From the Archives: O. Fayne Whitney and Light Brahma Bantams

Oakley Fayne Whitney, better known as Fayne, lived from 1911 to 2007 in Athol, Massachusetts. He spent 50 years working as a foreman in a tool-plating shop and was married for an impressive 70 years. Every workday, Fayne walked one mile to the shop and one mile home. At lunchtime, he made the same journey again so he could check on his birds. That added up to four miles a day—all in the name of poultry! Fayne began raising chickens at age 16 and often said that caring for his flock helped keep him active and vital.

In the 1940s, Fayne developed the Columbian Rock Bantam by using a single-combed sport from a Columbian Wyandotte Bantam and crossing it with large-fowl Columbian Rocks. His interests extended to several other bantam breeds, including Cochins and Brahmas, but Light Brahmas remained his favorite. Over the years, Fayne became a world-renowned authority on the Columbian color pattern. Just as importantly, he was known as a remarkable gentleman who freely shared his birds, experience, and knowledge with other breeders.

The influence of his breeding program continues today. The majority of modern Light Brahma Bantams can be traced back to the work of Fayne Whitney. His advertisements made a confident promise that his birds repeatedly fulfilled: “A sensation wherever shown!”