The Japanese bantam rooster and their temperament.
Peaceful and calm in nature, these birds hold their own well but are seldom bossy and typically sit comfortably in the middle or upper end of a pecking order in most coops.
I have found that a Japanese bantam rooster can mate with a maximum of four hens before fertility starts to suffer.
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What does a Japanese bantam rooster look like?
Japanese Bantam must have short legs, a short back and upright tail carriage, with main tail feathers well spread, much like a fan with deep, well-rounded breasts, carried low and prominent enough to extend slightly beyond the tip of the beak.
The wings should be carried low with the tips just touching the ground.
Below: The beak should be yellow, the eyes orange and the face, comb, wattles and earlobes must be bright red.
The Japanese bantam male should weight between 500 and 600 grams.
Including the tail, the Japanese bantam cockerel is between 10 inches (25 cm) and 12 inches (30 cm) tall, 12 inches long and 5 inches wide and have a wingspan of approximately 16 inches.
The way the feathers curl underneath the males can effect fertility so you may need to trim some of the vent feathers if you have low hatch rates.
Do Japanese bantam roosters crow?
Like all male chickens, Japanese bantams will crow. The advantage is that with their small size they do not crow loudly.
Below: The black tailed Japanese bantam cockerel from the standards of perfection.
Mine do not seem to crow as often as other breeds and I would consider them to be a quiet breed.
Are Japanese bantam roosters mean or friendly?
I have never had a mean Japanese bantam rooster but that does not mean that it can never happen. Mine are intelligent, docile, talkative, and affectionate toward people and other birds alike, and they tolerate being handling very well.
Below: This Japanese Frizzle cockerel came right up to me while I was taking his picture.
The Japanese Bantam is a delightful bird to watch and interact with, and it has been recognised by the American Bantam Association as being one of the 10 most kept bantam chicken breeds in the world.