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Nankins are a breed of true bantam (no standard size) originally from Malaysia. They were taken to England by sea merchants in the early 1700s and from there came to the colonies of North America.
Here is my first pair of Nankins, single comb. They have passed on (the hen just passed last month, she was 10 and had raised dozens of broods over her long life), but they were my introduction to Nankins. Their legs look white in the picture, but they actually were a light slate. Most of their descendents have darker slate legs and shanks. The British standard accepts white or slate legs; US standards are more in favor of slate. But for me, it is the body conformation, feathering and temperament that really makes the breed. They are good natured, at least my line of them is.
The feather color should be the rich bay-chestnut for cocks, and a lighter red-buff for hens, though I see plumage getting paler and paler (Cynthia12, that's what threw me off with your photos -- those chicks are VERY blond for Nankins! And maybe a bit too large). The hen and cock both should have irridescent-black feathers in their tail, and flight feathers. It's frustrating that so few good lines exist for us to keep our birds' bloodlines strong. I wish there were a "sharing" program where we could get eggs from those breeding seriously, like Sandhill Preservation and Colonial Williamsburg.
Nankins are a breed of true bantam (no standard size) originally from Malaysia. They were taken to England by sea merchants in the early 1700s and from there came to the colonies of North America.
Here is my first pair of Nankins, single comb. They have passed on (the hen just passed last month, she was 10 and had raised dozens of broods over her long life), but they were my introduction to Nankins. Their legs look white in the picture, but they actually were a light slate. Most of their descendents have darker slate legs and shanks. The British standard accepts white or slate legs; US standards are more in favor of slate. But for me, it is the body conformation, feathering and temperament that really makes the breed. They are good natured, at least my line of them is.
The feather color should be the rich bay-chestnut for cocks, and a lighter red-buff for hens, though I see plumage getting paler and paler (Cynthia12, that's what threw me off with your photos -- those chicks are VERY blond for Nankins! And maybe a bit too large). The hen and cock both should have irridescent-black feathers in their tail, and flight feathers. It's frustrating that so few good lines exist for us to keep our birds' bloodlines strong. I wish there were a "sharing" program where we could get eggs from those breeding seriously, like Sandhill Preservation and Colonial Williamsburg.
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