Serama Bantam

     The Malaysian Serama is the smallest breed of Chickens in the world, weighing less than 500 g. It’s a true bantam with a length range of 15 – 25 centimeters, and it  is thought to be developed by crossbreeding Japanese Bantams with local Malaysian bantams. There are 3 categories for Serama Bantams, and they are graded according to their weight. The smallest and the most desirable one is weighing just 340 g. In general, Serama bantams are tame, friendly, seem quite enchanted, and available in a wide array of color-varieties.

     Seramas are very upright little chickens with small neat single combs, red earlobes, and yellowish legs. The most interesting and unique feature for this breed is having its breast high and pushed upwards with the wings almost touching the ground. Seramas also appear to stand with attention, with their tails held at 90° that almost touch the back of their heads.

     Seramas are much like many of the other true bantam breeds, after laying an egg it takes around 19 days for the chicks to develop and hatch. The chicks are more susceptible to cold temperatures compared to other breeds because of their relatively small size. After hatching, it takes about 16 – 18 weeks for the chicks to mature and reach the point at which they can lay eggs themselves.

     Serama hens don’t lay many eggs (80 – 160 eggs per year) and don’t tend to go broody too. Usually breeders get the eggs brooded naturally by other breeds such as the Silkie. Unfortunately, Seramas have the Japanese Bantam’s lethal gene. It means that some embryos fail to hatch or that some chicks will die shortly after hatching.