Ohiki
Japanese name Minohiki - Chabo
Feature by Toni Marie Graham
Classification: True Bantam Rare
Origin: Japan
Eggs: 60 annually, Tinted
Colours: Black-Red, Duckwing (gold and silver) and White
Appearance
The Ohiki have been noted as being the 'Jewel of the Garden' mainly due to their small size, lovable temperament and exotic, long-feathered tail. A small flock of these in your back garden is a joy to behold. They are best known for their very short, willow green legs and unbelievably long tail feathers. They also have very long saddle feathers which hang down the body and a single comb with white earlobes.
Origin of the Ohiki
Photo credit: Marc King
The Ohiki originate from the Japanese isle of Shokoku during the Edo Period which stretched between 1818 and 1868, a time is japanese history which was ruled by the Shoguns of the Tokugawa family. The name Ohiki is loosely translated into 'tail dragging' or 'small dragging'.
For years they were known as the Minohiki-Chabo as it was believed that they were derived from the Minohiki and the Chabo (Japanese
Bantam), later on however it was discovered that they actually came from the Onagadori rather than the Minohiki.
The name Minohiki-Chabo fell out of use and so they were given the name Ohiki and it is still in use today.
Lets dig a little deeper into their history shall we...
The Chabo used in the creation of the Ohiki was actually the Chinese bantam originally imported from Holland in the 1800's, and the Dutch used the Dutch East India Company to ship their birds.
The Ohiki were awarded “cultural inheritance of Japan” in 1923.
The Ohiki were not introduced into the UK until the 1990's and now are considered a fairly common breed and have a devoted following.
Photo credit: Grahams Pure Breed Poultry
How to keep Ohiki
Despite their size these little beauties are quite the hardy breed and more adaptable than they look. Due to their short legs they tend not to do too much damage to your lawn. They are not an overly active breed and when you throw their short legs into the mix, care should be taken to prevent any extra weight piling on.
The Ohiki are incredibly easy to handle, being very calm and placid. They are a marvellous choice of bird with households with small children, they are friendly towards humans and towards each other.
This breed copes confidently with confined spaces, although free-ranging really is a must to enjoy these little bantams. They are quite cold hardy, but due to their long tails (sometimes reaching 100cm) during the winter months a covered shelter/run is recommended to help prevent matting in the feathers. A perch is also desirable.
Photo credit: Grahams Pure Breed Poultry
The hens make wonderful mothers, and are very susceptible to broodiness. They are very devoted to their hatch and are often very protective for the first few weeks – like any new mother the novelty can wear off on a bad day! It is a blessing to have chicks as the hens aren't prolific layers, however, as you can imagine the chicks are tiny and more susceptible to illness. If at all possible hatching should be planned in advance to avoid the cooler months. If incubating, be wary of hatching alongside larger fowl, the Ohiki chicks are often energetic but wobbly on their short legs and so there is a greater risk of trampling.
Copyright: Gemma Bavington
Copyright: Grahams Pure Breed Poultry
Copyright: Gemma Bavington
Overall Opinion
I myself keep several colours of Ohiki, they are nothing short of comical and have such loveable characters. I have found that our cock birds dote upon their female companions and do become stressed when taken away from their counterparts. They are very effortless to keep and very easy going. Compared to other breeds they are also very cost effective, needing little space and small amounts of feed. As we show our birds, we have found that the Ohiki are one of our breeds that are strikingly different and attract a lot of attention, they put smiles on a lot of faces.
They may not lay an awful lot of breakfast for you, but what they lack in eggs they make up for in affection, ours love a good chin wag and a good stroke.
