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Nankin
ChickenRare breedThe Nankin is one of the oldest true bantams, a tiny golden-buff fowl from Southeast Asia recorded in England as far back as the 1500s and later used to help create breeds like the Sebright. Cocks and hens alike sport rich buff plumage with black tails, and the flock is famously tight-knit — birds rarely stray far from one another as a defense against larger fowl. Prized above all as broody mothers, Nankins were long kept on game farms to hatch pheasant, quail and partridge eggs. Calm, historic and critically rare, they're a breed for preservationists and bantam lovers.
Beginner friendly
Quiet breed
Good with kids
Cold hardy
Heat tolerant
Broody
Good to know
- One of the oldest true bantam breeds
- Rich buff plumage with a black tail
- Superb broody — used to hatch game-bird eggs
- Critically rare (Livestock Conservancy priority)
Egg colorWhite
Egg production80–100 / year
Weight1.4–1.5 lb
TemperamentDocile
BroodinessFrequent
ClimateCold hardy, Heat tolerant
PurposeShow
Varieties
Rose CombSingle Comb
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