The Pekin bantam, a favourite True bantam with no large counterpart

Victoria Roberts BVSC MRCVS explores the history, appearance and temperament of this delightful breed

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Looking like an animated teacosy, the Pekin was brought to Europe from China as loot when the Summer Palace at Pekin was destroyed during the Anglo-French expedition of 1860.

They were originally thought to be miniatures of the Cochin, but it was decided that there are too many differences between the breeds for this to be correct. It is confusing when early books call them Cochin bantams and indeed in America they are still known by that name. The first colour imported was the Buff and then other colours were produced together with profusion of the soft feathers, some colours in the UK and some in Europe, most notably the Lavender in Holland.