Japanese bantams as egg layers.
The Japanese bantam tends to lay in flushes, she will likely produce a clutch of 12 egg inside two weeks and then have a week or two off before having another laying cycle.
If she goes broody then she will have 6 to 8 weeks off laying before starting again.
How many eggs will Japanese bantams lay?
Japanese bantams lay between 100 and 160 eggs per year that are 23 to 31 grams in weight (1 to 1 and 1/4 ounces).
Below: 6 Japanese bantams eggs packed for shipping.
The most eggs I have every got from one of my Japanese bantam hens is 153 in a 12 month period.
Can you eat Japanese bantam eggs?
Yes, Japanese bantam eggs are not only edible, they are lovely to eat and often have bright yellow yolks. They make brilliant poached eggs. It takes a minimum of three Japanese bantam eggs to make up one normal hens egg.
Below: Japanese bantam eggs for eating.
Most people don't keep them for their eggs though.
How often do Japanese bantams lay eggs?
Japanese bantams are not good layers and produce a maximum of 3 small eggs per week.
They are kept for the show bench, their personality and good nature rather than their laying ability.
When will Japanese bantams begin to lay?
Japanese bantams are slow to mature and often take 40 to 45 weeks before the begin to lay eggs.
If you hatch them in summer it is likely to be the following year before they begin to produce reliably.
What colour eggs do Japanese bantams lay?
Japanese bantam eggs can be white to cream or very pale brown and even occasionally speckled.
Below: Comparison between a true bantam egg and a normal chicken egg.
The most common colour for Japanese bantam eggs is white.
How many years do Japanese bantams lay eggs for?
A Japanese bantam hen will lay egg for 5 years. The number of eggs a hen lays reduces by around 15% with each moult the bird goes through.