1. The name comes from the city of Banten (or Bantam), a City in Indonesia once known as being a major trading seaport. When European sailors restocked on poultry in Banten they found the small breeds of poultry very useful and began calling them Bantams.
2. Bantams are great egg layers. Some breeds of Bantams can lay up to 150 eggs per year!
3. Old English Bantams used to be used for fighting in Europe.
4. When kept as backyard pets Bantams have a higher mortality rate. Their small size makes them easier targets for smaller predators such as Hawks, Cats, and Foxes.
5. Many Bantams make great show birds because of their beauty, such as this Dutch Bantam Rooster pictured to the right.