Modern English Game Bantam

The Modern English Game Bantam is defined by its extreme anatomy. The body is often described as an 'inverted flat iron' shape, wide at the front and narrowing sharply toward the tail. Its posture is very upright, with a long, slender neck that maintains a consistent thickness, giving it a crane-like appearance.

• Plumage: Exceptionally tight and hard, often described as 'waxy' or 'as if molded' to the body. This tight feathering makes the bird appear even smaller than it is.
• Legs: The dijen (thighs) are long, muscular, and fully visible due to the sparse feathering, leading down to thin, round shanks and well-spread toes.
• Head: Features a strong brow, a powerful beak, and small, fine-textured kopversierselen (facial ornaments).
• Tail: Known as a 'whip tail,' it is krap (tight) and carried nearly horizontally.

This breed is not a high-performance layer. Hens typically produce 60 to 100 small eggs per year. The eggs are tinted or light brown and very small, weighing approximately 0.9 oz (25g). While the egg production is low, the hens are known to be protective mothers and will go broody, though their small size and sparse feathers mean they cannot cover many eggs at once.

The rooster is a proud and bold bird weighing roughly 20-22 oz (575-625g). In show settings, roosters are traditionally 'dubbed' (combs and wattles removed) to emphasize their sleek head lines, though this is less common in backyard settings. He features sabelachtig (saber-like) sickles in the tail that are only slightly curved.

The hen is smaller and lighter, weighing 17-19 oz (475-550g). Her ruglijn (backline) is more horizontal than the rooster's, and she carries her tail even tighter. Her comb is very small and should ideally be fine-textured and upright.

The Modern English Game Bantam is considered delicate compared to other bantam breeds. Because of their extremely tight plumage and lack of downy feathers, they have very little natural insulation. They are highly sensitive to cold and dampness. In winter, they require a well-insulated, dry, and draft-free coop. They are also prone to frostbite if their ornaments are not protected, despite their small size.

There are many recognized color varieties, but Black Breasted Red (Partridge) is the most iconic. Other common varieties include Birchen (black with silver lacing on the chest), Brown Red (black with lemon/gold lacing), and Pyle (white with red markings). In all varieties, the leg color should correspond to the plumage, often being wilgengroen (willow green), black, or slate blue.