Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
but are gentle around the plants. Soft bedding is recommended for them to tread upon because
of their feathered feet.
They are fair egg layers and produce two to three eggs per week. These bantams lay small
cream-colored or tinted eggs and produce mostly in the summer. This docile bird is sure to be
a lovable addition to your flock.
Delaware
This is a relatively new breed of chicken developed in the 1940s. The breed was originally
called “Indian Rivers.” They are a rare breed — a cross between barred Plymouth Rock roost-
ers and New Hampshire Reds hens — produced to provide ample amounts of both eggs and
meat. Their eggs are brown, and an average hen will produce four per week.
They are friendly and calm birds that make great pets. Male Delawares grow to 8 pounds, and
the females grow to 6 pounds. Bantams are about 4 pounds. They are mostly white with some
barring markings, a single comb, a clean leg, and four toes.
Seramas
Seramas are a new breed of bantam chicken that was developed in the past 15 to 20 years. It is
a small, light bantam breed that does not remain true to its color or size when bred. This
means that any eggs you hatch can be one of 2,500 documented color varieties. Hatch day is a
treat if you are raising your flock from eggs. Eggs from Seramas are very small. It takes five
Serama eggs to equal the size of one Grade A Large egg from other chickens. Their eggs usu-
ally hatch in 19 days, two days less than that of other chickens. Seramas typically produce
only about 60 eggs per year. Also, the chickens can be one size bigger or smaller than the par-
ents. Cocks weigh about 8 to 10 ounces and hens weigh about 6 to 10 ounces.
These birds are only 6 to 10 inches from the ground to the top of their comb. They are ideal
pets for people with little space. A pair of Seramas can live comfortably in an 18- inch by
24-inch cage enclosure. They are “people” birds. They love attention and interaction with hu-
man beings.
Seramas come from the jungles of Malaysia and are used to temperatures of 90 to 100 de-
grees. They tend to be stressed if they are in climates with temperatures below 40 degrees, so
it is in their best interest to keep them indoors if you live in a cold climate.
