Ancona Bantam

The Ancona Bantam mirrors the alert, active stance of its large fowl counterpart, resembling a Leghorn in type. They have a moderately long, streamlined body built for foraging and activity.

• Weight: Roosters weigh approximately 1.5 - 1.8 lbs (700-800g), while hens are slightly lighter at 1.3 - 1.5 lbs (600-700g).
• Plumage: The defining feature is the beautiful mottled pattern. The base color is a glossy, greenish-black with about one in every three feathers tipped with a distinct V-shaped white 'pearl'. This mottling increases with each molt (older birds have more white).
• Head: They have a neat head with a medium-sized single or rose comb. The single comb on the hen ideally flops gracefully to one side. Earlobes are white and almond-shaped.
• Legs: The legs are unfeathered and yellow, with some black mottling or spotting, which is a breed characteristic.
• Temperament: Anconas are exceptionally active, busy, and alert birds. They can be flighty and are not typically considered a cuddly lap chicken, but their curious and industrious nature is enjoyable to watch.

As part of the Mediterranean class of chickens, Anconas are renowned for their outstanding egg production. The bantam version is one of the most prolific layers among small breeds, reliably producing a large number of white eggs.

• Egg Production: Hens can lay up to 200 eggs per year, often continuing well into the winter months.
• Egg Size & Color: They lay small to medium-sized white eggs, weighing around 1.4 oz (40g).
• Broodiness: Anconas are a non-broody breed. Hens rarely show any desire to sit on eggs, making them a very reliable layer but requiring an incubator or a broody hen of another breed to hatch chicks.

Aside from the standard differences in size and feathering, the primary distinction is the comb. A mature rooster has a larger, upright single comb (or a neat rose comb) and more prominent wattles. His tail features long, elegant sickle feathers. Hens have a smaller comb: in the single-comb variety, the rear portion of the comb droops to one side. Her body is fuller, and her tail is well-spread but lacks the long sickles of the male. The mottling pattern is generally consistent between both sexes.

The Ancona is a hardy and resilient breed that adapts well to a wide range of climates. They are particularly well-suited for hot weather due to their light build and large combs, but they also tolerate cold reasonably well. However, their large single combs can be susceptible to frostbite in very cold, windy conditions, so a well-ventilated, dry coop is essential for protection.

These are not birds that enjoy confinement. Their active, foraging nature means they are happiest with plenty of space to roam. They are excellent flyers, so a covered run or high fencing is necessary to keep them contained and safe from predators.

Mottled Pattern

The Ancona's signature is its unique mottling. Unlike the random splashing of some breeds, the Ancona's pattern is ideally a V-shaped white tip on each feather.

• Black Mottled: The most common and recognized variety. It features a lustrous, greenish-black base color with sharp white tips. The ideal distribution is an even mottling across the entire body.
• Blue Mottled: A rarer variety that follows the same pattern, but with a slate-blue base color instead of black.

An interesting trait of the Ancona is that they tend to get whiter with age. After each annual molt, more white-tipped feathers appear, a phenomenon known as 'tipping out' or 'spangling out'.