INTRODUCTION

 HISTORY

 LARGE FOWLS-HARD FEATHER

 LARGE FOWLS-SOFT FEATHER-LIGHT

 LARGE FOWLS-SOFT FEATHER-HEAVY

 BANTAMS-HARD FEATHER

 BANTAMS-SOFT FEATHER (MINIATURE)

 BANTAMS-SOFT FEATHER (TRUE)

 SITTERS/NON-SITTERS
 

INTRODUCTION:

This is only a very brief guide about the different breeds to help the novice poultry enthusiast understand were all the breeds come from and what they have to offer.  It is NOT a standard, and
in some cases only one persons opinion.  Different countries have their own standards which should be sought for specific breed characteristics.  Some are as follows:

        * American Standard of Perfection (America)
        * American Bantam Association Standard (America)
        * New Zealand Poultry Standard (New Zealand)
        * British Poultry Standard (England)

Note: some countries categorise breeds slightly differently to others.

HISTORY:

Our domestic races of fowls as we know them today have evolved from the native Jungle Fowls that lived in the Indian Continent. Our modern races are the result of these birds artificially selected for:

        1. Egg laying
        2. Flesh quality and quantity
        3. Cock fighting ability
        4. General appearance.

During the Middle Ages 3 main types of fowls were developed in separate regions:

1. Mediterranean fowls: these seldom brood and lay white eggs. breeds known today are leghorn,
    Andalusions, Minorcas, Anconas, Spanish.

2. Asian Game fowls: these have hard, tight feathering and are primarily a fighting fowl.  They lay
    brown eggs and are good brooders (sitters).

3. Asian Soft Feather fowls: These were developed in the mountain regions of Asia.  They have
    loose, soft feathers and feathered legs. examples are Brahmas, Cochin & Langshan.

By crossing these three races of fowls, new breeds have been developed which are popular today.  these can be grouped as follows:

1. English breeds: These generally have white skin & legs. breeds include Orpington, Sussex &
    Dorking.

2. European breeds: These generally lay brown eggs and breeds include Barnevelder &
    Welsummer.

3. American breeds: These generally have yellow pigment and breeds include Plymouth rock, Rhode
    Island Red, Jersy Giant, Wyandotte.

Commercial fowls: Cross breed or hybrid fowls selected for their productivity, with little attention paid to appearance.  They are developed to maximise the production of meat or eggs.

House or Farm fowls: These include one breed or random cross breeds that are NOT bred to a recognised standard.

Pure breed fowls: birds bred and selected to conform as closely as possible to a set Standard which outlines desirable and undesirable features.

LARGE FOWLS-HARD FEATHER:

These are often called game fowls with their origins going back to when they were bred for cock fights.  Their feathers are tight and closely follow the contour of the body.

* breed: Asil
   origin: Asia-India
   colours: light red, dark red, red wheaten.
   egg colour: tinted/cream
   comment: oldest game fowl breed.
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* breed:Indian Game
   origin: Cornwall, England
   colours: dark, jubilee, blue
   egg colour: tinted/cream
   comment: Meaty looking with huge breast and thighs.  Known as Cornish in America.
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* breed:Malay Game
   origin: Asia
   colours: Black, white, spangled, pile, duckwing.
   egg colour: tinted/cream
   comment: very tall, leggy birds.
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* breed:Old English Game
   origin: England
   colours: over 30 known colours. main colours include black, blue, black red, pile, duckwing,
                crele, spangle.
   egg colour: tinted/cream
   comment: Muscular birds originally bred for cock fights and it's customary to dub the male
                    combs.
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LARGE FOWLS-SOFT FEATHER-LIGHT BREEDS

These fowls have loose feathering, with a distinct soft feel. They are light in frame and muscle and usually very good egg layers.

* breed:Ancona
   origin: Italy
   colour: Mottled (each feather black with a white tip)
   egg colour: White
   comment: excellent egg layer but sometimes nervous.
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* breed: Araucana
    origin: Chile & Peru
    colours: lavender, black & any Old English game colour.
    egg colour: Blue/green
    comment: they have a unique egg colour.
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* breed:Andalusian
   origin: Spain
   colour: Blue (feathers blue with black lacing)
   egg colour: White
   comment: good egg layer but can be flighty.
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* breed: Frizzle
   origin: China
   colours: black, white, buff, blue
   egg colour: white/cream
   comment: purely an exhibition bird with each feather curling towards the head. Often seen as
                    bantams.
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* breed:Hamburg
   origin: Europe
   colours: gold spangled, silver spangled, gold pencilled, silver pencilled.
   egg colour: white
   comment: has a rose comb.
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* breed:Leghorn
   origin: Italy
   colours: about 12 known colours.  main colours include black, brown, blue, white.
   egg colour: white
   comment: good egg layer.  usually has single comb.
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* breed: Minorca
   origin: Spain
   colours: Black, white, buff, blue.
   egg colour: white
   comment: good egg layer. eggs large.
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* breed: Campine
   origin: Belgium
   colours: Silver, gold. (black barring over gold or silver ground colour).
   egg colour: white
   comment: used for autosexing breeds.
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* breed: Poland
   origin: Europe
   colours: White-crested black, chamois (buff laced), white crested blue, white, gold, silver.
   egg colour: white
   comment: very old breed with an upright crest.
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* breed: Silkie
   origin: Asia, China, or Japan??
   colours: many colours.  main ones are white, black, gold, blue.
   egg colour: tinted/cream
   comment: unusual silky feathering, with blue/purple skin, crest, feathered legs & five toes. make
                    very good mothers.  Classified as bantams in America.
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* breed: Spanish
   origin: Mediterranean
   colour: black
   egg colour: white
   comment: has a striking appearance of having a excessive white face. very old and now rare
                    breed.
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* breed: Welsummer
   origin: Holland
   colours: male-black red, female-partridge.
   egg colour: brown/dark brown
   comment: lays a deep brown egg and lots of them.
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LARGE FOWLS-SOFT FEATHER-HEAVY BREEDS:

These birds tend to be heavy in frame, and can be very large. They are usually looser in feather than light breeds, and meatier but lay slightly less eggs.  They are a good all round fowl.

* breed:Australorp
   origin: Australia
   colour: black
   egg colour: tinted/brown
   comment: good all round bird.
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* breed: Barnevelder
   origin: Holland
   colours: Black, double laced
   egg colour: deep brown
   comment: popular for their brown eggs.
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* breed: Brahma
   origin: Asia
   colours: Light, dark, white, gold, birchen
   egg colour: tinted
   comment: feathered legs and feet.
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* breed: Dorking
   origin: England
   colours: silver grey, red, white, dark, cuckoo.
   egg colour: tinted/cream
   comment: has five toes.
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* breed:Faverolle
   origin: France
   colours: Black, salmon, ermine, blue, buff, white.
   egg colour: tinted/cream
   comment: bearded fowls with feathered legs and five toes.
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* breed:Langshan
   origin: China
   colour: black
   egg colour: tinted/brown
   comment: two varieties; Chinese and Croad.
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* breed: New Hampshire
   origin: U.S.A.
   colour: Red/orange (chest nut)
   egg colour: tinted/brown
   comment: Bred from Rhode Island Red.
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* breed: Orpington
   origin: Kent, England
   colours: Buff, blue, white, black
   egg colour: light brown
   comment: Queen mothers breed
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* breed:Plymouth Rock
   origin: U.S.A.
   colours: barred, partridge, buff, white, black.
   egg colour: tinted
   comment: popular all round fowl.
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* breed:Rhode Island
   origin: U.S.A.
   colours: Red, White
   egg colour: light brown/brown
   comment: popular amongst rural people
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* breed:Sussex
   origin: England
   colours: light, speckled, buff, white, silver
   egg colour: tinted
   comment: popular farm fowl with excellent table qualities. Also good egg layer.
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* breed:Transylvanian Naked Neck
   origin: Hungary
   colours: white, black, blue, cuckoo, buff, red.
   egg colour: tinted/cream
   comments: featherless bright red neck.  naturally has less feathers than other breeds.
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* breed:Wyandotte
   origin: U.S.A.
   colours: many colours.  self colours (white, blue, buff, red, black), barred/cuckoo, laced (blue,
                 gold, buff, silver), columbian (&buff), crele (gold & silver), silver pencilled, partridge.
   egg colour: tinted/light brown
 comment: good all round fowl.  Very popular. Has rose comb.
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BANTAMS-HARD FEATHER:

Similar description to their large fowl counterpart but about 1/5 to 1/4 the size.

* breed:Modern Game
   origin: England
   colours: similar to Old English Game colours
   egg colour: tinted/cream
   comment: customary to dub males. Breed has very long legs, tall and well muscled. Large fowls
                    of this breed are very rare but do exist. It is a showman's bird.
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BANTAMS-SOFT FEATHER (miniature):

Similar to their large counter part, but about 1/5 to 1/4 the size. ie they are miniatures of large birds bred down in size or developed from crosses with other bantams.
 
BANTAMS-SOFT FEATHER (true):

These breeds have no large counterpart.  These breeds are very ornamental and popular at shows.  They are a TRUE bantam, and not just miniatures of another breed.

* breed:Japanese
   origin: Japan
   colours: Black tailed white, white, black, grey, mottled, blue
   egg colour: white/tinted
   comment: Very tall upright tail, and short legs. Carries lethal gene for short legs.
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* breed:Pekin
   origin: Asia
   colours: black, black red birchen, buff, blue, blue red, brown red, barred, columbian,
                 cuckoo, mealy grey, mottled, partridge, splashed, white, wheaten blue tail, wheaten
                 black tail.
   egg colour: white/cream
   comment: small rounded bird with heavily feathered feet & legs. In America they are classified
                    as  miniatures of the large Cochin.
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* breed:Rosecomb
   origin: England
   colours: black, blue, white
   egg colour: white/cream
   comment: Exhibition fowl.
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* breed: Sebright
   origin: England
   colours: Gold, Silver (each feather laced)
   egg colour: white/cream
   comment: Male is hen feathered, breed created for Exhibition
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* breed:Barbu d'Uccle
   origin: Belgium
   colours: blue quail, millefleur, porcelaine etc..
   egg colour: cream
   comment: feathered feet & legs, muffed and bearded.
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* breed: Barbu d'Anvers
   origin: Belgium
   colours: similar to Barbu d'Uccle
   egg colour: cream
   comment: breed very similar to Barbu d'Anvers, but has clean legs.
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SITTERS/NON SITTERS:

Some breeds naturally go broody and hatch eggs successfully, while others seldom go broody and make bad mothers. Rather than list all the breeds that are sitters (ie they successfully go broody), I will only list breeds that are non-sitters. This way, if your breed is not listed, then it should have no problem in hatching out eggs.

Non-Sitters: Ancona, Andalusian, Bresse, Campine, Hamburg, Lakenvelder, Leghorn, Minorca, Old English Peasant Fowl, Poland, Redcap, Scots Grey, Silican Buttercup, Spanish, Welsummer.

For ducks, the Indian Runner is the only breed that is a Non- Sitter.