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Chicken Breeds
Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) are domesticated birds that are raised for meat and eggs. There are over 24 billion chickens worldwide. Raising chickens is relatively inexpensive. Because of the low cost, chicken meat (also called "chicken") is one of the most common kinds of meat in the world.
Breeds of Chickens
There are the following breeds of Chickens:
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 Ameraucana
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Ameraucana
chickens are an American breed first established as a breed in 1984. Like the
Araucanas, the Ameraucana lays eggs in shades of light blue, however the
Ameraucana does not have the low fertility that its parent breed, the Araucana,
has. The birds themselves have a hefty build are black and shades of grey. The
breed boasts a snazzy beard, ear muffs and a tail.
Ameraucanas
and Araucanas share many characteristics, however due to different countries
around the world namely the USA and UK, there are some disputes about the
breeds. In the USA, Araucanas and Ameraucanas are similar but different breeds,
while in other countries like the UK, Araucanas and Ameraucanas are considered
the same. The key differences that
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Ancona |
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Ancona
chickens are beautiful birds, best known for their speckled feathers and proud
comb. First bred in the 1850''s in the Italian city of Ancona, but later bred
mainly in the United Kingdom and eventually in the United States. Ironically
they are not very popular in Italy and attempts to bring them back to Italy
have been going on since the early 2000’s. They are well known as foragers,
good egg producers, and as show birds.
The
Ancona’s color is a deep green or beetle green with white speckles at the tip
of each feather. They have a medium sized comb and can have a rose comb or
single comb.Until recently they could
only have a large single comb in shows, but now rose comb varieties are
acceptable. Anconas are one
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Andalusian |
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Andalusian
chickens are blue feathered birds originally from Spain. Their origin is not
entirely known, but the earliest records of it date back to the 1840’s.Their deep
blue feathers make them very easy to spot in a crowd. Andalusians like to
explore and dislike fences and cages, they are able to fly over fences over six
feet tall. They are good foragers, explorers, flyers, egg layers, and are very
robust winter birds.
Their
unique blue feathers are what really distinguish them from other breeds. The
feathers are an almost grey blue laced with streams of dark blue throughout
every feather. Andalusian chickens are odd because not all of their hatchlings
have blue feathers only around fifty percent will be blu
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Appenzeller Barthuhner |
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Appenzeller Spitzhaubens are the national chicken of
Switzerland. They have a rugged physiology and personality suited to the
mountains from which they came. Although rangy and independent, they can
provide 150 medium, orange-yolked, eggs a year. Appenzeller Spitzhauben
chickens sleep in the trees if allowed and will only return to the coop for
feeding. They thrive in cold weather.
Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens display entertaining
personalities highlighted in their outrageous appearance and heightened by
their free-spirited lifestyle. They derive pleasure through their unrelenting
pursuit of bugs. Long-time owners have nicknamed the breed “Spitz”--a name
which captures the spunk of this rangy chicken from t
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Appenzeller Spitzhauben |
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Appenzeller Spitzhaubens are the national chicken ofrnSwitzerland. They have a rugged physiology and personality suited to thernmountains from which they came. Although rangy and independent, they canrnprovide 150 medium, orange-yolked, eggs a year. Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickensrnsleep in the trees if allowed and will only return to the coop for feeding.rnThey thrive in cold weather.
Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens display entertainingrnpersonalities highlighted in their outrageous appearance and heightened byrntheir free-spirited lifestyle. They derive pleasure through their unrelentingrnpursuit of bugs. Long-time owners have nicknamed the breed “Spitzâ€--a namernwhich captures the spunk of this rangy chicken f
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Araucana |
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Araucana
chickens are a South American bird originally from chile. They are best known
for being the progenitor of the Ameraucana and Easter Egger. Araucanas are a
fairly rare bird due to a genetic deformity that causes many to die during
incubation. The Araucana has a beard, ear tufts, and can have a tail or not
tail. They lay a large number of eggs in various shades of light blue.
Araucanas are grouped into two categories, the
United States and the United Kingdom. The United States group describes the
Araucana as having a variety of colors, ear tufts and is tailless. The second
group which is in the United Kingdom describes them as having a beard, ear
tufts, and can have a tail. Both categories have a small pea comb.&
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Aseel |
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Aseel, or
Asil, chickens originated from the South Punjab / Sindh area of Pakistan and
India. They are found throughout Southeast Asia, such as Shamo and Thai Game. They
are generally unstandardized in South Asia and India, but popularity has
increased in the western world in recent times with the breed standardized in
the British, Australian, and American standards.
Aseel Chickens
mature slowly but develop into stocky fowl. With a stout constitution, natural
intelligence, and enduring physiology they survive well in free-range
conditions. Aseel’s are broody and some farmers use them to hatch eggs for less
broody breeds. They bear confinement well as long as that confinement also
includes same sex isolation. A
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Astralorp |
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Australorps are the Australian take on the Orpington breed.
They are calm and friendly, and excellent layers of light brown eggs. The
Australorp''s exceptionally soft, shiny black plumage has hints of green and
purple in the sunlight. Peaceful and dignified, Australorps are an absolutely
delightful bird which we highly recommend to anyone who wants a pet chicken
that lays dependably.
This breed originated in Australia developed from Black
Orpingtons imported from England; and the emphasis of the breeding program was
on egg production without sacrificing too much in size and meat quality. Some
sensational results were made in the Australian program, and one hen set a
laying record of 364 eggs in 365 days. Introduced into
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Ayam Cemani |
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Ayam Cemani is an uncommon and relatively modern breed of
chicken from Indonesia. Ayam means "chicken" in Bahasa Indonesia.
Cemani refers to the village on the island of Java this breed originates. They
have probably been used for centuries for religious and mystical purpose. They
were first described by Dutch colonial settlers and first imported to Europe in
1998 by the Dutch breeder Jan Steverink.
Their beak and tongue, black comb and wattles; even their
meat, bones, and organs appear black. However, their blood is normally colored.
The birds'' black color occurs as a result of excess pigmentation of the
tissues, caused by a genetic condition known as fibromelanosis. This gene is
also found in some other black fowl br
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Barnevelder |
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Barnevelder
chickens are named for the town of Barneveld in central Netherlands. They are
good layers of large brown eggs and, unlike some other breeds, continue to lie
well during winter.
In the 1850s
Asian chickens began to arrive in Europe, where they were at first known as
"Shanghai" chickens. These were initially cross-bred among them, and
only later developed into breeds such as the Brahma, the Cochin and the Croad Liangshan.
From about 1865, some of these Shanghai chickens were cross-bred with local
farmyard chickens in the area of Barneveld. Towards the end of the nineteenth
century there may also have been some breeding with a type called Amerikaanse
Nuthoenders which served as utility birds that showed some si
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Belgian Bantam |
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Antwerp
Belgian Bantam chickens, also known as Quail Bantam or Bearded D''Anvers, are similar
to Belgian Bearded d''Uccle Bantams, but they are clean-legged and have a rose
comb instead of a single comb. They are tiny bantams are very friendly and quick to catch the eye.
They have a
unique quail color pattern. Their body is a brownish-black and is slightly
tinged with a straw color. Their breast is bay and their head is black with a
bay colored beard and muff.
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Bianca di Saluzzo |
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The breeds
traditionally reared in Piedmont were tw the Bionda Piemontese and the Bianca
di Saluzzo (or Bianca di Cavour).
Those two breeds
currently count a few hundreds animals, bred by a few local agricultural high
schools that took the initiative to revive and preserve the original type since
1999. Fertilized eggs, chicks, pullets and breeders can be bought from
Institute of Verzuolo.
Pullets start
laying from 6-7th month. Eggs have white shell and the mean weight is 50 g. The
egg laying is higher in spring and summer with a mean production of 180 units.
The rate of hatching is high.
The quality of
the meat, depending on the rearing techniques and feeding, is high.
The typical
produ
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Bionda Piemontese |
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The breeds
traditionally reared in Piedmont were tw the Bionda Piemontese and the Bianca
di Saluzzo (or Bianca di Cavour).
Those two breeds
currently count a few hundreds animals, reared by a few local agricultural high
schools (Institute of Verzuolo, Cuneo) that took the initiative to revive and
preserve the original type since 1999.
The Bionda
Piemontese is very rustic and resistant to many diseases. The growth is rapid
and the production of meat is valuable. The animals are reared out door and
slaughtered at 112 days: typical productions can also be obtained at 70 days,
with mean weight of approximately 1.5 kg. The killing percentage is high and
the quality of meat is excellent also when extensive rearing
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Booted Bantam |
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Booted Bantams
are ornamental chickens with over twenty different plumages; they often steal
the show in exhibition. They are small, easily tamed, hardy, and friendly; they
make good pets.
Booted Bantams
are friendly, easily tamed, and easily handled. They like to forage in the
garden for bugs and seed and do so without the damaging plants and soil as
would other breeds. The hens brood a couple times a year. They make good
mothers. Booted Bantams bear both individual and group confinement well. Small,
clean, and entertaining they have all the qualifications for a good pet and
show animal for enthusiasts.
They have a
single comb with five point, red wattles, and matching earlobes. The
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Braekel (Brakel) |
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Braekel chickens
are one of the older European chicken breeds. Their history dates back to 1416.
They were even mentioned as a successful poultry breed of Belgium. There is a miniature
version of the Braekel.Two distinct types of Braekel were recognized in
the past: the large type living on rich clay soil Flanders, and a light-weight
type from the less fertile region, the Kempen. Due to crossbreeding between the
different types, this distinction vanished, resulting in a single type.
In the UK, USA,
and Australia, however, one can still find descendants of the Kempische Brakel
under its old name “Campine”. Campines has evolved differently from the Brakel.
Their most
noticeable difference is the hen-
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Brahma |
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Brahma chickens
are a large breed of chicken developed in the United States from very large
birds imported from Shanghai. Brahma was the principal chicken used for meat in
the US from the 1850s until about 1930.
There has been
considerable controversy over the origin of the Brahma. It appears to have
developed in the United States from birds imported from Shanghai. Limited
cross-breeding with Chittagong chickens from Bangladesh is likely what gave the
Brahma the distinctive characteristics of head shape and the pea comb that
distinguish them from the Cochin (another breed that derives from comon
ancestors).Brahmas were first exported to England in December 1852 when George
Burnham sent nine "Gray Shanghaes" to Queen Vic
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Buckeye |
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Buckeye chickens originating
in the U.S. state of Ohio. Ohio is known as "the Buckeye state";
which were they got their name. They were first bred and developed in 1896, by
a Warren, Ohio resident named Nettie Metcalf. Nettie Metcalf crossbred Barred
Plymouth Rocks, Buff Cochins, and some black breasted red games to produce the
Buckeye. Her goal was a functional breed that could produce well in the bitter
Midwest winters.
Buckeye chickens are
a calm dual-purpose chicken that have a decent laying ability (between 150 and
200 eggs per year) and strong meat production characteristics. Buckeyes are
yellow skinned chickens that lay brown eggs. They are the only purely American chicken
breed to sport a pea comb, and this, co
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California Gray |
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California Gray
chickens are an American breed developed by James Dryden during the 1930s. They
are a dual-purpose chicken: they are good for meat production and egg laying.
First the California
White breed was developed with a White Leghorn rooster bred to three Barred
Plymouth Rock hens. Then a Barred Plymouth Rock rooster was bred to California
White Leghorn hens to make the California Gray.
Barred Plymouth
Rock chickens are a very popular and heavy dual purpose breed with alternating
black and white stripes. On the other hand, White Leghorn chickens are white,
small in size and excellent white eggs layer. The result was a naturally
autosexing breed with gray barred plumage. They are no
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Campine |
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Campine Chickens’ intelligent nature, upright carriage, and
stunning plumage make them a show favorite. They are rare in America, but they
enjoy popularity in Northern Europe. They are an active breed, and they do
better as show birds and layers than as pets. They weigh only four to five
pounds, but they produce an average of three, medium-white eggs a week on
modest feed.
Although of docile temperament, detractors of the breed
label them “wild.” Campines like their freedom and will chafe at confinement in
good weather. Like many foragers they have an inherent intelligence necessary
for free-range chickens. The term “cocky” applies to the Campine demeanor. They
strut with the spirit of a fowlish thoroughbred. As a group
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Catalana |
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Catalanas are a dual-purpose chicken that are both good as
egg layers and meat animals. They lay four eggs a week in white, cream, or pink
colors. The standard size Catalana makes a good meat production fowl. Catalanas
handle extreme heat well—a fact which accounts for their popularity in Spain
and Latin America. They like to forage, brood just a little, and generally
exercise their independence. Many breeders value Catalanas, especially the
bantam size, as ornamentals more than egg or meat producers. They are lively,
active, flighty, seldom friendly; and do best under free-range conditions.
Catalanas usually display a basic light buff plumage with
reddish buff hackles. All varieties have a greenish-black tail. They stand
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Chantecler |
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Chantecler chickens
were developed in Canada. They can handle cold well; but have little tolerance
to heat. They have a tight feathered plumage with a thick under layer of down.
They are a
dual-purpose chicken. They lay four to seven medium, brown eggs a week and are
large enough to be suitable for good meat production. They mature quickly and
lay consistently far into the cold months producing as many as 210 eggs a year.
Chanteclers
reflect their environment. Hardy, rugged, and ready to face the cold, they
prefer the outdoors to confinement. A little high strung, they will tolerate
the coop but will grow temperamental when confined for long periods of time.
Owners rate Chantecle
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Cochin |
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Cochin Chickens
eat just about anything and suffer from the resultant obesity. However, if one
wants a chicken to love, choose a Cochin.
Their large size,
full plumage and heat-producing appetites equips them for the cold weather.
Cochins only lay an average of two, medium brown eggs per week or 120 per
annum. Cochins seldom fly or wander and forage little. Overall, they produce
poorly in every category. They lay few eggs, mature slowly as a meat fowl, and
succumb to metabolism, heart, liver, and fertility disease. However, what they
lack in production, they make up in personality.
Cochin are
peaceful, friendly, quiet, and easily handled. They seemingly like confinement
and make
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Cornish (a.k.a. Indian Game) |
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Cornish, also
known as Indian Game, Chickens are bred specifically for meat production. They
produce meat more efficiently than any other chicken. They reach a dressing
weight of five pounds at five weeks. Cornish chickens lack the typical hairy
feathers left over after plucking other breeds—a fact which saves processors
the energy and time of singeing the carcass prior to butchering. They show
little desire to forage and generally handles confinement well.
They are
considered loud and intractable. The roosters readily show aggression and Cornish
chicks at times show cannibalism. Health problems associated with their rapid
growth prevent the kind of activity common to most chickens. The high feed
conversion ratios
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Crevecoeur |
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Crevecoeur chickens are a dual-purpose bird; but they serve
mainly as an ornamental show bird today. They do, however, lay 120 medium eggs
per annum and matures into a meaty fowl in a reasonable amount of time.
Crevecoeur chickens boast a short grained, extremely white meat on small boned
skeleton. They have a high percentage of meat to total carcass weight.
The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy has listed the
Crevecoeur as endangered worldwide. The US has less than 500 Crevecoeur breeding
chickens.
Although described as an active breed, Crevecouers bear
confinement well and rarely go broody in the coop. Owners characterize them as
calm, friendly, and easy to handle. However, some Crevecoeur bree
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Cubalaya |
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Cubalaya chickens are classified as game birds and come from
fighting stock. Although more aggressive than the common breed of chicken, they
display less aggression than most game birds. Cubalayas do surprisingly well as
egg layers and meat producers. They lay four or five medium-sized, tan eggs a
week. As a table bird they have a fine grained white meat. Cubalayas can take
up to three years to fully mature; however, most can reproduce at six months of
age. Cubalayas tolerate both heat and humidity well. Cuba uses Cubalayas for
meat and eggs while the US recognizes them primarily as ornamentals.
First time owners express surprise at the friendliness and
curiosity of Cubalayas. Chicks will eat from human hands at birth. Th
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Delaware |
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Delaware Chickens
were originally developed for commercial, dual-purpose use but later they were
replaced by hybrids. Delawares today make excellent backyard chickens. They
typically lay four, large, brown eggs a week far into the winter months.
Delawares mature quickly and produce a clean, white-meat table fowl. Chicks
develop feathers quicker than most breeds. They handle both cold and heat well.
Unlike present day commercial breeds, they do well as a free-range, foraging
chicken. Delawares have dwindled to a few hundred birds. Many breeders keep
them today with the goal of preserving the Delaware as one of America''s
heritage breeds.
Delawares bear
confinement well. Generally a docile breed, Delawares get a
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Derbyshire Redcap |
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Derbyshire Redcaps area a
breed of chicken originated in Derbyshire, England. They have an unusually
large Rose-type comb which is where they got the name "Redcap". It is
covered in small, fleshy points, and has a distinct spike pointing backwards
called a "leader". Their combs, wattles and earlobes are all bright
red.
Redcaps are a native English birds that have
been written about since at least the early 19th century. Most likely they were
derived from Golden Spangled Hamburgs, Dorkings, Old English Pheasant Fowl, and
Black-Breasted Red Games.
Derbyshire Redcaps were common on British farms
until the middle of the 20th century, particularly around the southern
Pennines. They have never been preferred by i
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Dominique |
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Dominique
Chickens are dual purpose birds. They excel in egg production and lay a steady
three, large, brown eggs a week long into the winter months. Hardy survivors,
the Dominique can survive a cold winter or a hot, humid summer. Dominiques
mature quickly. A medium size fowl dresses out as an acceptable three-pound
table bird.
Dominiques chickens
grew up with America. In colonial days the Dominique fended for themselves as
foragers of seeds, insects, and plants. Colonial America valued the Dominique''s
feathers as fill for their pillows and mattresses.
Broody Dominique
hens make good mothers and pets. The hens have exceptional success and low
mortality rates raising their brood. The he
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Dorking |
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Dorking Chickens excel as quality-meat producers. Dorkings
have a tender, fine-textured, flavorful white meat. They are tolerable egg
layers and produce 140 eggs a year with maximum outlay during spring and
summer. Dorkings have the unique distinction of existing as one of a few fowl
with red earlobes that lays white eggs; most red ear lobe chickens lay brown
eggs. A hardy breed, the Dorking tolerates cold and will work well in the
northern latitudes.
Dorkings have an exceptional, often irritating, brooding
instinct. They like to sit on eggs. Entire flocks have gone on strike
preferring to sit on eggs rather than lay them. Of course, their broodiness
also translates into good mothering dispositions. Dorkings have a calm
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Dutch Bantam |
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Dutch Bantam
chickens are one of the few true bantams (naturally small - and not originating from Large Fowl). Plus Bantam
Island in the Dutch East Indies is the original homeland of thes docile, proud
little birds. Dutch Bantams, in their gold partridge form, are about as close
as you can get visually to the ancestor of all chickens: the red Jungle Fowl.
Dutch Bantams
are hardy, active, and lively little birds and come in many beautiful colors
and patterns. They weigh between 0.45Kg and 0.55Kg (1lb to 1lb-3ozs) making
them one of the smallest bantams. They are easy and straightforward to maintain.
They are short bodied with a medium to high carriage. They have blue legs,
white earlobes, and a single upright w
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Easter Egger |
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Easter Eggers
are not technically a breed per se, but a variety of chickens that do not
conform to any breed standard but lay large to extra-large eggs that vary in
shade from blue to green to olive to aqua and sometimes even pinkish. Easter
Eggers vary widely in color and conformation, and are exceptionally friendly
and hardy. Since they are usually quite friendly to children and humans in
general, they are a great choice for a family flock. Most hatcheries mistakenly
label their Easter Eggers as Ameraucanas or Araucanas. Easter Eggers do not
qualify to be shown, since they do not conform to a breed standard.
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Egyptian Fayoumi |
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Egyptian
Fayoumis are an ancient Chicken that originated in the Nile Valley. They have
are pretty and unique appearance. They hold their tails upright--nearly
vertical--and have especially long, graceful necks. They are decent layers of
smallish, cream, or tinted eggs.
Egyptian
Fayoumis are one of the most early maturing of chicken breeds: hens can begin
laying eggs as early as 4-1/2 or 5 months. Fayoumis are known to be naturally
resistant to Marek''s Disease and to many other illnesses. However, they are
normally fairly nervous in temperament, and can be feather pickers if they
don''t have enough room to roam. They can be territorial about their favorite
nesting spots, and roosters are noisy. They are also
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Ermellinata di Rovigo |
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The selection
work started in 1959 (and completed in 1965) at the Experimental Poultry
Station in Rovigo, a city in Northern Italy. The Sussex and Rhode Island Red
contributed to its creation. The aim of the selection was to obtain a good
producer of valuable meat and good layer.
They are a double-purpose
breed (meat and eggs), with good precocity. Also the hens can be used in the
interbreeding for the production of autosexing chicks.
The chicks are
yellow with light-grey wings. Adults have a “ermellinato” livery: white
Columbian or light (white livery with dark neck hackles and main tail
feathers). Single comb, red earlobes. Yellow skin and shanks. At 120 days,
cockerels and pullets reach the weight of 1.7-
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Faverolles |
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Faverolles
Chickens are a utility fowl from France. The French crossed several breeds to
create them. They mature early, produce a fine textured meat, and lay four eggs
a week or 170 medium-sized, creamy or salmon colored eggs per year. They lay
well in the winter months. Their downy feathers equip them to endure cold.
Faverolles chickens seldom go broody. Owners report that Faverolles roosters
rank as some of the most docile cocks in poultry world. Both hen and rooster
make ideal pets.
Faverolles are
sweet, docile, and personable. In a mixed flock Faverolles chickens usually
appear at the bottom of the pecking order. Their non-aggressive manner carries
over to people as well. Faverolles chickens accept a new
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Fayoumi |
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Fayoumi Chickens are used as a research subject and
ornamental. They lay two small cream colored eggs a week starting as early as
four months of age. Fayoumi chickens mature quickly but only reach four pounds
at full maturity. They show remarkable resistance to viral and bacterial
disease and infection. Owners refer to the Fayoumi chicken as the “escape
artist.” They can really fly and love to forage when on the lam. Nearly wild,
the Fayoumi goes feral if left too long on the range. They prefer to gather
most of their own food. As pullets they have little broodiness, but a
two-year-old hen will act quite broody. Tough, independent, and rangy the
Fayoumi has little to recommend it as a domestic foul. |
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Friesian |
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Friesians are a
Dutch chicken that originated on the Friesian Islands. They are a very old
breed and excavation on the Islands have shown that they have been around for
over 1000 years ago.
They are a small chicken
but also a very good layer. They can produce around 230 eggs per year.
They are gold
pencilled, silver pencilled and chamois pencilled. The chamois is the most
unusual color and perhaps the most attractive. They are different shades of
yellow and buff and have a pattern that runs through each of its body feathers;
this is not found in any other breed of chicken. All of the color varieties
have eyes that are orange, earlobes that are white, and legs that are slate
blue.
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Frizzle |
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Frizzle chickens
have feathers that curl outwards, rather than laying flat as in most chickens.
While many consider the Frizzle to be an entirely separate breed, chickens from
all breeds may have a frizzled appearance.
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| There are no Chicken breeds that start with the letter G. |
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Hamburg |
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Hamburg chickens lay four small, white, flavor-packed eggs a
week. What they lack in egg size, they make up in longevity. Hamburgs
consistently lay for many years. In fact, the Dutch called them “everlayers.”
Hamburg hens mature early and start laying at four months of age. The chicks
have a delicate constitution, but once established, the breed proves quite
robust. Hamburgs like to forage and will fly the coop to do so. Fortunately,
they tolerate cold and can endure a night away from the coop. They are an
active breed and they often refuse to sit long enough to hatch their brood.
Hamburgs have a wild disposition. They like to fly, forage,
and roost in trees. Owners have awoken to find their whole flock in the trees.
Hu
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Holland |
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Holland chickens
are dual purpose birds developed at the Rutgers Breeding Farms in New
Jersey,US. They were created with birds imported from Holland crossed with
White Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshires, and Lamonas, which created
the White Hollands. Another cross included White Leghorns, Barred Plymouth
Rocks, Australorps and Brown Leghorns that produced the barred variety of
Hollands. Both were accepted by the American Poultry Association in 1949.
White Hollands
have pure white plumage without any other colors. Barred Hollands have black
and white barred feathers covering the entire chicken. Holland hens have a
darker plumage than the roosters. Roosters weigh eight pounds, and the hens
weight six.
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Houdan |
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Houdans are
dual-purpose chicken. In France they have a reputation as a high class table
fowl. Houdans produce a juicy, white meat with fine bones. They are also fair
egg producers: they lay two eggs a week for eight to ten years. Chicks mature
quickly without issues. They handle confinement; although, they prefer
foraging. Houdans can live on any soil type and secure most of their food by
their own efforts. The ornamental Houdan does better in warm, dry climates.
Their heavy head feathering freezes when cold and wet. Houdans produce less
offal than other breeds resulting in fewer parasites in the soils under them.
Houdans enjoy
human interaction. If handled early, the hens make great pets for children.
Houdan
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Iowa Blue |
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The Iowa Blue
was developed in the early 1900''s near Decorah, Iowa. A folk legend tells the
story of a white Plymouth Rock hen emerging from under a building with a clutch
of chicks colored solid chestnut to striped. Old-timers tell the tale that the
chicks were sired by a pheasant. The breed was carried by several Iowa
hatcheries through the 1960s, but was nearly lost when the hatcheries went out
of business. The breed was rescued from near extinction and has been bred and
preserved through the efforts of a few breeders since the late 1980s. The Iowa
Blue grew in popularity in 2011 with a group of dedicated breeders working to
preserve and return the breed to its original type and purpose.
With its
plucky at
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Italian Naked-Neck |
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Italian Naked Neck, or Collo nudo italiana, chickens comes from Veneto (North-East of Italy). They probably originally came from Africa.
The hens are excellent layers and the eggs are large and white 160-180 eggs a year, 58-62 g each). Their meat is delicate with thin skin. Their subcutaneous and abdominal fat is nearly absent.
They are very rustic and perfect for outdoor rearing, but poorly adapted to industrial production.
In the US the they are known as Polish Frizzle and the liveries are the same of the Polish. Recently they have been re-imported to Italy from the U.S. Content Source: Agraria.org |
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Italian Polish |
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Italian Polish,
or padovana, chickens are an ancient breed with uncertain origins. According to
Darwin, it came from Poland. It probably arrived in Italy in XIV century,
brought by Giovanni Dondi dell’Orologio, nobleman from Padua, eminent doctor
and astronomer, fascinated by the beauty of those chickens.
The origin is
anyway confused, mingling with the origin of the Polish and the Dutch, which is
tuffled but not bearded. Many quotations of XVI century talk about a
particularly famous and productive chicken in Padua county. The Padovana dal
Gran Ciuffo has been described in the work Ornithologiae by Ulisse Aldovrandi
(1600).
The decline of
Padovana begun in XIX century. At the beginning of 1900 there still we
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Ixworth |
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Ixworth
chickens were developed by Reginald Appleyard in 1932 in the East Anglian
county of Suffolk, England, in the village of Ixworth. Mr. Appleyard (the
inventor of the Appleyard Duck) was looking to create the ideal dual-purpose
chicken. His aim was to create a fast-growing table chicken, with respectable
laying ability. Development involved white Sussex, white Minorca, white
Orpington, Jubilee, and Indian Game.
The Ixworth
was a hit in the British poultry markets in the mid 1930’s-1940’s. In its
heyday, Ixworth chickens fetched a top price for their premium meat. However
its popularity flared quickly, and within a decade, the demand for them drastically
declined.
At about same
time that the American p
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Japanese Bantam |
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Japanese
Bantams are show birds and pets. Technically a bantam is not a miniature
version of a standard bird. A true bantam, for example, the Japanese Bantam has
but one size.
They are warm-weather
fowl, they function best in warm, clean confinement. They love to forage in the
lawn and do so without damaging the garden or yard. They help rid the soil of
insects and weed seeds. Although small, Japanese Bantams have all the character
and color of a standard size fowl. Japanese Bantams also has a voice equal to a
standard chicken. The rooster can make a very loud and shrill noise. Japanese
Bantams can live thirteen years and will give a family many years of fun filled
enjoyment.
Japanese
Ba
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Java |
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Javas are
dual-purpose chickens. They excel in meat production and Java hens lays two,
medium brown eggs a week. By commercial standards they mature slowly; however,
their maturation rates prove sufficient for the small scale farmer. Given their
large size, the backyard farmer can butcher a young cockerel and still have a
respectable-size, table bird for a family. Their black pin feathers serve as
quality control indicators over the plucking process by showing missed
feathers.
They do best
in warm weather. In colder climates they need a well-insulated coop. Javas meet
fifty percent of their nutrition needs by foraging which makes them an
economical fowl to rise.
They are a large
fowl bre
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Jersey Giant |
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Jersey
Giant weighs in as the largest purebred chicken in the world, although they are
a bit smaller that the image shown. A Jersey Giant capon can reach twenty
pounds. Unfortunately, it takes six months for the Jersey Giant to grow its
giant skeleton and another three months before it has sufficient bulk for
butchering. Their slow maturation rate makes them unviable for commercial meat
production. Jersey Giants lay three extra-large, brown eggs a week. They will brood
chicks; however, their massive size often leads to crushed eggs or chicks. In
spite of their size, Jersey Giants fit well into a small farm setting. They
have a hardy constitution for cold.
Jersey
Giant chickens have a docile disposition. The ro
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La Fleche (A.K.A. "The Devil Bird") |
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La Fleche
(which is French for the “the Arrow”) chickens have the nickname of “the Devil
Bird” because they have a large red V comb that looks like the classic red
horns associated with the Devil.
La Fleche chickens
are a dual purpose bird. They lay three large, extra-large, white eggs a week
from March to October averaging 180 per annum. However, La Fleches stand out as
a meat foul. They seemingly distribute their fat to create an enviable
juiciness in all parts of the carcass. La Fleche chicks grow slowly but make up
for it in flavor and in their high dressed ratio (dressed weight/live weight)
at butchering time.
La Fleche chickens
will adapt to confinement but prefer foraging o
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Lakenvelder |
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Lakenvelders chickens originate from the Middle East and are
bred primarily for egg production. The hens lay three medium, porcelain white
eggs as week. They are an active breed and they have little time for brooding
and they will seldom sit in a nest. They enjoy foraging and will cover a large
area if allowed to do so. With adequate space they gather most of their own
food. They have delicious, white meat, albeit, minimal in quantity.
Lakenvelders adapts well to their environment. Their origins
from the Middle East might lead one to assume that Lakenvelders could only
survive in warmer climates. However, they have thrived in Europe for decades
and adapt to a wide range of weather.
Lakenvelder chickens have ma
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Langshan |
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Langshan hens
lay three medium to large brown eggs a week. They lay into the winter months
and usually average 150 eggs per annum. Langshans mature slowly as layers and meat
producers. At twenty four weeks they dress out at seven pounds. They produce a
good quality meat, but their shape lends itself more to a roaster than a fryer.
Langshans can easily clear a six foot fence. They tolerate extremes in
temperature from 100 degrees Fahrenheit to subzero.
Langshans
often surprise first-time owners. For a large fowl they prove quite active.
Fortunately, Langshans also possess a docile, calm, and friendly disposition.
They tame easily and live long. Langsshans make a good family pet. The
adaptable Langshan takes to
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Legbar |
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Legbars were
the second autosexing chickens (Autosexing is when day old chicks can be sexed
by their different appearances when they have hatched) that were ever created.
They were developed at Cambridge University in England.
The Gold
Legbar variety was first developed and was developed from a brown Leghorn
rooster and Barred Plymouth Rock Hens, both from utility strains which were
used in the first mating. The second mating took two of the male offspring,
mating them with brown Leghorn hens. After producing many hundreds of chicks,
selection was performed and then these birds were mated and from their
offspring, light colored males with two barring genes were kept together with
the Creem colored females. Sil
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Leghorn |
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The breed Livorno
or “Italian chicken” is known as “Leghorn” all over the world. The origin is
not so clear, probably from Central Italy, obtained from the selection of light
chicken reared in Tuscany countryside. The name comes from the harbour from
which, in 1828, some flocks have been sent to North America. (In the world
there are many stocks of Leghorn: Italian L., Dutch L., English L., Danish L.,
German Italiener, American L., Canadian L.)
In 1874 was added
to the American Standard of Perfection in its white, black and brown livery.
The white specimen was most of all selected as layer. Later on, the Leghorn
came back to Europe from America, landing at U.K. in 1870 and back to Italy
again. In England they still have
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Lincolnshire Buff |
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Lincolnshire
Buff chickens were bred in significant numbers on Lincolnshire farms to supply
the London markets between the 1850’s and early 1900’s. The start of this trade
coincides with the development of the railway network that linked the small
market towns with the capital and its opportunities for business. Lincolnshire
Buffs were a fast growing, hardy bird that had excellent table qualities. At
the time, buff was a popular color for table birds since they provided white
table birds that when plucked left a clean carcass without leaving dark feather
stubs.
During the
1850’s, Dorking chickens were common on most farms and it is thought that Lincolnshire
Buffs were created from crosses between the recently
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Malay |
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Malay chickens can stand over three feet tall. Bred
originally for cockfighting, owners today keep them primarily for exhibition.
They lay one egg a week. At best an older hen may lay fifty eggs a year. Malays
have a lean, tough carcass that usually requires special cooking preparation.
Although a rangy, aggressive fowl, they lack hardiness. Malays do poorly in
confinement. Breeders have used them quite effectively for regenerating and
improving other Asian fowl.
Raised to fight, the Malay chicken displays a fierce
aggressiveness. A Malayan hen will kill chicks from other hens if they come to
close to hers. Of course, the roosters will always fight given the opportunity.
If an owner has too many Malay chickens in confin
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Malaysian Serama Bantam |
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Malaysian
Serama Bantams are the smallest breed of chicken in the world, weighing less
than 500g. They are only 15-25 cm tall (a standard can of soda is 11.5 cm tall)
and are the result of crossing Japanese bantams with Malaysian bantams.
They originated in Malaysia
and the birds we see today were developed from crosses of Ayam Kapans and Japanese Bantams in the 1970''s and 80''s by Wee Yean Een. They are supposedly named after the
Thai king, Raja Sri Rama, who, like these little birds, was renowned for his
majestic appearance and proud carriage.
There are 3
categories for this breed and they are graded according to their weight with
the smallest and most desirable weighing just 350g. They are very upright
l
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Marans |
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Marans lay
three eggs a week. Marans are prized for dark brown or chocolate colored eggs.
Ian Fleming, the creator of the James Bond novels helped popularize the eggs
and the breed by making their eggs the favorite of 007. Raised in a damp region
of France, Marans tolerate wet conditions well. However, they run the risk of
frostbite as do all breeds with large comb or wattles. The poultry world often
overlooks the meat producing capabilities of the Marans. Marans grow quickly
and produce a succulent, fine-textured, white meat.
Marans are
quiet, friendly, and docile. They make a great pet or 4H fowl for young people.
One breeder who had raised hundreds of Marans roosters claimed that he had
never had an aggress
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Marsh Daisy |
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Marsh Daisys
are a rare breed of chicken originating in Lancashire, England. Their name may
be related to its origin in a marsh-like area, or that its large rose comb
resembles the flower of the Marsh Daisy.
Beginning in
the 1880s in Southport, Lancashire, Old English Game, roosters were crossed
with Malay hens to create the foundation for the breed. Black Hamburgs, White
Leghorns, and Sicilian Buttercups were also added to complete its
characteristics. They become a proper, defined breed in England in 1913.
Marsh Daisy
chickens are a hardy, economical barnyard chicken, but they are slow to mature.
They are a lightweight breed of standard fowl, with males at a maximum of 2.95
kilos (6.5 pounds) and
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Mericanel della Brianza |
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Mericanel
della Brianza Chickens are a
Bantam breed which originally came from Lombardia, Italy. They are the only
Bantam breed officially recognized in Italy. They are good brooding hens and
are able to brood eggs of games or from other breeds.
Content and photo
source: Agraria.org
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Millefiori di Lonigo |
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Millefiori
di Lonigo chickens were shown
for the first time in 1934 at the Sixteenth Padua Trade Fair by the Itinerant
Lonigo Centre for Agricultural Research.
Some Millefiori di Lonigo chickens have been found in a traditional farm in
South-Veneto, Italy, and they have been studied for two years in order to
understand their real nature. Afterwards, the ri-selection of an ancient breed
started: the Millefiori di Lonigo.
The most common
problems were: rose eggs, red-veined earlobes, erect comb in female.
Many years of disorderly crossbreeding have partly distort the breed, but
hopefully the old progeny has not been completely lost.
Typical are the
late feathering, similar to Valdarnese, and the
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Millefiori Piemontese |
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The Millefiori
Piemontese is currently extinct, however, according to local experts, it seems
to have still existed in the beginning of the 1990’s although genetically
altered by out-crossing. According to the available description, it seems to
have been quite similar to the Ancona breed (exchequer), heavily built and with
red earlobes but still quite similar to the typical homosomic Mediterranean
chickens.
The possibility of
surviving of few relict Millefiori Piemontese chicken can’t be excluded, so who
knows? They may come back.
Content and photo
source: Agraria.org
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Minorca |
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Minorca Chickens
were developed to be an egg laying bird. While their egg-laying has slowed
since there original conception, they''re still exceptional layers. While not
specifically bred to be dinner birds, you can still get a decent meal out of
them. There is also a small version of the Minorcas that tends to be more
popular within the show circuit.
Minorcas are
known to be flighty birds that don''t generally make great pets. In addition,
the males are typically fairly aggressive and can''t be kept together without
fighting. This is only really with other chickens though, so don''t worry about
handling them too much. They don''t particularly like being confined, so a large
run would be a great for their active nature.
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Modenese |
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The Modenese has
been described as a local breed by some authors. According to some others, the
Modenese should be the result of crossbreeding among Padovana Comune (Improved
Magiarola), White Livorno, and Black Red Livorno.
Because of the
predominant black red variety wheaten, it was called Buff of Modena. The
Modenese chicken appears in some paintings by Gaetano Chierici, an artist from
Emilia-Romagna. A breeding of Modenese has been recently discovered and the
University of Parma is carrying out the productivity tests.
A small stock is
bred by the University of Parma, in the Veterinary Faculty.There also is a
conservation project carried out by the Province of Parma and the Animal
Production Department of
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Modern Game |
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Modern Games
are a bantam breed prized almost entirely for their abilities as show chickens.
They are very easy to tame and make for a simple but elegant breed, popular
with most fanciers. They aren''t very well-suited for laying eggs though. They
are also not the best meat birds as they are so small to begin with and skinny.
Modern Games
are known to be extremely aggressive, so extra care should be taken when
interacting with Roosters. Even the hens have aggressive tendencies at times.
They don''t like being confined for very long, but they can be trained to be
friendly toward their owners.
Everything
about them is upright, so they stand tall and carry their short tails high.
Their shoulders are
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Mugellese |
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Mugellese,
also known as Mugginese, are a rustic dual-purpose bantam from Tuscany, in
central Italy. They get their name from the Mugello, an area to the north-east
of Florence. They were common until the 1950’s, but became rare in the second half of the 20th
century. They are now in a phase of recovery, selection, and improvement.
Mugellese hens
are broody. The capons are used to raise the chicks immediately after the
birth. They are a very lively chicken, very active, even if mild.
They are dark
golden (partridge) and hens may also be wheaten buff. Their skin is white and theirlegs
are pale or flesh-colored. They have a single comb is with 4–6 points. Their ear-lobes
range from red to white. Their
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Naked-Neck |
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Naked Neck
chickens (also known as Transylvanian Naked Necks or Turken) are a breed of
chicken that is naturally devoid of feathers on its neck and vent. They originally
are from Transylvania and were largely developed in Germany.
They are often
referred to as Turkens because of the mistaken idea that they were a hybrid of
a chicken and a turkey. Naked Neck chickens are fairly common in Europe today,
but are rare in North America and very common in South American.
The naked neck
trait is dominant and is fairly easy to introduce into other breeds. There are
other breeds of naked necked chicken, such as the French naked neck or Italian
Naked neck, which is often confused with the Transylvanian.
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Nankin Bantams |
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Nankin Bantams, or just Nankins, are a British bantam
chicken. They are a true bantam, a naturally small breed with no large
counterpart from which it was miniaturized. They yellowish buff colored, and
the name is thought to derive from the color of Nankeen cotton from China.
There are two varieties of Nankin chickens, differentiated
by comb type; the single comb Nankin has a large comb with five points, and the
rose comb has a medium size one ending in a single point. All Nankins come in a
single color, with buff on the body and black tails. The golden hue is deeper
and more lustrous in males, and they have the longer sickle feathers common in
cocks. Their beaks are a light horn color, and legs are slate blue.
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New Hampshire |
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New Hampshire,
or New Hampshire Red, chickens were developed to be quick with eggs and heavy
with meat. They tend to produce quite a lot of brown eggs each year. They
mature quickly, meaning they can be fattened up and cooked much sooner than
other breeds.
New Hampshire
Reds are very easy to tame and are generally very friendly. They are laid back
and content to just lay eggs and be raised for dinner. Despite being so
relaxed, they are quite active and do well in a nice open space where they can
run about and forage. When kept with their same breed, the issue of aggression
doesn''t generally come up.
New Hampshire
Reds are big birds with their distinctive red color with bluish or black
feathers on the end of the ta
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Norfolk Grey |
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Norfolk Grey
chickens are a dual-purpose that originated in Norfolk, England, around 1910.
They were
originally created by Frederick W Myhill of Hethel, Wymondham under the name
Black Maria. It is believed that he used Birchen English Game and possibly
Duckwing Leghorns. The game inclusion would account for the excellent meat
ability and the Leghorn for the laying ability.
During the
First World War, they were allowed to free range while Myhill had departed for
military service. On his return, he discovered that the birds had cross bred
with other breeds and the strain had to be recreated. In 1925, Myhill applied
to the Poultry Club of Great Britain in 1925 to have the name changed to
Norfolk Grey
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Norwegian Jaerhone |
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Norwegian
Jaerhones are auto-sexing chickens developed in the 1920s from local breeds in
the Jæren district of Norway.
Jaerhones were
the principal chicken breed of Norway until imports of foreign breeds began in
the nineteenth century. They were selectively bred at the state-controlled
breeding station at Bryne in Jaeren from its establishment in 1916 until it
closed in 1973. Breeding stock were then transferred to the state agricultural
college at Hvam, Nes.
They come in
two color varieties: dark brown and yellow, and light brown and yellow. They
have a single comb and their beak and legs are bright yellow.
A miniature
version with the same two color varieties was approved in 1994.
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Old English Game |
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Old English
Game are one of the most popular show chickens with fanciers, which is
fortunate because they don''t provide a lot of meat and they aren''t very good
layers.
Old English
Games are quick to be trained to their handlers, becoming friendly and calm
almost instantly, making them a wonderful choice to have around children.
Younger roosters will fight once in a while, but this is common with most any
breed. In addition, the hens are so tolerant that they have no problem sharing
space with even hens of other breeds. They are perfectly fine with little space
and keep fairly quiet, so they are a good choice for a residential area.
Despite being
a bantam and therefore small, Old English Gam
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Orloff |
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Orloff, also
known as Russian Orloff, chickens are named after Alexei Grigoryevich Orlov, a
Russian Count. For most of its history, the Orloff was considered to be a
product of Russia and Orlov, but modern research has discovered that the breed
first appeared in Persia, and was distributed across Europe and Asia by the 17th
century. However, Count Orlov was a key promoter of the breed in the 19th
century, and the breed became known in the West following his efforts.
Orloffs were
first introduced to Great Britain in the 1920s, and were also refined a good
deal in Germany; Germans created the first miniaturized Orloff by 1925. They
were once included in the American Poultry Association''s breed standard, the
Sta
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Orpington |
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Orpingtons are
all around great birds. They can lay up to 200 eggs in a year, are thick and
meaty birds for cooking, and are easily relaxed for showing. They tend to be a
good choice for any chicken enthusiast just getting into the hobby or for any
farmer needing a top-notch reliable chicken around the yard.
Orpingtons are
friendly and relaxed, so much so that they can be training to feed from the
hand. They are perfectly content in confinement, which goes along with why they
make such good show chickens. They''re very active and like to explore, yet they
aren''t too concerned when there isn''t too much space to do so. They tend to
like each other and don''t get into arguments or squabbles either.
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Pekin Bantam |
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Pekin bantams
are a Chinese True bantam, a breed of miniature chicken which has no large
version. The first Pekins are
believed to have been taken from the private collection of the Emperor of China
at Peking (now known as Beijing) by British soldiers towards around 1860.
However, some sources suggest that a consignment of birds from China around
1835 were given to Queen Victoria, and that these birds were bred with further
imports and were developed into the breed we know today as Pekin Chickens.
Pekin bantam look
like a miniature version of Cochin chickens and are often known in the United
States and Canada as Cochin Bantams. However, they are unrealted.
Pekin bantams possess a wealth of featherin
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Penedesenca |
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Penedesencas are
Spanish chickens that are best known for laying large qualities of brown eggs.
In fact, no other breed can produce eggs as dark as the Penedesenca can. They
are a rare breed, though they still work well as a meat bird due to their
hearty build.
They have a
very unique comb that starts as a single comb but splits into multiple combs
near the back of the head. They have red ear-lobes with white centers despite
laying brown eggs, red combs, and red wattles. There are four varieties, the
Wheaten, the Partridge, the Crele, and the Black, each with slightly different
color schemes, all with black beaks and legs, save for the Crele which has
white beaks and legs.
Penedesenca chickens
are a ve
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Pepoi |
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Pepoi is a bantam
breed. They are very common in Veneto and Friuli (North-East Italy). They are probably
the only Bantam rustic breed used for production. Pepoi can be easily reared
and are a good solution for the production of portion chicken. The breast has
good pectoral muscles, excellent for the spit; the meat is very tasty.
Mean laying:
160-180 (rose shell, 40-45 g).Great broodiness and aptitude to chicks care.
Content and photo
source: Agraria.org
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Phoenix |
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Phoenixes are
a show bird more than anything; they are extremely poor egg layers and their
body structure doesn''t make them very good fryers. Phoenix Chickens are best
known for their tail, which can grow to almost absurd proportions. They have an
average-sized single comb and medium length wattle, both a light red color.
Their colorings can various wildly from silver to black to gold to red to
brown. Their legs and beak are typically a light gray color.
Phoenixes do
well in confinement, which is good because they''ll need lots of codling due to
their tail feathers. Their attitudes range from shy and calm to aggressive and
in-your-face. Generally though they aren''t very friendly and don''t like to be
pestered.
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Pita Pinta Austuriana |
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Pita Pinta Austuriana
chickens, also known as Asturian Painted Hen ,
belongs to the Atlantic branch of domestic chickens and has common ancestry
with other breeds in northern Spain, such as the Euskal Oiloa of the Basque
Country. Their name comes
from the Asturian language, in which pita means "hen" and pinta
meaning "painted" or “mottled”.
With the
industrialization of egg production in Asturias in the 1950s and 1960s, the
number of Pita Pinta Austuriana chickens dropped dramatically, almost to the
point of extinction. They started to recover between 1980 and 1990. A breeders''
association, the Asociación de Criadores de la Pita Pinta Asturiana, was
founded in 2003; its 52 members have a total of 1842 birds.
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Plymouth Rock |
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Plymouth
Rock chickens were developed in New England in the middle of the 19th century
as a dual-purpose fowl, meaning that they are valued both for their meat and
for the hens'' egg-laying ability. The first Plymouth Rock was barred and other
varieties were developed later.
Plymouth
Rock chickens were first exhibited as a breed in 1849. Several people claimed
its invention, using crosses of Dominiques, Black Javas, Cochins, and perhaps
Malays and Dorkings. John C. Bennett (1804–1867) has been credited with either
creating or popularizing the breed.
Plymouth
Rock chickens became popular very rapidly, and until World War II no breed was
as popular in the United States as the Barred Plymouth Rock. They became
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Polish |
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Polish (also known as Padovana of Chili or Polish Frizzles), chickens have a huge
bouffant crest of feathers and a v-shaped comb.
Though the derivation of
the Polish breed is unclear, one theory suggests that their ancestors were
brought by Asian Mongols to Eastern Europe during medieval times, and thus,
could have originated in Poland. It is also believed that immigrants could have
brought the breed''s predecessors from Spain or Italy in the late 16th century.
The Polish was standardized in the Netherlands and declared a thoroughbred in
the 16th century. Chickens bearing a strong resemblance to the Polish can be
seen in paintings from the 15th century, and they were extensively portrayed in
Dutch and Italian paintings
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Poltava |
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Poltavas are
an old Ukrainian dual-purpose chicken named after the Ukrainian city of
Poltava. It is believed that they were developed from local chicken breeds.
They are found
in Clay (the most common), Cuckoo, and Black. The tips of their flight feathers
are black and their tail is brown-black. Roosters have a lighter neck than
hens. Chicks are covered in light brown fuzz. They are very resistant and adapt
easily to any conditions. The rooster weighs about 3 kg, and hens weigh about 2
kg. They lay around 160-215 brown eggs per year.
They are
mainly used small ranches since their egg product and size is not attractive
for commercial use.
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Polverara |
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Ancient Italian
breed which took origin in Polverara, a village in the county of Padua. Since
1400, it’s known as “Padovana di Polverara”, “Schiatta di Polverara” or
“Schiatta”. According to some authors, the breed is the ancestor of Padovana.
On the contrary, some others assert that the Polverara came from the Padovana.
The breed has
nearly disappeared. It’s reared for its tasty meat and for the fair production
of eggs. Nowadays there is a project for the recover of the breed and it’s
included in the list of “traditional products” of Italian Department of
Agriculture and Forestry. Officially recognized in Italy.
Egg: minimum 50
g, whitish shell.
The trunk is well
shaped, of medium size. The head i
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| There are no Chicken breeds that start with the letter Q. |
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Red Shaver |
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Red Shavers
are a sex linked dual-purpose chicken developed in Canada. They are used most
frequently on small farms.
Their pullets
are reddish-brown with white under feathers, while males are white with a few
red markings on their feathers. They are a quiet breed.
Red Shaver
hens lay from 305 to 315 large brown eggs a year. One four-year-old Red Shaver
chicken in Ottawa was credited with laying an egg with a mass of 143 grams,
which is almost three times the size of a standard medium egg (Typically a
medium egg is 49 g, a jumbo egg is 70 g).
They weight at
18 weeks about 3?1/2 lbs., and after one year of laying weight between 4?1/2 to
5 lbs. They dress out between 3 an
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Redcap |
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Redcap
chickens are excellent layers. They can''t really be used for meat as they''re
considered an endangered breed, and they hate confinement so much that they are
incredibly difficult to show.
Redcaps look
very similar to their cousins the Hamburgs, but they have larger red combs and
ear-lobes. They have only one variety of plumage, appearing with dark reds,
browns, and blacks with a black tail and commonly a black crescent shape on the
side of the body.
They need
plenty of open space to wander and forage, otherwise they can become very
restless. They are shy, preferring to just keep to themselves rather than
running over to humans whenever one comes near.
Redcaps need
to be kep
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Rhode Island Red |
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Rhode Island Reds are an outstanding egg laying; they can
produce up to 220 eggs in a year on average. Since they are also hearty birds,
they make for good meat chickens. Plus they are prized in shows.
Rhode Islands are aggressive birds with the roosters
frequently fighting when confined to too small of a space. However, they tend
to do very well with humans, coming running when it''s time to be fed or even
just to be held. It''s quite normal for a Rhode Island Red to hop up onto your
arm to roost.
Rhode Island Reds have a rectangular shape to their bodies
and well-rounded breasts. Their tail, though, are pretty short compared to their
body and are carried just slightly raised. They have red combs that are eith
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Rhode Island White |
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Rhode Island
Whites are a dual-purpose chicken from the US state of Rhode Island. Despite their very
similar names and shared place of origin, Rhode Island White chickens are a
distinct breed from the Rhode Island Red. However, Rhode Island Reds and Whites
can be bred together to create Red Sex Link hybrid chickens, such as the ISA
Brown.
Rhode Island
Whites were developed by J. Alonzo Jocoy of Peacedale, Rhode Island, starting in
1888. They were developed by crossing Partridge Cochins, White Wyandottes, and the
rose comb variety of White Leghorn. Development was done by 1903. They were first
accepted into the American Poultry Association''s Standard of Perfection in
1922.
They were moderately
popular up un
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Rhodebar |
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Rhodebars arerna rare, autosexing chicken that were originally created in the UK during 1947rnfrom crosses of Golden Brussbar cockerels and Rhode Island Red hens. They werernfirst called Redbar chickens but later they got the name of Rhodebar.
Rhodebars haverna full breast and a deep, broad body with a long back. They are a deep reddishrncolor with fine buff barring. They have a single upright comb, rounded wattlesrnand a short beak. Legs and feet are yellow and they have 4 toes. Their tail isrnsmall with a black tip to the feathers. Sexing day old chicks is fairlyrnstraightforward. Yellow chicks are male and the females should have darkrnstripes or barring down their backs. Adult birds look very similar to RhodernIsland Red
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Robusta Lionata |
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Robusta Lionata
chickens are a dual-purpose chicken that was created in 1965 at the
Experimental Poultry Station in Rovigo, a city in Northern Italy. The Buff
Oprington and the White America contributed to its creation.
Mean production a
year: 160-170 (rosy shell, 55-60 g).
Content and photo
source: Agraria.org.
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Robusta Maculata |
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The selection
work completed in 1965 at the Experimental Poultry Station in Rovigo, a city in
Northern Italy. The Buff Oprington and the White America contributed to its
creation. This breed has become more and more popular in last years, most of
all because of its graceful look.
The Robusta
Maculata has a good rusticity, excellent for biological breeding and typical
productions.
Double-purpose breed (meat and eggs). Medium precocity.
The layers have
quite good precocity. The eggs have a shell from rosy to brown.
Mean production: 140-160 (55-60 g).
The meat is
delicate and abundant.
The age for the
slaughtering is about 18 week. Generally it’s reared as pure breed stock; at
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Romagnola |
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The breed was
common in Romagna and part of Emilia (Ravenna, Forli and Bologna). Fine boned.
The comb is single, of medium size, erect in the cock and folded in the hen,
red, smooth. The wattles are well developed. The earlobes are oval shaped,
small, cream-coloured, sometimes with blue shades, especially in young animals.
The shanks can be pure yellow, yellow but spotted with dark, greenish or
totally dark, which is the favourite colour. The liveries can be various, as shown
by historical pictures, but probably the most common types were: silver, silver
buttercup, golden buttercup, white, brown down.
The skin is
various as well, but it’s frequently white.
This breed went
under selection by Experimental Poult
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Rosecomb |
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Rosecomb
chickens are true Bantams with a very distinctive comb. They are one of the
oldest and most popular bantam breeds in showing, and thus have numerous
variations within the breed. An ornamental chicken, they are poor egg layers
and not suited for meat production.
The earliest
surviving records of Rosecomb chickens are from the 14th century in Britain,
though it may have another point of origin. Their popularity as an ornamental
breed first took was after King Richard III began to raise them. Their
popularity among poultry enthusiasts continued in to the 19th century, and
Rosecombs were shown at the first North American poultry exhibition in 1849, as
well as being admitted in to the first edition of American Stand
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Rumpless Araucana |
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Rumpless
Araucana are a unique Araucana chicken that originated in South America. They
have tufts of feathers coming out from near their ears, they lay blue to green
colored eggs (other blue / green egg layers have been created from crosses with
the Araucana / Rumpless Araucana) and, they are rumpless: they do not have a
tail. So they can do the chicken dance but they can’t shake a tail feather any
better than you or I.
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Scots Dumpy |
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Scots Dumpy chickens
are from Scotland. The expression “dumpy” means short and stout which described
these chickens because they are have a thick-set appearance and extremely short
legs. Throughout history they have been known under many names such as: Bakies,
Stumpies, Dadlies, Hoodies, or Creepies. They are classed as an endangered
breed by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
Their short
legs are their most defining characteristic, and it gives them a waddling gait.
Adult Scots Dumpys are less than 5 centimetres (2 inches) off the ground and
they long in the back and have a lower set tail than most breeds.
There are no
set colors for the Scots Dumpys, but Cuckoo, Black, and White are the most
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Scots Grey |
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Scots Grey chickens, or just Scotch Greys, are a Scottish
grey striped chicken. They have been known in Scotland since the 16th century,
and were developed as barnyard fowl for small farms and crofts. Most likely
they related to Dorkings and Malays. They are similar to Cuckoo Marans and
Barred Plymouth Rocks, but their feathers have a less distinct pattern with a
steel-grey base. They are dual-purpose chickens; they lay a good amount of
white eggs and produse wholesome meat.
Males and females can be differentiated based on the color
of the adult birds, as hens usually have a noticeably darker hue. Scots Greys
are relatively heavy chickens, with hens weighing 7-9 pounds (3.2-4 kilos), and
roosters weighing 9-11 pou
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Sebright |
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Sebrights are bantam chickens that are very poor layers;rnthey lay very few and small eggs. Plus since they are a bantam they are not thernsource of much meat. Their primary function is as a decorative bird and a showrnbird. Being so small, it''s very easy to fit a large number of them into one henrnhouse, and as they get along well with each other, you can even have a fewrnroosters living together.
The Hens are not very broody with their chicks and malesrnaren''t particularly keen on crowing all the time, making them a quieter breedrnto have around.
The males and females are nearly identical in appearance duernto breeding roosters with hen-like feather qualities. Because of their smallrnsize, they have a very prominent brea
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Sicilian Buttercup |
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Siciliana
Buttercup, or just Sicilian, chickens are a very ancient Italian breed. They
are very common in Sicily. It’s probably the result of the ancient crossbreeding
between Sicilian chickens and chickens coming from North Africa. Nowadays the
Siciliana is in the process of recovery.
Good precocity.
The cock starts to show sexual instinct at 40 days, the hen starts laying at 5
months. The eggs have white shell.
Fine-boned, with
well developed muscles (thighs and breast), round and well shaped: this breed
is a good producer of meat in spite of the small size (tasty meat).
Good layer, with
good rusticity but not suitable in cold regions.
The Siciliana has
a stray nature, but it doesn’t f
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Silkie |
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Silkie (sometimes
spelled Silky) chicken have an atypically fluffy plumage, which is said to feel
like silk. They have several other unusual qualities, such as black skin and
bones, blue earlobes, and five toes on each foot, whereas most chickens only
have four. They are often exhibited in poultry shows, and appear in various
colors, including white and chocolate brown.
Silkies are
considered a bantam breed in some countries, but this varies according to
region and many breed standards class them officially as large fowl; the bantam
Silkie is actually a separate variety most of the time.Silkies are a friendly breed who are very easy to train to eat out of your hand. Silkie hens
are one of the mos
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Star |
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Red and Black
Stars are a great for any purpose. Hens are excellent egg layers, only slowing
down during cold weather. The roosters carry their weight by being fantastic meat
birds. Either males or females are easy to use for shows, but what makes them
most useful is their function as a sex link breed, used to breed toward a
specific quality you''re looking for in a later generation.
Stars are
friendly and dependable. Being a sex link breed also makes them a little
tougher than your average chicken, so they can tolerate quite a lot.
Star chickens are
have a small red comb, small red wattles, and red around the eyes. Their tails
are modest in stature with only a very small carriage. Red Star
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Sultan |
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Sultans chickens
have a unique look and are mostly used as show birds. They are small chickens
and their heads are completely covered in feathers to create the appearance of
a globular feather poof atop their head. They don''t have wattles, instead they
have a sort of three-part feather beard. Their tails are well-spread and
carried medium high. And they have blue feet that are completely covered by
feathers, though what makes this strange is that they have five toes rather than
the standard four.
Sultans are easy
going and easy to keep, despite the added maintenance needed due to their extra
feathering. Because of their facial feathering, Sultans will need a special
drinker, such as a water tower. Because of
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Sumatra |
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Sumatras are a strikingly
elegant chicken from the Indonesian island of Sumatra, to the north-west of
Australia, in the Indian Ocean. They have a stately appearance, are a
reasonable layer, a good broody and are non-aggressive. Uniquely Sumatra males
have multiple spurs.
Origninally were
raised for fighting but today are primarily an ornamental breed kept for their
attractive plumage. Often they are pitch black with a green sheen throughout
the body and tail. They additionally come in blue and white varieties. They
retain a strong flying ability.
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Sussex |
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Sussex chickens
produce a high-yield of eggs, even into the winter months, though at a slower
pace. They also make for a good show bird as their easy-going temperament makes
them ideal for beginning fanciers.
Sussex chickens
are very calm and quite friendly. The hens are excellent mothers, becoming
broody when the need arises. Since the Sussex is so calm at all times, even
around other Sussex, it is completely manageable to have more than one roosters
living together in the same space without conflict.
Sussex chickens
are a heavy bird with a broad, deep breast and a rectangular body shape. Their
legs are a pale, pinkish white color while their ear-lobes are bright red, same
as their medium
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Swedish Flower |
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Swedish Flower
Chickens’ name is inspired mottling of their feather tips that resemble a field
of blooming flowers. Their base coloring varies from black, yellow, red or
blue. All of these variations contain the mottling pattern.
Domestic
chickens were introduced to Sweden about 2000 years ago, brought to the country
by traders, settlers and even Viking marauders. Today it is unknown what or how
many varieties of chickens were brought to Sweden’s shores in those early days,
but that unknown mix of birds propagated over the next two-thousand years,
developing into what are now considered the country’s native breeds.
They are a
landrace breed. This means that they developed naturally over hundreds of
years. As
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Thuringian |
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Thuringian
chickens come from the Thuringer forest region in Germany. They were first
called Thuringer Barthuhner chickens in 1907 (Barthuhner means ''bearded
chicken'') and bred as a dual purpose breed for meat and eggs, but now they are
mainly seen at poultry shows and for rare breed conservation. Their fluffy
beards have earned them the nick name ''Chubby cheeks''.
Thuringians
have a distinctive beard, ear muffs, and small comb making them very
cold-hardy. They can cope very well with harsh cold winters, but like most
chickens, detest the rain. They are active foragers and prefer to free range,
however they will tolerate confinement if the run area is large enough. Thuringians
are generally a friendly breed, coping
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Tuffled Ghigi |
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The creation of
this breed with its varieties is owed to the talent and scientific accuracy of
Professor Alessandro Ghigi. During the decade 1920-1930, when he was Director
of the Stazione Sperimentale di Pollicoltura in Rovigo, Professor Ghigi studied
the hereditary behaviour of certain opposite characters such as the cerebral or
cranial hernia in Padua''s - which implies the growth of a large crest - in
concomitance with the peculiar shape of comb and nostrils. The hereditary
behaviour of these features was researched and compared to the transmission of
the corresponding characters in common chicken breeds. Professor Ghigi was
furthermore interested in the genetic information concerning weight and size in
such specimens (Arduin
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| There are no Chicken breeds that start with the letter U. |
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Valdarnese |
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Valdarnese
chickens arethe heterozygous result of
the crossbreeding of many different breeds, among which is conspicuous the
Livorno. This hybrid was born in 1950’s, appreciate by Prof. Quilici, it never
obtained an official standard so that it was never really selected. Since 1999
there are an association (“Agricultori Custodi”) where some farms organised a
Protection Agency.
The Valdarnese is
excellent when reared free in the countryside: not adapted to intensive
production. It’s slaughtered at 5 months. The eggs have an ivory-coloured
shell.
Content and photo
source: Agraria.org
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Valdarno |
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The standard was
done by Cav. Maggi, big breeder of the Valdarno, in 1905. The same year it was
made official by the Italian Poultry Society, presided by Marchese Trevisan,
during the National Congress in Mantova. Anyway the polemic went on among
judges, breeders and experts even after 1905. The publishing house Battiato, in
1914, published the book “Poultry scattered pages”, in honour of Teodoro
Pascal. A chapter of the book is titled “Minestrone alla Valdarno”, where
articles and letters about the discussion are collected. While the polemic went
on, the breed died out few years later.
Since few years,
an enthusiast breeder, Fabrizio Focardi, is doing a big effort to recover the
breed.
After long researches, h
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Vorwerk |
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Vorwerks, sometimes
called Golden Lakenvelders, are a dual-purpose chicken from Germany, well
suited for both meat and egg production. Vorwerk hens are good layers of
cream-colored eggs, and produce approximately 170 a year. They are hardy and
adaptable. Also they are alert and active, but not necessarily flighty.
The are buff
colored with a black head, neck, and tail. Vorwerks have a single comb, slate
grey underfluff, and white earlobes.
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Welsummer |
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Welsummer
chickens are best known for their dark brown, speckled eggs, as well as having
red partridge color. This makes them great as layers and equally as great as
show birds. Welsummers are an all-around simple and friendly breed. Hens can
become broody late in the spring, but otherwise are easy to get along with.
Welsummers
have just the single red comb atop their head with bodies built for egg laying.
The males have tails held fairly high while the hens have folded tails that
accentuate their laying status. Their eyes have a dark red coloring surrounding
them and their legs are yellow, though the color will slowly fade the more eggs
they lay until they are eventually a pale white.
Wels
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White-Faced Black Spanish |
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White-Faced Black Spanish Chickens are good egg layers with
a distinctive look. They have a white face on a black body. Their ear-lobes
hang very low, and they have a single large comb and no crest. Their plumage is
black and very glossy.
They don’t like to be held and they are considered flighty.
They''re also thought to be rather noisy birds. However, they are easy to maintain
and they have no special needs, though they don''t particularly enjoy
confinement. They aren''t great in cold temperatures but thrive in the heat.
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Wyandotte |
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Wyandotte chickens are excellent egg layers, plus they are
trusting and friendly. They are easy to care for, especially for those that
just want a few tame chickens to have around the farm. They look much heavier
than they actually are due to bulk feathers.
They are large chickens with round shaped bodies and very
pronounced feathers. Their tails point up a bit and look like an upside-down V
when viewed from behind. Their heads are round and short and have bodies that
look like they''re very low to the ground due to how full their feathers look.
They have very strikingly red facial features with a rose comb, red eyes, and
red ear-lobes. They have yellow legs.
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| There are no Chicken breeds that start with the letter X. |
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Yamato Gunkei |
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Yamato Gunkei are a type of Asian Hard Feather chicken. They
are largest of the smaller Shamo breeds. They were created in the Hiroshima
region of Japan during the 1920’s. They arrived in Europe in 1980 via some
Belgian breeders and are classified as a Large Fowl in the British Poultry
Standards.
Yamato Gunkei are a tough looking chicken and sometimes
considered ugly. They have muscular dinosaur-like legs and feet of the Shamo
family. Their breast muscles are so large that they part the feathers to reveal
deep red skin underneath. But, its most striking feature is its wrinkled face;
wrinkles that begin at a few months of age and that quickly multiply as the
bird grows older.
As strictly an orname
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Yokohama |
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Yokohama chickens are show birds with an ornate appearance
with a long, flowing tail. Their combs are fairly small, almost walnut-shaped,
and are set forward on the head. Their wattles are small as well, as are their
dewlops and they have a red coloration on their shoulders.
Yokohamas tend to be very aggressive toward humans and other
chickens alike.
Their
long tail feathers can very easily become dirty or broken, so it''s important
that you have perches placed fairly high up to avoid feathers laying in the
dirt for too long. This also means they function best with clean, dry litter
covering under their perches. If you intend to raise a show rooster, keep him
separate from other Yokohama t
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| There are no Chicken breeds that start with the letter Z. |
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