The Mericanel della Brianza is a breed of small chicken or bantam from Lombardy, in northern Italy.
It takes its name from the Brianza, an area to the north-east of Milan, and from mericanell, a Lombard diminutive of merican "American".
The Mericanel della Brianza is a traditional chicken breed of Lombardy, and was apparently selectively bred from local dwarf strains in the early 1900s.
Recent attention from breeders has led to a phase of recognition, selection and recovery.
[2] In early 2012, the Mericanel della Brianza was the only Italian bantam breed officially recognised by the Federazione Italiana Associazioni Avicole, the Italian federation of poultry breeders; the breed standard was approved in 1996.