Japanese Bantam Club 

                                            of            

       Great Britain     

There are a considerable number of ways of hatching and rearing Japanese bantams. Some fanciers depend entirely on nature, some part artificial, and some rely entirely on incubation by machine. With the breed being so fickle it may take time for before the individual finds the method that is a success.

Method 1 - Natural

This method is probably the least trouble; mother nature takes care of everything. Once the birds have been paired, a nest bow is introduced. Usually it is one bird to one compartment. Most Japanese hens lay 7 to 9 eggs and then go broody. When fully broody, remove the hen and the eggs and spray or dust the nest litter (a sitting hen is easy prey for lice and mites). Place the eggs back in the nest and the hen in the coop. Do not try to force the hen back on the eggs; after 10 to 15 minutes if the hen is fully broody she should return to the eggs herself. Having made a note of the day the hen sat fully, 20-21 days later the chicks should emerge. In most cases the hen will leave the eggs to drink, feed and relieve herself, therefore the nest remains clean.

Advantages of natural method:-

* No fear of powercuts.                                                                                           

* Good system for keeping records.

* No need for artificial heating when rearing.

* Some say that chicks are more robust when reared by broodies.

Disadvantages of natural method:-

* Fewer chicks reared annually.

* Hen could leave eggs.

* When chicks are hatched they might be attacked or not kept warm by the hen.

* Hen sitting too tightly on eggs, therefore soiling them.

If the hen is motherly and reliable (Jap hens usually are), good results are assured and such birds are acquired by selection of your stock birds which show these traits. The fancier who uses this method has the added challenge of not only trying to breed good quality birds but also of selecting the bird which is going to be a good mother and go broody.

Method 2 - Part nature, part artificial means.

This consists of sitting the eggs by broody and rearing by artificial means. The trick to using broodies is to ensure that they come into lay well before your stock birds start laying - so a good diet and, probably, the use of lights (to extend the daytime) is necessary. Remember the hen has to lay before it will go broody.

Nest boxes are placed in each compartment and nature takes its course as outlined in the previous method. When the chicks are hatched, and as soon as they become dry, they are removed from the hen and placed in a home-made/purchased brooder under artificial heat. Make sure the chicks are comfortable when put in the brooder. If the chicks huddle around the heat source they are too cold; if huddled in a corner and gasping, they are too hot. Long legged chicks are culled, the remainder are rung with either the smallest poultry ring or, if these prove too big, budgie rings can be used. A number of coloured rings are kept in stock, so different broodies have different coloured rings.

A careful watch must be kept on chicks that have been rung. Chicks grow quickly so change them as they grow until the final closed ring is fitted. Special attention must be paid to those fitted with budgie rings - these rings are easier to fit than remove. Coloured marker pens can be used on newborns instead but these rub off quickly.

Advantages of part nature, part artificial means:-

* Constant heat.

* Control of food given

* Large batches can be reared at the same time.

Disadvantages of part nature, part artificial means:-

* Viruses can develop - high mortality.

* Power failure or bulb failure.

* More attention required than with broody.

* Initial problem of constructing/purchasing brooder.

* Experience of running a brooder.

Method 3 - Hatching by incubator

This method is favoured by many Jap fanciers. There are many incubators on the market, so the new fancier should seek advice from the experienced people who already have incubators. If the wrong machine is purchased it could prove a costly mistake. 

Careful reading of the instructions is vital. The next step is to find a suitable position for the machine. This may be in the house, garage or outhouse, but there must be a fairly consistent temperature in the room. Low night time and high day time temperatures are not suitable.

Advantages of hatching by incubator:-

If a self-turning machine is used (this is preferable), other than checking at 6 days for fertility, it can be left alone until a day before hatching, when it is advised to stop the turning mechanism. This is the time to sort the eggs into batches of the same breeding combinations - one method is to introduce compartments or small net bags so, when hatching commences, different combinations can be kept together, or just be satisfied and let the chicks hatch.

Disadvantages of hatching by incubator:-

* Power cuts.

* Correct humidity required.

* Correct temperature required.

If a non-automatic incubator is used the eggs have to be turned at least twice a day by hand. This is time consuming but, for results, must be completed to achieve the goal of hatching chicks - in fact it is recommended that for the first week, three times a day is the accepted norm. To make the procedure more simple the eggs are marked with some kind of identification or, if the eggs have been previously marked for identification, this should serve the purpose. When hand-turning the eggs they should be rolled one complete turn one way, then the next time, a complete turn the other way.

If a new machine has been acquired lots of patience may be required before success is gained.

Conclusion

Japanese bantams are a fickle breed to hatch. They present a real challenge to the true fancier. To succeed, patience is the key. Somewhere in the outlined methods is a method to suit you and, by being patient and dedicated, success should be gained. 

This Website was prepared for the Japanese Bantam Club of Great Britain by Terry and Lisa Crook. If you have any questions or comments please Email the club at: japclub@ukonline.co.uk

Last updated on 24/02/2005