Pekin Bantam
Gallus gallus domesticus
✨ Fun Fact
Legend holds that Pekin Bantams were taken from the Imperial Summer Palace in Peking (Beijing) by British soldiers during the Second Opium War in 1860. Whether this is true or not, the breed takes its name from the old English spelling of Beijing.
The quintessential ornamental bantam and Britain's most popular garden chicken, the Pekin (called Cochin Bantam in the USA) is a small, round, fluffy bird so thickly feathered on its feet and legs that it appears to have no legs at all — it rocks forward as it walks, giving it a characteristic 'rocking horse' gait. Pekins are the ideal beginner's chicken: tame, friendly, quiet, easily handled by children, and content in a small garden. Their temperament is as plush and soft as their feathering.
🏷️ Breed
Pekin Bantam
💭 Temperament
Docile, gentle, friendly, excellent with children, easily tamed
📏 Size
Small (0.68-0.91 kg)
⏳ Lifespan
5-8 years
🎨 Colors
Buff, black, white, blue, lavender, barred, mottled, birchen, columbian
🌍 Origin
England — said to be looted from Chinese Imperial Summer Palace, 1860s
🏠 Habitat
Small enclosed garden run; feathered feet need dry ground
🍽️ Diet
Bantam pellets or crumbs; limited forager due to foot feathering
🎯 Purpose
Ornamental
🥚 Egg Colour
Cream
👑 Comb Type
Single
🏅 EE Class
True Bantam