Silver Bantam

The Silver Bantam has lost out in popularity to the Miniature Appleyard but still has a few devotees who appreciate this small useful bantam duck.

The name may be a more recent creation but the breed is the same one that was created by Reginald Appleyard just after the Second World War.
Bantams were on the increase in the chicken world and Appleyard was one to see the chance for a bantam duck.
The breed was originally named Miniature Appleyard although the plumage colour did not resemble the Appleyard duck.
A problem arose when Tom Bartlett created a different Miniature Appleyard with the large Appleyard duck colouring.
After much deliberation, the original breed was renamed the Silver Bantam Duck.

A small breed, drakes should weigh around 0.9kg and ducks around 0.8kg.
The drake follows the Mallard colour for the head and neck and the breast is claret but with white edges. The main of the under-body is cream and the back black but with white edges.
The duck has a brown head and neck and the body is a creamy white with a central stripe on the feathers of light brown.
The drake has an olive green bill and orange legs and the duck a dark slate bill tinged with green and dark orange legs.

For more information visit the British Waterfowl Association.