Orloff Bantam

Orloff Bantam is the miniature form of the Russian Orloff chicken, bred to carry the same bearded face, small walnut or strawberry comb and upright, game-influenced outline in a much smaller bird. It is mainly an exhibition and preservation bantam rather than a production chicken. Spangled plumage is the variety most people associate with it, but accepted colors depend on country and registry. Good birds should look like reduced Orloffs, not generic bearded bantams with similar markings.

These bantams suit keepers who enjoy close observation and careful breeding. They need secure pens because their size makes them vulnerable, yet they retain the active, alert habits of the large fowl. Small combs are helpful in cold weather, while facial feathering still needs dry bedding and occasional checks for debris or parasites. Eggs are small and seasonal in many lines. For conservation, pairing unrelated birds and selecting for the Orloff head, beard, stance and vigor is more important than producing large numbers of chicks.