Poultry Breeds: Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys: The Pocket Guide to 104 Essential Breeds
272
Poultry Breeds: Chickens, Ducks, Geese, Turkeys: The Pocket Guide to 104 Essential Breeds
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781612126937 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Storey Publishing, LLC |
| Publication date: | 11/29/2016 |
| Sold by: | Hachette Digital, Inc. |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 272 |
| File size: | 18 MB |
| Note: | This product may take a few minutes to download. |
About the Author
Carol Ekarius is the coauthor of The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook, The Field Guide to Fleece, and Storey’s Guide to Raising Sheep, and the author of several books including Small-Scale Livestock Farming, Storey’s Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds, and Storey’s Illustrated Breed Guide to Sheep, Goats, Cattle, and Pigs. She lives in the mountains of Colorado.
Read an Excerpt
CHAPTER 1
CHICKENS
Ameraucana
Breeders developed the Ameraucana to standardize a bird with the blue-egged trait of its parent stock, the Araucana, but without the Araucana's gene that causes some chicks to die during incubation.
Size: Standard Cock. 6.5 lb. (3 kg) /Hen. 5.5 lb. (2.5 kg). Bantam Cock. 30 oz. (850 g) /Hen. 26 oz. (740 g).
Notable Features: Pea comb; small or absent wattles; small, round earlobes; all are red. Many color varieties.
Place of Origin: United States.
Conservation Status: Not applicable.
Special Qualities: Lays blue eggs in various shades. Has an impressively long laying season.
American Game Bantam
This breed was developed during the 1940s by crossing a common "pit game" bantam (a small fighting bird) with Red Jungle Fowl (small birds that are fast runners). American Games are hardy, vigorous, and easy for beginners to raise.
Size: Cock. 30 oz. (850 g) / Hen. 27 oz. (765 g).
Notable Features: Small, thin, smooth wattles and ear- lobes, bright red in most varieties. Many color varieties.
Place of Origin: New Jersey.
Conservation Status: Not applicable.
Special Qualities: Males fight and should not be confined together.
Ancona
Originating along the coast of Italy, in the town of the same name, Anconas are closely related to the Leghorns. In fact, when they arrived in North America some people referred to them as "Mottled Leghorns" or "Black Leghorns."
Size: Standard Cock. 6 lb. (2.75 kg) / Hen. 4.5 lb. (2 kg). Bantam Cock. 26 oz. (740 g) /Hen. 22 oz. (625 g).
Notable Features: Comb either single or rose. Bright red wattles and white earlobes. Shiny green- ish black plumage with white mottling.
Place of Origin: Italy.
Conservation Status: Watch.
Special Qualities: Excellent layer of large white eggs. Lays longer into the winter without supplemental light than most breeds.
Andalusian
Though once referred to as the Blue Minorca, this breed is now known as the Andalusian for its namesake province, Andalusia, Spain. These active and talkative birds are larger than Leghorns.
Size: Standard Cock. 7 lb. (3.2 kg) / Hen. 5.5 lb. (2.5 kg). Bantam Cock. 28 oz. (795 g) /Hen. 24 oz. (680 g).
Notable Features: Moderately long, thin, bright red wattles and medium-size, almond-shaped, bright white earlobes.
Place of Origin: Spain.
Conservation Status: Watch.
Special Qualities: Ornamental layer. Hybrid characteristic yields Black, Splash, and Blue chicks from matings of Blue Andalusian parents.
Appenzeller
Appenzellers are wild-looking birds, but they are quite hardy and make good fliers. Of the two varieties, only one, the Spitzhauben, is available in North America.
Size: Standard Cock. 4.5 lb. (2 kg) / Hen. 3.5 lb. (1.6 kg). Bantam Cock. 24 oz. (680 g) /Hen. 20 oz. (570 g).
Notable Features: Pouf of head feathers. Red, V-shaped comb. Color varieties are Black, Gold Spangled, and Silver Spangled (shown).
Place of Origin: Switzerland.
Conservation Status: Not applicable.
Special Qualities: Ornamental layer of medium-size white eggs. Birds are very active and won't take to close confinement.
Araucana
Truly unique, Araucanas were initially developed from Collonca and Quetero birds that were kept by the Mapuche, a native Chilean tribe. Araucanas lack a tail and have a tuft of ear feathers. Hens lay pale blue eggs with a greenish tint.
Size: Standard Cock. 5 lb. (2.25 kg) / Hen. 4 lb. (1.8 kg). Bantam Cock. 26 oz. (740 g) /Hen. 24 oz. (680 g).
Notable Features: Small pea comb; small or absent wattles; very small earlobes covered by tuft; all are bright red. No tail.
Place of Origin: Chile.
Conservation Status: Study.
Special Qualities: Has a lethal allele combination; some chicks die during incubation.
Aseel
One of the oldest game breeds, the Aseel (or Asil) was bred in India and surrounding countries for over two thousand years. Males and females are extremely aggressive, so the breed is best suited for experienced poultry keepers.
Size: Cock. 5.5 lb. (2.5 kg) / Hen. 4 lb. (1.8 kg).
Notable Features: Small, bright red pea comb and ear- lobes. No wattles. Yellow to horn beak; pearl eyes; yellow shanks and toes.
Place of Origin: India.
Conservation Status: Threatened.
Special Qualities: Prehistoric-looking bird and parent to the Cornish. Highly aggressive.
Australorp
Australia's "national breed," the Australorp is an excellent utility bird. It is a great layer, but its meaty body and pinkish white skin make it a good dual-purpose bird.
Size: Standard Cock. 8.5 lb. (3.9 kg) / Hen. 6.5 lb. (3 kg). Bantam Cock. 30 oz. (850 g) /Hen. 26 oz. (740 g).
Notable Features: Loose, fluffy feathers. Black beak; dark brown eyes; black to dark slate shanks; pinkish white bottoms of feet.
Place of Origin: Australia.
Conservation Status: Recovering.
Special Qualities: Very hardy.
Bearded d'Anvers Bantam
Formerly known as the Antwerp Belgian, the d'Anvers is a true bantam (it does not have a larger counterpart). Its predecessors existed in the Netherlands and Belgium since the middle of the seventeenth century.
Size: Cock. 26 oz. (740 g) / Hen. 22 oz. (625 g).
Notable Features: Asymmetric body. Bright red, small rose comb red with rounded points. Small or absent red wattles. Many color varieties.
Place of Origin: Belgium.
Conservation Status: Not applicable.
Special Qualities: Good layer of small white eggs. Active bird; does well in small areas; tames nicely.
Blue Hen of Delaware
This breed is essentially a unique strain developed from Old English Games hundreds of years ago. The Blue Hen of Delaware is the state bird of Delaware and the mascot of the University of Delaware.
Size: Cock. 5 lb. (2.25 kg) / Hen. 4 lb. (1.8 kg).
Notable Features: Willow shanks and toes. Steely blue front of neck, lower body, and tail; rest of bird can be shades of yellow and orange.
Place of Origin: Delaware.
Conservation Status: Not applicable.
Special Qualities: Breeding of Blue Hens yields three colors: a steely blue, a black, and a splash.
Booted Bantam & Bearded d'Uccle
Developed in the town of Uccle, Belgium, these two birds are recognized as separate but closely related breeds. The only difference is that the d'Uccle (shown here) has a full beard and muffs and the Booted doesn't.
Size: Cock. 26 oz. (740 g) / Hen. 22 oz. (625 g).
Notable Features: Horn beak; reddish bay eyes; slate shanks and toes. Many color varieties.
Place of Origin: Belgium.
Conservation Status: Not applicable.
Special Qualities: A nice disposition for showy backyard and barnyard flocks. Good layers (of very small white eggs), for bantams.
Brahma
Named for the Brahmaputra River in India, this is one of the largest breeds of chicken. Brahmas are mellow and quite hardy, standing up well to both heat and cold.
Size: Standard Cock. 12 lb. (5.45 kg) / Hen. 9.5 lb. (4.3 kg). Bantam Cock. 38 oz. (1.1 kg) /Hen. 34 oz. (965 g).
Notable Features: Red pea comb; red wattles and ear- lobes. Upright posture and lovely color patterns.
Place of Origin: United States.
Conservation Status: Recovering.
Special Qualities: Good winter layer of brown eggs.
Buckeye
An American native, the Buckeye was developed in the 1890s by Nettie Metcalf, a farm wife from Ohio. It is the only American breed to sport a pea comb — and the only one developed solely by a woman.
Size: Standard Cock. 9 lb. (4.1 kg) / Hen. 6.5 lb. (3 kg). Bantam Cock. 34 oz. (965 g) /Hen. 28 oz. (795 g).
Notable Features: Bright red pea comb; bright red, well-rounded wattles; bright red earlobes. Rich, lustrous, reddish brown or mahogany plumage.
Place of Origin: United States.
Conservation Status: Watch.
Special Qualities: Nice disposition and very cold hardy. Good dual-purpose characteristics with very dark dark meat.
Campine
Thought to be descended from Egyptian Fayoumis, Campines are good foragers and flyers. They are largely treated as ornamentals in North America, yet they are a good laying breed.
Size: Standard Cock. 6 lb. (2.75 kg) / Hen. 4 lb. (1.8 kg). Bantam Cock. 26 oz. (740 g) /Hen. 22 oz. (625 g).
Notable Features: Lustrous golden or silver plumage solid on head and hackles, barred on body. Roosters lack long tail feathers and pointed hackle and saddle feathers.
Place of Origin: Belgium.
Conservation Status: Critical.
Special Qualities: Prolific layer of medium white eggs.
Catalana
Also known as the Buff Catalana or the Catalana del Prat Leonada, the breed is known for hardiness, particularly its ability to handle extreme heat, and for good foraging ability. It does not do well in tight confinement.
Size: Standard Cock. 8 lb. (3.6 kg) / Hen. 6 lb. (2.75 kg). Bantam Cock. 32 oz. (910 g) /Hen. 28 oz. (795 g).
Notable Features: Medium-size, bright red single comb has six points. Large, bright red wattles. Large, bright white earlobes.
Place of Origin: Spain.
Conservation Status: Watch.
Special Qualities: Ornamental bird with dual-purpose characteristics. Produces meat and plenty of medium to large white or light pinkish cream eggs.
Chantecler
Canadian breeders developed the Chantecler to be a general-purpose fowl that would lay through much of the cold Canadian winter. The breed is quite gentle but somewhat high-strung and a bit edgy in confinement.
Size: Standard Cock. 8.5 lb. (3.9 kg) / Hen. 6.5 lb. (3 kg). Bantam Cock. 34 oz. (965 g) /Hen. 30 oz. (850 g).
Notable Features: Cushion-shaped comb. Very small, bright red comb, wattles, and earlobes. Tight feathering and heavy down.
Place of Origin: Canada.
Conservation Status: Watch.
Special Qualities: Very hardy. Dual-purpose bird that lays light brown eggs.
Cochin
This fluffy bird was a worldwide sensation when it was first developed. It initiated the "Hen Craze" — a period from the 1880s through the early 1900s when people began breeding birds for aesthetic, not production, traits.
Size: Standard Cock. 11 lb. (5 kg) / Hen. 8.5 lb. (3.6 kg). Bantam Cock. 32 oz. (910 kg) /Hen. 28 oz. (795 g).
Notable Features: Dense, long, soft plumage. Unique cushion of feathers on back and saddle. Over 15 color varieties.
Place of Origin: China.
Conservation Status: Recovering.
Special Qualities: A large, attractive bird that is popular for showing. Good winter layer with good mothering abilities.
Cornish
The bruiser of the chicken world, the Cornish breed is the foundation of our modern broiler industry. It was developed in Cornwall, England, and has a strong game bird heritage, which accounts for its alias, the Indian Game.
Size: Standard Cock. 10.5 lb. (4.75 kg) / Hen. 8 lb. (3.6 kg). Bantam Cock. 44 oz. (1.25 kg) / Hen. 36 oz. (1 kg).
Notable Features: Wide, deep breast; large, wide-set legs. Hard feathers are narrow and short with a tough shaft and no fluff. Heart-shaped back when viewed from above.
Place of Origin: England.
Conservation Status: Watch.
Special Qualities: Excellent conversion of feed to meat.
Crevecoeur
One of the oldest breeds in France, the Crevecoeur is named for a town in the province of Normandy. Crevecoeurs are raised primarily as show birds in North America and England.
Size: Standard Cock. 8 lb. (3.6 kg) / Hen. 6.5 lb. (3 kg). Bantam Cock. 30 oz. (850 g) /Hen. 26 oz. (740 g).
Notable Features: V-shaped, bright red comb. Black and horn beak; reddish bay eyes; leaden blue shanks and toes. Crest of head feathers.
Place of Origin: France.
Conservation Status: Critical.
Special Qualities: Traditionally used as a dual-purpose bird in France, laying chalky white eggs, but now very rare worldwide.
Cubalaya
Cubalayas have been bred in Cuba as triple-purpose birds used for egg production, game, and meat. As game birds go, they are mild-mannered — they are less likely to fight other birds than most games and are easily tamed.
Size: Standard Cock. 6 lb. (2.75 kg) / Hen. 4 lb. (1.8 kg). Bantam Cock. 26 oz. (740 g) /Hen. 22 oz. (625 g).
Description: Small, bright red pea comb. White or light horn beak; reddish bay eyes; pinkish white shanks and toes in most of its four varieties.
Place of Origin: Cuba.
Conservation Status: Threatened.
Special Qualities: Good foragers; don't tolerate confinement. Can be noisy; tolerant of high heat and humidity.
Delaware
From roughly 1940 to 1960, when it was replaced by the Cornish–Plymouth Rock cross, the Delaware was the dominant breed in the broiler industry of Delaware's Delmarva Peninsula. It still makes an excellent dual-purpose barnyard bird.
Size: Standard Cock. 8.5 lb. (3.9 kg) / Hen. 6.5 lb. (3 kg). Bantam Cock. 34 oz. (965 g) /Hen. 30 oz. (850 g).
Notable Features: White to silvery white body and breast; white tail and wings with some black barring; white shaft and quill on all feathers.
Place of Origin: United States.
Conservation Status: Watch.
Special Qualities: Excellent broilers for small-scale meat production. Hens lay large brown eggs. Adapts well to confinement; can also be free-range.
Dominique
The Dominique was the most common backyard bird in the United States from the mid-eighteenth century to the mid-nineteenth century, when it was replaced by the Barred Plymouth Rock. It is calm, genial, and easy to show.
Size: Standard Cock. 7 lb. (3.2 kg) / Hen. 5 lb. (2.25 kg). Bantam Cock. 28 oz. (795 g) /Hen. 24 oz. (680 g).
Notable Features: Bright red rose comb. Plumage has distinctive black and creamy white barring pattern. Males may be a shade lighter than females.
Place of Origin: United States.
Conservation Status: Watch.
Special Qualities: The oldest U.S. breed, and still a good dual-purpose bird. Lays medium-size brown eggs.
Dorking
The English bred the Dorking as a table bird, renowned for its fine-textured and very white meat. Some of the earliest English settlers to North America probably brought them to the United States.
Size: Standard Cock. 9 lb. (4.1 kg) / Hen. 7 lb. (3.2 kg). Bantam Cock. 36 oz. (1 kg) / Hen. 32 oz. (910 g).
Notable Features: Bright red single comb with six upright points. Large, bright red rose comb, square in front and terminating in a spike.
Place of Origin: Britain.
Conservation Status: Watch.
Special Qualities: Calm, docile, and adaptable; a great choice for a backyard bird. Hens lay a fair amount of creamy white eggs.
Dutch Bantam
This breed was developed during the seventeenth century in Holland from birds that Dutch seamen acquired on Bantam Island in the Dutch East Indies (today part of Indonesia) to supply meat and eggs during the voyage.
Size: Cock. 21 oz. (595 g) / Hen. 20 oz. (570 g).
Notable Features: Bluish horn beak; reddish bay eyes; slaty blue shanks and toes. Upright carriage; attractive, long tail. Ten color varieties.
Place of Origin: Holland.
Conservation Status: Not applicable.
Special Qualities: Gives a good supply of small eggs and is now a favorite for exhibition.
Faverolle
Named for a village in France, the Faverolle was developed in the mid-nineteenth century as a good dual-purpose breed known for fine table quality and strong production of brown eggs in winter.
Size: Standard Cock. 8 lb. (3.6 kg) / Hen. 6.5 lb. (3 kg). Bantam Cock. 30 oz. (850 g) /Hen. 26 oz. (740 g).
Notable Features: Five toes; lightly feathered legs; beard and muffs; broad breast carried well forward. Five color varieties.
Place of Origin: France.
Conservation Status: Threatened.
Special Qualities: Very gentle; good for kids. Hens lay plenty of medium-size light brown eggs and have good winter production.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Poultry Breeds"
by .
Copyright © 2016 Carol Ekarius.
Excerpted by permission of Storey Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
ChickensDucks
Geese
Turkeys
Appendixes
Conservation Status Terms
Common Chicken Colors
Chicken Colors, Breed by Breed
Useful Web Sites