Mediterranean Chicken Breed

Algeron J. DeteralaMSA AnSci Student

Bicol University College of Agriculture and ForestryGuinobatan Albay, PHILIPPINES

Introduction• The Mediterranean Class includes

the Italian and Spanish subclasses of poultry.

• Both subclasses are known for their white ear lobes.

• Domestic poultry has been bred in Italy for the past 2,500 years.

• It was the early Romans who were among the first to notice the economic value of poultry.

• As a general rule, poultry from Italy is relatively small when compared to other standard classes.

• ITALIANAnconasLeghornsSicilian Buttercups

•SPANISHAndalusians

CatalanasMinorcas

• Spanish poultry is a little larger and includes such breeds as the Andalusian and the Minorca.

• Italian poultry include the Ancona Sicilian buttercup and the Leghorn, however the Leghorn has far more value both genetically and economically than any other breed.

• All members of this class possess white earlobes and tend to be productive layers of white eggs.

• In general they are flighty, and exceptional free-range birds; with both evasion and foraging skills.

Mediterranean Class

 Breed

Leghorns Minorcas Andalusians

 Anconas Sicilian buttercups

 Catalanas

Varieties

1251211

Usage

EggEggEggEggEggDual

Egg Color

WhiteWhiteWhiteWhiteWhiteWhite

ANCONA

• The Ancona is a breed of chicken which originated in the Marche region of Italy, but which was bred to its present type mainly in the United Kingdom in the 19th century.

• It is named after the city of Ancona, capital of the Marche.

Country of originItaly; United Kingdom

Traits

Weight Male: 2.5–2.8 kg

  Female: 1.8–2.1 kg

Skin color Yellow

Egg color White

Comb type Single or rose

CATALANA• Also known as the Catalana del Prat

Lleonada, is a breed of chicken that comes from the region of Catalonia.

• It is also sometimes called the Buff Catalana for its golden plumage, Catalanas are a hardy dual–purpose breed kept for both eggs and meat.

Country of origin Spain

Traits

Weight Male: 7 lb. (3.2 kg)

 Female: 5.5 lb. (2.5 kg)

Egg color White

Comb type Single

ANDALUSIAN• The is a breed of chicken

originating in the Andalusia region of Spain.

• They are often referred to as "Blue Andalusians" because the only color pattern officially recognized is Blue.

Cock Hen

• Andalusian’s originated from crossings of black fowl with white ones, these two colors producing a bluish-slate fowl.

• The modern Andalusian should be very symmetrical, graceful, compact, medium in size, and stately in carriage.

• The dull and uneven blue colored fowl of the past has been transformed into the attractive, laced breed of today by years of scientific breeding.

• Andalusian’s are closely feathered, active, and good layers of white eggs.

LEGHORN• The Leghorn is a breed of chicken

originating in Tuscany, in central Italy.

• Birds were first exported to North America in 1828 from the port city of Livorno, on the western coast of Tuscany.

Leghorn

Leghorn

• They were initially called "Italians", but by 1865 the breed was known as "Leghorn".

• White Leghorns are commonly used as layer chickens in many countries of the world.

• Most have single combs but there are several color varieties that have rose combs

• Leghorn varieties including white, red, black tailed red, light brown, dark brown, black, blue, buff, Columbian, buff Columbian, barred, exchequer and silver

• Excellent layers of white eggs (around 280 per year)

• Rarely exhibit broodiness and are thus well suited for uninterrupted egg laying

• It is a light breed that matures quickly to only 3 or 4 lbs

• Leghorns are noisy bird

• Rose comb light and dark brown were added in 1883, and rose comb white in 1886.

• Single comb buff and silver followed in 1894, and red, black-tailed red, and Columbian in 1929.

• In 1981 rose comb black, buff, silver, and golden duck wing were added.

MINORCA• Originates from Spain.

• They lay white eggs. Color varieties include buff, black, white with the British recognizing a blue phase.

• Minorca's mature quickly and begin crowing sooner than other breeds.. Minorca's tend to be very flighty.

Minorca hen

Minorca cock

Characteristics

•The Minorca is the largest of the Mediterranean class of fowl in roosters weighing 9 pounds and hens 7½ pounds.

•They are utility fowl and were once in the class of widespread large flocks for laying and meat production like the Leghorn breed which is the smallest of this class.

• This chicken does not go "broody" and are usually very flighty but can be trained if handled regularly while still chicks.

• The distinction of the Minorca is its rather large white ear patch much like the White Faced Black Spanish, another of this class which makes it recognizable at a distance.

• The breed was developed in England from imported Castilian fowl of Spain.

SICILIAN BUTTERCUP

• It is a breed of domestic chicken from the island of Sicily.

• It derives from the indigenous Siciliana breed of Sicily, but long separation from the original stock has led to marked differences between the two.

Country of origin Italy

Traits

Weight Male: 2.95 kg

  Female: 2.50 kg

Comb type Rose comb

Sicilian Buttercup hen

Sicilian Buttercup Chickens

• The Siciliana breed appears to derive from ancient inter-breeding of local birds with North African stock.

• Carroll Loring, became the first breeder of what would become the Sicilian Buttercup.

Characteristics

•The golden color and cup-shaped comb are the basis for the very descriptive name.

•The comb is a cup-shaped crown with a complete circle of medium sized regular points.

•The male and female do not look alike in coloring.

• The males are a rich, brilliant orange red with some black spangles in the feather of the body fluff and cape feathers at the base of the hackle; with lustrous, greenish black tail.

• The base color of the female is buff with all feathers on the body marked by parallel rows of black elongated spangles, giving the hen an appearance of being beautifully spotted.

• Skin color is yellow, shanks and toes are a willow green.

• Eggs are small and can be colored anywhere from white to heavily tinted.

• They are good fliers and free-ranging Buttercups will often be seen perching in elevated areas such as fencetops, haylofts, trees, and arbors.

REFERENCES• Canberra Queanbeyan Poultry Club

• Gallus turcicus, from the Ornithologiae tomus alter of Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522–1605)

• From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

• Mediterranean Breed Class. Copyright 1995-2004 by Dennis Hawkins, All Rights Reserved.

• M.M.PALITHAMAHINDA MUNASINGHE. Poultry Production. Powerpoint. October 2008.palithamahinda@yahoo.com

• Poultry Science (Breeds and Varieties of Chickens).SlideShare.com