Breeds In Brief - The Ko Shamo

Stuart Kay admires a distinctive fowl

- Stuart Kay

The Ko-Shamo originates from Japan; the product of a long tradition of careful breeding and its classification is Asian hard-feather. It is a True Bantam due to it having no large counterpart and should not be referred to as a Shamo bantam. Their egg colour is white to cream, depending on the strain

They arrived in Britain towards the end of the Twentieth Century and have attracted for themselves a great following of fanciers. The main reason for this is their inquisitive and friendly nature, they seem to be able to charm themselves into fanciers lives including breeders who have no desire to show them, even ones who have never kept a Gamebird previously, but just want to have the delight of breeding them and the pleasure of having their beauty around their property.

Perhaps it is unfair to describe them as Game Fowl as it could lead people to expect them to be aggressive, which is certainly not the case, especially when you hear the female cooing and experience their lovely nature. When one of my children first saw them she commented they look like a dinosaur chicken and they also look like their brains have popped out of their head, she is not the only one I have heard say this. But for me that’s what adds to their beauty.

Intelligence and love of contact

The standard emphasises the desire to retain the breeds irresistible appeal where the birds are credited with having intelligence and a love of close contact with humans, without fear of in any way being harmed.