Nankin Bantam

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British breed of chicken

title: "Nankin Bantam" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["conservation-priority-breeds-of-the-livestock-conservancy", "bantam-chicken-breeds", "chicken-breeds", "animal-breeds-on-the-rbst-watchlist"] description: "British breed of chicken" topic_path: "general/conservation-priority-breeds-of-the-livestock-conservancy" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nankin_Bantam" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary British breed of chicken ::

::data[format=table title="infobox poultry breed"]

FieldValue
nameNankin Bantam
statusFAO (2007): critical
countryUnited Kingdom
apasingle comb clean legged
eeno
pcgbrare true bantam
useornamental
maleweight680–740 g
femaleweight570–620 g
eggcolourtinted
combsingle or rose
typeChicken
latinGallus gallus domesticus
::

| name = Nankin Bantam | image = | image_size = | alt = | image_caption = | status = FAO (2007): critical | alt_name = | country = United Kingdom | distribution = | standard = | apa = single comb clean legged | aba = | ee = no | pcgb = rare true bantam | use = ornamental | maleweight = 680–740 g | femaleweight = 570–620 g | skincolour = | eggcolour = tinted | comb = single or rose | note = | type = Chicken | latin = Gallus gallus domesticus

The Nankin Bantam or Nankin is a British breed of bantam chicken. It is a true bantam, a naturally small breed with no large counterpart from which it was miniaturised. It is of South-east Asian origin, and is among the oldest bantam breeds. It is a yellowish buff colour, and the name is thought to derive from the colour of nankeen cotton from China.

History

The Nankin is thought to be one of the oldest true bantam breeds, originating somewhere in Southeast Asia. Although it first became widespread in the West only in the eighteenth century, there is evidence for its presence in England going back to the sixteenth century. As a bantam long present in the UK especially, the Nankin contributed to the formation of many other bantams more common today, such as the Sebright. Nankin are listed as 'critical' on the endangered chicken breeds list of the Livestock Conservancy. They are very rarely found in the USA.

The number of Nankins declined in the West after the mid-nineteenth century, along with the importation of newer and more exotic Asian breeds. Though their popularity with poultry fanciers waned, the use of broody Nankin hens to incubate game bird eggs may have kept the breed from disappearing altogether.

Interest in Nankins in North America largely sprung out of attention from the American Bantam Association in the 1960s. Today, Nankins are recognised by the American Bantam Association, and have been accepted into the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection as of 2012. A US breed club was formed for the first time in 2006. They are classified as critically endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

In 2002 the total number for the breed was estimated at 50–100 birds; the conservation status of the Nankin was listed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as "critical" in 2007. In 2017, the Nankin was not among the "priority breeds" on the watchlist of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.

Characteristics

The breed has two varieties, differentiated by comb type; the single comb Nankin has a large comb with five points, and the rose comb has a medium size one ending in a single point. All Nankins come in a single colour, with buff on the body and black tails. The golden hue is deeper and more lustrous in males, and they have the longer sickle feathers common in cocks. Their beaks are a light horn colour, and legs are slate blue.

Use

The Nankin is usually reared for fancy and exhibition. The hens lay well, and are good sitters. Their eggs are very small and a creamy white colour. As with some other bantam breeds, broody Nankin hens were traditionally used to incubate the eggs of game birds such as pheasant, quail and partridge. The breed matures slowly, and makes a poor meat producer.

References

References

  1. "albc-usa.org". [[American Livestock Breeds Conservancy]].
  2. "The Livestock Conservancy".
  3. "www.amerpoultryassn.com". [[American Poultry Association]].
  4. [https://web.archive.org/web/20171104135004/http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/PDF%20Forms/APA%20Recognized%20Breeds%20and%20Varieties%20Sept2012.pdf APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties: As of January 1, 2012]. American Poultry Association. Archived 4 November 2017.
  5. (February–March 2009). "Nankin Bantams: Something Old, Something New". Backyard Poultry Magazine.
  6. Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20200623201209/http://www.fao.org/3/a1250e/annexes/List%20of%20breeds%20documented%20in%20the%20Global%20Databank%20for%20Animal%20Genetic%20Resources/List_breeds.pdf List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources], annex to: [https://web.archive.org/web/20170110125634/http://www.fao.org/3/a-a1250e.pdf ''The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture'']. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. {{isbn. 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
  7. Carol Ekarius. (2007). "Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds". Storey Publishing.
  8. [https://dadis-breed-datasheet-ws.firebaseapp.com/?country=GBR&specie=Chicken&breed=Nankin&external=1&lang=en Breed data sheet: Nankin / United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (Chicken)]. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed August 2025.
  9. 9781612124629.
  10. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130616062803/http://www.entente-ee.com/deutsch/sparten/gefluegel/dateien/2013/Verzeichnis%20R%20F%2028042013.xls Liste des races et variétés homologuée dans les pays EE (28.04.2013)]. Entente Européenne d'Aviculture et de Cuniculture. Archived 16 June 2013.
  11. [https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143235/http://www.poultryclub.org/img/Breed%20Classification.pdf Breed Classification]. Poultry Club of Great Britain. Archived 12 June 2018.
  12. [http://www.rbst.org.uk/content/download/4571/65927/version/1/file/Watchlist+2017+A3+pg+1+-+FINAL+VERSION.pdf Watchlist 2017–18]. Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire: Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Accessed May 2017.
  13. 9781405156424.

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conservation-priority-breeds-of-the-livestock-conservancybantam-chicken-breedschicken-breedsanimal-breeds-on-the-rbst-watchlist