Shokoku Chicken

     The Shokoku is an ancient Chicken breed from China, that is thought to have existed for at least 2,000 years. This breed is very popular in Japan, and is characterized with a very long tail and saddle feathers.

     The Shokoku was thought for a long time to be a foundational breed of many of the long-tailed Japanese chicken breeds such as the Onagadori. However, genetic researches closely link the Onagadori as one of the true long-tailed foundational breeds.

     The Shokoku is a gorgeous fowl with roosters having tails over 60 cm in length. It has large single comb and wattles, red earlobes with occasionally white centers, and bright-yellow legs. The black-breasted silver is the most common color-variety for the Shokoku, especially in Japan, but the white color-variety does exist too.

     The Shokoku is classified as a long crower chicken as well, although it can’t be compared with other Japanese crowing breeds. This chicken breed has also several strains varies according to the places where it is being raised. Shokoku hens are relatively poor layers of tinted white eggs, but they go broody quite easily and make wonderful mothers.