Chicken Breed Focus - Modern Game Bantam

[sumi]

The Modern Game Bantam was developed from crosses of Old English Game and Malays, after the outlawing of cockfighting in Britain in the mid-19th century, when many cockfighting enthusiasts turned to breeding for shows as an alternative poultry hobby.. Despite being classified as game chickens (i.e. of cockfighting derivation) in breed standards, Modern Game Bantams were not bred to fight. Game, as they were then called, were included in the Standard of Excellence in Exhibition Poultry, the first edition of the British Poultry Standard, in nine colours in 1865. Eight colours of Game were included in the first edition of the APA's Standard of Perfection in 1874.
Today, the breed appears in more than a dozen colour variations and is very popular for exhibition purposes. The ideal show bird should have a body shaped like a flat iron, viewed from above, a relatively short back, fine tail, hard feathering and a very upright carriage. The most common colours are black red, birchen, brown red, duckwing and pile. The colours can be broadly divided into two groups: those with willow-coloured legs and red eyes, and those with black legs and dark eyes. The colour of the skin, comb and wattles varies from red to mulberry depending on variety, but all birds have a small single comb. Combs and wattles are required to be dubbed (cut off) to compete in showing in some countries,

Details:

Detail Value
Breed Purpose Ornamental
Comb Single
Broodiness Frequent
Climate Tolerance Heat
Egg Productivity Low
Egg Size Small
Egg Color White
Breed Temperament Aggressive,Friendly,Not bear confinementwell,Noisy
Breed Colors/Varieties Brown Red, Birchen, Silver Blue, Lemon Blue, Black Breasted Red, Red Pyle, Blue Red (Blue Breasted Red), White, Black, Blue, Golden Duckwing, Silver Duckwing, etc.
Breed Size Bantam


Pic by @blackred


Pic by @juliechick


Pic by @juliechick


Pic by @wing it


Pic by @tiki244

BYC Breed Reviews:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/products/modern-game

BYC Breed Discussion:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/348908/modern-game-bantams/0_30


Do you own Modern Game Bantams? Are you a Modern Game Bantam breeder? If so, please reply to this thread with the your thoughts and experiences, including:

· What made you decide to get this breed?
· Do you own them for fun? Breeding? Some other purpose?
· What are your favorite characteristics about this breed?
· Post some pics of your birds; male/female, chicks, eggs, etc!

We have a bunch of other awesome breed-focus threads for you to enjoy. You can see all of them here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-breed-focus-project.975504/

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I love the second pic of the 3 chicks by juliechick. They look like little bandits!

 

[1cock2hens]

I hope this thread really takes off// I just started researching modern game bantams the other day and I'm eager to learn alot more about them// I love the color of that last stag

 

[Triplecross]

Can anyone elaborate on their temperament? I'm looking for a pet and future show breed.

 

[casportpony]

Can anyone elaborate on their temperament? I'm looking for a pet and future show breed.

I love them! My experience is limited to just two, a pair of Lemon Blue's from Ideal hatchery. Both are very easy going and friendly. Here is my hen with a bunch of chicks and ducklings:


-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Pictures of many colors:
http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/Games/Mods/BRKModernBty.html

-Kathy

 

[miss heny]

Can anyone elaborate on their temperament? I'm looking for a pet and future show breed.

from speaking to breeders and research MGB are supposedly frail as chicks but stout as adults with human loving temperament, and very little to no aggression to other roosters other then the normal type you see with regular breeds. While they are Call "games" in all reality they are not that gamey at all which is nice for people who may want a "game" breed that doesn't risk the roosters killing each other.

 

[wingedshade]

Can anyone elaborate on their temperament? I'm looking for a pet and future show breed.

I think mine is a standard size. He is pretty low on the pecking order, so he's shy and would rather run than fight. I used to be able to pick him up, but I don't think I spent enough time with him so in the fall he was hard to catch. I saw one of my EE pullets(the same age) pestering him while they were on the roost. She kept poking him until his head was level with his feet!

With the lower temperatures now none of the chickens bother to put up much of a fuss when I go to pick them up.

 

[CarnyCat]

Great little birds, we enjoy them so much. My hens are great broody mothers and will hatch out any other hens eggs! Funny when you see a little Modern mamma and her huge Orphington chick following her everywhere!

 

[casportpony]

oops