Thursday, March 1, 2012

Long shank bantam

A year ago I walked to a bird market to seek some chicken. I love to walk there because we can see chicken, duck, goose, and others. The bird market is a famous bird market in my hometown.
I saw an old man sit behind the stainless steel cage. He sell some Bantam Chicken and Serama Chicken. I interested the short Serama with rose comb. The color is golden laced in color. It is very small, weighing not more than 500 grams. There is also white serama at its left side. I asked the price of the bantam. He said that the bantam price was $ 200. In my opinion the price was high and I had no money to buy it. I thought the cockerel was cheaper than the cock. The cockerel is black tailed buff but I forget the color of two pullets. I think one of pellet is buff in color, while other pullet is white in color. The cockerel's tail has not yet grown because it was stil young. I dare asked the old man the price. He answered the price is $110.
I notice the chicken that they have longer feet than other bantam. I said to the old man that the chicken has longer shank.

Fortunately, He did not angry. He explained that the tail would grow and the feet would looks short. I did not believe it and I leave the old man with his chicken. I thought the old man cross the bantam to native chicken so the cockerel has longer shank. He must try cheating me.
A few month ago, I read the Japanese bantam chicken article. From the article, I know that the Japanese Bantam descent 25% longer shank bantam, 50 % short shank bantam, and 25% lethal gene. The old man is honest. He did not sale a bantam hybrid but it sold a higher shank bantam. Supposedly, he explained the matter to me so I would not accused him as cheater.
Though the old man honest but people do not like longer shank bantam. The Chicken performance is not beautiful as real bantam is. The price must be cheaper than the short bantam.
I think the Japanese still has the red jungle fowl that is higher than it. If we cross the longer shank with longer shank we may establish a new chicken breed that is almost similar to red jungle fowl.

code RXVNS2ETRAF6
Photo by : Carly & Art