Critically Endangered Nankin Bantams - RARE & HTF

[MROO]

Add Some Endangered History to Your Flock!
Rose Comb Nankins:
I currently have four RC Nankin Bantam roosters in need of their own harems. They are one and two years old, well past the young hormonal craziness! Two have been used in classroom Breed Conservation talks and will walk on a leash. The other two are hand-tamed and friendly.
Single Comb Nankin:
In addition, I have one Single Comb rooster, who is not show quality, due to pale coloring. He is very friendly, proven fertile and an excellent flock roo for a mixed bantam flock. He took very good care of his ladies!
Prices and delivery are negotiable. No shipping. North Eastern Maryland.

 

[Criticalicious]

I'm debating whether to branch out to nankins this spring and you are the closest person to me that I've found online so far. Do you get enough eggs to offer chicks or hatching eggs? Are they hard to incubate without a broody or do they do OK?

 

[MROO]

I'm debating whether to branch out to nankins this spring and you are the closest person to me that I've found online so far. Do you get enough eggs to offer chicks or hatching eggs? Are they hard to incubate without a broody or do they do OK?

Hi! I usually have a couple of extra roosters (who doesn't, right?) and sometimes a breeding pair or two. I don't usually sell chicks, but if we have a good Spring, I may reconsider. I don't sell eggs at all. Nankin eggs don't generally do well when shipped. They're tiny and very round, so even small movements while shipping can shred the delicate veins, killing the embryo.

If you really want hatching eggs, check with Elaine Shirley at Colonial Williamsburg. She has a really nice flock of single combs (mine are roses.) If you go that route, look into a broody hen - like a Silkie or bantam Cochin. There's something about Mama communicating and the more frequent turning that just seems to work better for them. Once they're hatched, they're pretty hardy ... but getting them to that point can be traumatic!

I only have my core breeding group and a handful of roosters/cockerels at the moment and we're still a long way off from incubation, here ( I HATE winter!) If you check back in March or so. By then, I'll have a better idea of who is laying and what sort of numbers to expect.

I don't think you'll regret taking on the breed. They're wonderfully friendly, fun little birds with a lot of personality. I love my Nannies!

 

[Criticalicious]

I'm equidistant from you or Williamsburg - about 3 to 4 hours drive one-way. I prefer picking up rather than shipping.

Do they do OK as a pair rather than in a flock?

 

[MROO]

I'm equidistant from you or Williamsburg - about 3 to 4 hours drive one-way. I prefer picking up rather than shipping.

Do they do OK as a pair rather than in a flock?

I've kept specific breeding pairs together in a large rabbit hutch with a run and they've successfully raised chicks. As long as there's enough space, it's no different from separating a broody and her eggs/chicks. In fact, two of my roosters have actually helped raise the chicks. One shared warming-duties, another actually took over a couple of youngsters when Mama started to lay again. It was pretty cool!
My "flock" has never been more than five or six hens, with two roos and a couple of half-growns. The chicks stay separate (either with Mom or in a grow-out pen/brooder run) until I can sex them. Then they either get swapped out with my older birds or passed along as potential breeding pairs. I keep a separate, small coop and run for my extra males. Without any hens, there's no real competition, so they all get along (aside from normal pecking-order squabbles) and their individual personalities shine through. I love my Bachelor Flock! Between the colors and the antics, it's by far my favorite ... but don't tell the ladies. I don't need an egg-strike! !

 

[Criticalicious]

Right now I have a 4x6' coop with attached run that's empty. It comfortably holds 3 or 4 dual purpose birds so it should work well for 4-6 bantys. It's currently empty after housing a small bachelor flock of 4 BCMs. My other coop and run houses a dozen BCMs (11 girls with 1 boy). I was using the smaller coop for grow-outs but I'm happy with keeping the BCM flock the same size.

Next time you have a potential breeding pair of nankin or if you have extra chicks in the spring, would you keep me in mind?

 

[MROO]

Right now I have a 4x6' coop with attached run that's empty. It comfortably holds 3 or 4 dual purpose birds so it should work well for 4-6 bantys. It's currently empty after housing a small bachelor flock of 4 BCMs. My other coop and run houses a dozen BCMs (11 girls with 1 boy). I was using the smaller coop for grow-outs but I'm happy with keeping the BCM flock the same size.

Next time you have a potential breeding pair of nankin or if you have extra chicks in the spring, would you keep me in mind?

Will do! I have two 4H youngsters waiting, too, but who knows? Maybe this will be our "bumper crop" Spring! If you want to check in now and again, I'm always happy to chat about Nannies. They're such neat little birds!

 

[Criticalicious]

Where did you initially get your nankins from? In addition to you and Colonial Williamsburg (I can't seem to find an easy way to contact them without hours on the phone), I also saw a post from Seagrave & Williams Farm in Dinwiddie. They had a website but it seems to be down right now.

 

[MROO]

Where did you initially get your nankins from? In addition to you and Colonial Williamsburg (I can't seem to find an easy way to contact them without hours on the phone), I also saw a post from Seagrave & Williams Farm in Dinwiddie. They had a website but it seems to be down right now.

The best way to contact Elaine Shirley seems to be by e-mail. You'll likely have to wait a long time for a response, as she's a super-busy lady. Still, she's worth waiting for - she knows an awful lot about the breed and was very helpful when we got started.
Our birds came from Richard Larson, at Old Gjerpen Farm. He's in Culpeper, VA. His website (www.oldgjerpenfarm.com) used to offer sheep and some rarer chicken breeds, as well as his Milking Red Devon cattle, but now it only shows the cattle. I don't know if he still has Nankins, but it's worth asking.
Good Luck!

 

[Criticalicious]

I haven't tried Elaine Shirley yet, but Richard Larson responds to emails and he still raises nankins. I don't know why they aren't on his website.