were first shown in the country in the early 1950s. This initial overseas population died out due to lack of interest from breeders, and the next exportation, to both the United Kingdom and the United States, was not until the 1970s. The British Dutch Bantam Club was formed in 1982, and 14 colors are standardized. The American Poultry Association accepted the breed in the show ring in 1992, and the Standard of Perfection describes ten color varieties.
To this day the Dutch remains one of the most popular breeds in its home country the Netherlands, has a well-established number of breeders in the UK and Germany, and is quickly gaining popularity in South Africa and the United States.
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Wikipedia