"Bantam" chickens are smaller or miniature chickens.  They range in size from a medium size bird, just slightly smaller than the standard size to a very small bird just larger than a coke can, minus the neck and tail.

Most Bantams are miniature versions of large or standard size fowl.  However there are a few that are considered "true bantams" or bantams that have non standard size counterparts. 

Bantams typically lay a small egg every other day rather than every day such as a standard layer would do and are kept mainly for thier potential as a show chicken at various fairs or just for the person who maybe just likes to have these little birds around.

Although I have raised a wide variety of bantam chickens in the past at this time I raise two breeds of bantam.   The Rhode Island Red Bantam and the Nankin Bantam.