New Hampshire Bantam

The New Hampshire Bantam is characterized by its compact, brick-like body shape. It has a broad, deep chest and a well-developed abdomen. The back is wide with a hollow-round top line that flows elegantly into a high-carried, well-feathered tail.

• Head: Features a medium-sized, upright single comb with deep serrations.
• Eyes: Ideally orange-red to red-brown in color.
• Earlobes: Medium-sized, smooth, and vibrant red.
• Legs: Smooth, clean legs of a rich yellow color.

Hens are reliable layers for a bantam breed, maintaining much of the high production capacity of their large fowl counterparts. They typically lay around 160 to 200 eggs per year. The eggs are brown-shelled and relatively large for a miniature bird, weighing approximately 1.4 oz (40g). Unlike many bantam breeds, New Hampshire hens are generally not prone to excessive broodiness, making them more consistent egg producers.

The breed exhibits distinct sexual dimorphism in plumage color. Roosters display a beautiful 'triad' (drieklank) color pattern: the neck hackles are a bright golden-brown, the shoulders are a deep, glossy chestnut-brown, and the saddle feathers are a rich red-brown. Hens, by contrast, possess a much more uniform golden-brown or yellow-brown plumage across the mantle. In roosters, the black markings should remain hidden when the wings are folded, while hens should have minimal black markings confined to the lower neck area.

The New Hampshire Bantam is very hardy and well-suited for temperate and colder American climates. Their dense feathering and robust build provide excellent protection against the winter cold. However, like all single-comb breeds, extra care should be taken to prevent frostbite on the comb and wattles during extreme sub-zero temperatures.

The most widely recognized and popular color is the Gold-brown (New Hampshire Red). This color is prized for its warm, deep tones. A White variety also exists, though it is less common and must be carefully distinguished from White Barnevelder bantams by its specific body type and yellow skin.