Serama Chickens, Originally from
Malaysia, the Serama Bantam is the smallest breed of chickens in the world: it
weighs under 500 g! It is only 15 to 25cm high and it is a cross between the CC
and the Malaysian Bantam. The modern version of this breed was developed in the
early 1970s in Malaysia by WeeYean Een but the original version is actually the
beginning of the 17th century.
This would take its name from the thai King
Raja Sri Rama who, like the Serama, was known for its majestic pace and his
proud posture. This breed is divided into three categories, classified
according to the weight of the hens. The smallest category, and also the most
sought-after, brings together the hens weighing barely 350g.
Serama chickens
are small birds that are very straight. They have a small sharp Ridge, a chest
high and curved forwards and their wings nearly touching the ground (which
gives the impression that they are the guard for you). They carry their tails
to 90 ° and it almost touches the back of their head.
Serama Chickens Behavior
The Serama chickens are excellent
pets and they are very popular in the United States. These are nice birds who
easily place their trust and love being surrounded by beings humans.
The Serama
cock crows is much less noisy than the cocks of large breed, making it ideal
for the home. However, avoid keeping two cocks together, they might fight.
Unfortunately, the Serama chickens are a carrier of the lethal gene of the CC
and it reproduces so difficult: indeed, about 2% of the embryos fail to hatch
and some chicks die shortly after. The egg incubation period is shorter than in
most of the races; they hatch after 19 to 20 days.
The chicks can be all colors
and their color or their size does not depend on their parents (some chicks are
sometimes tiny and others much greater). Chicks mature after 16 to 18 weeks and
lay eggs throughout the year. Strangely, the Serama chickens molt permanently
and lose a small amount of feathers every day.
Serama Chickens come from a tropical
region, and even if they are fairly resistant, you will need to protect them
from cold temperatures. Due to their small size, they prefer food to rubble
instead of granules. The color of their eggs ranges from pure white to dark
brown and it takes five Serama eggs to reach the size of a large egg!