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First published 2010 by A & C Black Publishers Ltd, 36 SohoSquare, London W1D 3QYReprinted 2010

www.acblack.com

This electronic edition published in 2012 by BloomsburyPublishing Plc

Copyright © 2010 text and illustrations by Celia Lewis

The right of Celia Lewis to be identified as the author of thiswork has been asserted by her in accordance with theCopyright, Design and Patents Act 1988.

ePub ISBN 978 1 4081 6998 8

Visit www.bloomsbury.com to find out more about ourauthors and their books You will find extracts, authorinterviews, author events and you can sign up for newslettersto be the first to hear about our latest releases and specialoffers

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from theBritish Library.

All rights reserved.You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce orotherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) inany form, or by any means (including without limitationelectronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying,printing, recording or otherwise), without the prior writtenpermission of the publisher. Any person who does any

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unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liableto criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

The author and publishers have made every effort to ensurethat all advice in this book is accurate and safe, and thereforecannot accept any liability for any resulting injury, damage orloss to persons or property, however it may arise.

Commissioning editor: Nigel RedmanProject editor: Julie BaileyDesign by Sutchinda Thompson and Jocelyn Lucas

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Contents

Foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales

Introduction

Choosing the right chickens

How the book works

Cocks or cockerels

Parts of a chicken

Combs

Dubbing

Feathers

Plumage

Types of feather

Feather markings

Feather patterns

Parts of a wing

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Housing and fencing

Hygiene

Acquiring stock

Buying hens or fertile eggs

Bringing them home

Pecking order

Feeding

What to feed

How much?

When?

Anything else?

Breeding your own stock

Broodiness

Preventing broodiness

Caring for the broody

Cocks and fertility

Using an incubator

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Breed profiles

Common ailments

Culling

Breed classes

Quick reference guide

Egg colours

Useful websites

Acknowledgements

Glossary

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Buff Orpington hen with chicks

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As Patron of both the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and thePoultry Club of Great Britain, I could not be more pleased tohave been invited to contribute the foreword to this beautifulbook, An Illustrated Guide to Chickens.

My family’s interest in poultry goes back to my Great GreatGreat Grandmother, Queen Victoria, who was presented witha flock of the first Brahmas ever seen in this country. Iunderstand their great size caused quite a stir! MyGrandmother, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, kept BuffOrpingtons and was enormously proud of her Patronage ofthe Buff Orpington Society. In my own case, ever since I wasa child and used to collect eggs from the farm at Windsor, Ihave had an interest in chickens and have continued thefamily tradition at Highgrove with both Marans andWelsummers.

It is a mark of the times in which we live that some fiftybreeds of chicken are now endangered and I hope and praythat this book, which is filled with practical information onkeeping birds, will draw attention to their plight andencourage existing and new breeders to play their part inrebuilding their numbers.

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Introduction

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Science has nowcome up with an answer to this riddle. It seems that all newspecies develop from a genetic mutation; if this is successfulfor survival then the new genes are passed on to followinggenerations and a new species is born. The first chicken was amutation of its avian parents and its life began in the eggbefore it hatched. So it was the egg that came first andhatched into what eventually became the Red Junglefowl orGallus gallus of South-east Asia, one of four distinctwildfowl, which is thought to be the ancestor of all domesticfowl.

There are historical references to some kind of domestic fowlas far back as 3000 BC, and by 1400 BC the Chinese andEgyptians had invented crude incubators from clay thathatched vast numbers of chicks at a time. Alexander the Greatis credited with introducing chickens to Europe around 500BC and the Romans continued to spread them far and wide.At first they were raised more for cockfighting than anythingelse, a sport that was popular worldwide.

Cockfighting is a fight between two cockerels whose naturalaggression causes them to fight to the death, either using theirown natural spurs or, more commonly, with razor-sharpblades known as cockspurs or gaffs attached to their legs. Thefight only ends when one bird is killed or is too tired tocontinue, and in many cases the victor is so severely injuredthat it dies as well. Cockfighting is now illegal in the UK andmost of Europe and the USA.

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Eventually poultry reached Britain, probably introduced bythe Romans, though it is possible they had already arrived byother means, and were eventually introduced to the NewWorld. The Conquistadors found poultry already establishedin South America, probably brought by Polynesian traderswhen they arrived in the early 15th century. They soon spreadnorth and were added to by the French settlers in Canada andcolonists from England.

Nowadays there are literally hundreds of breeds of chickensall over the world. The following pages will give you aninsight and hopefully help you make a selection.

Chickens are a joy to keep; they are adaptable creatures andwhether you are lucky enough to be able to let them freerange or have to keep them in a coop, there will be a breed tosuit you. There can be little that compares with the sight andsound of a magnificent cockerel or mother hen with her 12little troopers following obediently in her wake. They will eatup all your leftovers and turn them into delicious nourishingeggs – finding your first new-laid one will be a thrill andcollecting them daily will remain a pleasure.

Sadly many of the older breeds are now in danger ofextinction but some stock does still remain and it is withinanyone’s power to help preserve them. The rarer the breed themore you will be able to ask for any surplus stock if you wishto sell some, but equally they may be difficult to rear – which,indeed, is why they are suffering in the first place.

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Choosing the right chickens

Having decided hens are for you, your next decisions will behybrids or pure bred, large fowl or bantam? Do you want eggsor meat? Are they for show? Nearly all breeds of hen have abantam equivalent; there are also several breeds that are purebantam with no large version. Bantams make delightful petsand can become very tame – and they obviously need lessspace than their larger cousins. Most breeds will go broodyfrequently, making very good mothers, but they do lay verysmall eggs.

Adult hen

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Pullet

Bantam

A hybrid is a cross of two or more breeds that have beencarefully selected to produce birds with prolific egg-layingtendencies. There are many well-known hybrids and therewill be a breeder near you that stocks one or more. A hybridwill be the most economic egg-producing machine, so if youdon’t want chicks or a cockerel then these are for you as theyvery rarely go broody and would not breed true.

Pure breeds won’t lay quite as many eggs as hybrids andsome will tend to go broody, but you will be able to breedfrom them. It can be very rewarding to keep a rare breed and

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help preserve a species. Pure breeds come in an amazing arrayof colours, characters,shapes and sizes, some being better layers than others, someproducing better carcasses and some just lookingextraordinary.

Yamato-Gunkei

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Thüringian

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Transylvanian Naked Neck

Pure breeds are broken down into soft feather and hardfeather. The soft feather again comes in large, small andbantam – these are predominantly layers, though some aretermed dual purpose if they produce a good meaty carcass aswell. The Mediterranean breeds, such as Ancona or Leghorn,tend not to go broody, have white ear lobes and lay goodnumbers of white eggs. Asian soft feather arecharacteristically large with fluffy feathers and feathery legs,such as Brahma, Cochin and Langshan. The Asian gamefowlall have hard, tight feathering, are aggressive (as they weredeveloped to fight) and tend to go broody frequently whilelaying few eggs – this is not to say they are unpopular, aseven though cockfighting has been banned since 1849 there isplenty of competition in showing and these birds have strongand charming characters that endear them to their owners. It

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must be borne in mind, however, that they have been bred asfighting birds and this they will do. They can only be kept inpairs or trios and no new birds can be introduced as they willsimply not be accepted.

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How the book works

Over the following pages 100 breeds of chicken aredescribed, with illustrations. All individual breeds havedifferent character strains within them so please note that thedescriptions given are a guide only and where a hen isdescribed perhaps as being flighty, this will be the generalcharacteristic of that breed; certain lines of the same breedmay be calm, but they will be the minority.

The illustrations are typical types of each breed, but if you arethinking of showing your birds then you should consult yourcountry’s breed standard (see below).

TYPE: whether the breed is suitable for laying eggs – layer –or will lay few eggs but produce a fine carcass – table. It maylay plenty of eggs and also produce a good carcass, known as‘dual purpose’, or could be purely ornamental.

CLASS: game birds and Asian gamefowl are classed as hardfeather, which means they have short feathers so tight to theirbodies that in some cases the skin shows through. Softfeather, where the plumage is looser and fluffier, comes intwo sizes, light and heavy – light being mainly birds ofMediterranean origin that are excellent layers and heavy

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those larger breeds that are frequently dual purpose. Truebantams are birds that have no large equivalent – most largebreeds having a bantam equivalent.

ORIGIN: where the breed first originated.

EGG COLOUR: which colour or colours of egg are producedby the breed.

STATUS: whether the breed is common, fairly common orrare. In this context rare means probably fewer than 500breeding females in existence – in some cases considerablyless than that.

COMB TYPE: breed found with one or more of the six typesof comb.

FEATHER COLOURING: each breed may come in severaldifferent colourways.

BROODY: whether the breed tends to go broody frequently,occasionally or not at all.

NO. OF EGGS/YEAR: a loose guide to give an idea of howmany eggs to expect each year. N.B. this is dependent onmany things, such as food, comfort, age, etc.

0–50 very few

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50–100 few

100–150 moderate

150–200 prolific

200 or more very prolific

BREED STANDARD: whether the breed is recognised by aparticular poultry organisation and has a standard, meaningthat a set of detailed guidelines are laid down with exactingdetails of plumage, head and leg colouring, etc., with a scaleof points for judging and serious defects.

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PCGB: Poultry Club of Great Britain

APA: American Poultry Association

Europe: Various European countries have a standard for thisbreed

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Cocks or cockerels

Blue laced Wyandotte cock

You do not need a cock (known as a cockerel until his firstmoult) for your hens to lay eggs; this they will do anyway,but without one they will not be fertile.

There are definite pros and cons to keeping a cock. On the proside you will be able to hatch chicks, he will look magnificentand to an extent he will protect his flock from predators, or atleast be the first line of defence. He will also be charming tothe hens, calling them over when he finds some food – he has

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an ulterior motive, of course, but the hens always respond. Onthe con side he will crow. He will crow frequently during theday and start before dawn – various bantam cocks even crowin the middle of the night. To some this will be a delightfulsound of the country but to others it will be an unpleasantnuisance, so this should be an important consideration. Youcan keep him quieter by making sure he stays in a darkhenhouse until a reasonable hour; he will also find it difficultto crow if he can’t lift up his head, so a high perch or crampedconditions may keep him quiet to an extent.

Another con is that if you only have three or four hens hisfavourite one may suffer from his attentions and develop abare back and neck – if you are wanting to show your birdsyou can acquire a ‘saddle’, which is a sort of light cover thatfits on the hen’s back. A cock can service at least ten hens sokeeping six or more should spread his attentions.

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Game cock

Finally, he may very well be aggressive. He will certainly beaggressive towards another cockerel but he may also find youa threat and take, literally, to attacking the hand that feedshim. Plenty of cocks are perfectly friendly, particularly thelarger breeds, and even gamefowl tend only to be aggressivetowards their own kind.

Don’t forget he will be another mouth to feed with no return –unless you are considering coq au vin.

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Parts of a chicken

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Combs

The comb is the red fleshy growth on the top of a chicken’shead and is usually larger in the cockerel. It is one of thedistinguishing features of each breed and comes in manyvarieties. Chickens cannot sweat and so blood pumpingthrough the exposed comb and wattles naturally cools the restof the body. It is also a useful signal of the overall health ofthe bird and in the hen indicates whether or not she is in lay.

In lay

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Not in lay

Single: the most common type of comb. Single combs comein many sizes, may be upright or flop to one or both sides andare usually larger in the cockerel. There may be differentnumbers of serrations or spikes.

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Single

Twisted single

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Single to one side

Rose comb

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Rose: the second most common type found. Rose combscover the top of the head like a flat cap with a tapering spikeat the back and are covered in small round knobbles. Thespike may follow the line of the neck, be horizontal or turn upat the end.

Pea or triple

Pea or triple: a low comb with three ridges, the middle oneslightly higher than the other two and covered with smallpea-like protuberances.

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V-shaped

V-shaped: this is made up of two horn-like growths joined atthe base.

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Walnut or cushion

Walnut or cushion: a small comb with no spikes orprotuberances – sits rather forward on the chicken’s head.

Cup

Cup: this is really two single combs joined at the front andback and resembles a crown.

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Dubbing

The Old English, Modern and certain other game birds canonly be shown if the cockerels have been ‘dubbed’. This isthe removal of the comb and wattles when the birds areapproximately six months old. Combs are trimmed close tothe line of the head and the wattles similarly to the throat,although each breed has its particular style and breedstandards should be consulted. This practice has now beenbanned in some European countries. Originally dubbing wasto prevent injury when the birds were used for fighting butnowadays is purely cosmetic. In cold climates it does help toprotect them from frostbite.

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Blue red Modern Game cock

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Feathers

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Plumage

Chicken feathers come in an astonishing range of colours andpatterns, which help to make each breed recognisable. Theplumage plays an important role, protecting the chicken fromrain, cold and sun, and they must spend a considerable part oftheir time maintaining it. This is done by preening. Eachfeather has an axis or shaft, on to either side of which arefixed the vanes; each vane has barbs on either side, whichcling together but need to be ‘combed’ by the chicken, whoalso applies oil from a gland at the base of its tail. Dustbathing also plays an important part in feather maintenance.

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Cockerels can be distinguished from hens by the fact thatsome of their feathers take on a different shape. Their hackleand saddle feathers are thinner and longer than a hen’s andthey also develop sickles, which are the spectacular curvedfeathers on either side of the tail. Some breeds have muchfluffier feathers than others, and game breeds have very tightfeathering that often leaves a strip of bare skin down thebreast. There may be feathering on the legs, and some breedssport beards, muffs and crests.

Every year hens moult, generally at the beginning of autumn,and replace their old feathers with new. As feathers arelargely made up of protein, this takes a good deal of the hen’senergy and it is important to give her plenty of replacement

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protein in the form of good-quality layers’ ration at this time.She will stop laying until her moult is complete, which couldtake anywhere between six and twelve weeks, and if the daysare growing shorter she may not start laying again until theystart to lengthen after the winter solstice.

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Types of feather

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Feather markings

Barring: two distinct colours in bars across the feather – theymay be regular or irregular and the width can vary.

Lacing: a border of a different colour right around the edgeof the feather – may be broad or narrow.

Double lacing: as lacing, but with a second loop inside.

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Frizzled: each feather is curled, causing the bird to lookdistinctly unkempt.

Mottled: spotted in a different colour in a random fashion.

Spangling: a distinct contrasting colour at the end of thefeather.

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Splash: often drop-shaped marks of a contrasting colour in arandom fashion.

Pencilling: this is the tricky one as it goes more or less withthe breed. Mostly it can look like a kind of barring but canalso be fine lacing. Hamburgh hens have stripes and the darkBrahma has concentric lines round the feathers similar tolacing; both are known as pencilling.

Peppered: feathers look as if someone has ground pepper onto them – the specks being a darker colour.

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Feather patterns

Birchen: hackle, back saddle and shoulders white; neckhackles narrow black striping; breast black with silver lacing.

Black: male and female uniformly black with green sheen.

Black mottled: male and female black ground with whiteV-shaped tips on random feathers.

Black red: red hackles and black body and tail.

Blue: male and female uniformly slaty blue, head and neckmay be darker; lacing if present darker.

Buff: male and female uniformly buff.

Chamois: male and female uniformly buff with paler lacing.

Columbian: male and female body mainly white; neck andtail black with some white lacing.

Crele: male hackles, back and saddle barred orange on paleground; body barred grey and white. Female hackles barredgreyish brown on pale ground; breast salmon; body as male.

Cuckoo: male and female dark grey to black indistinctbarring on white ground. female can be darker than male.

Exchequer: male and female black and white randomly overbody in blobs.

Gold barred: golden ground with distinct black barring.

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Gold spangled: male and female hackle golden red with darkvane; body gold ground with black spangles; tail black.

Jubilee: male head, neck, body, legs and tail white; back andwings white with dark red markings. female head and neckwhite; rest of body dark red with single or double lacing.

Lavender: male and female uniform slaty grey throughout.

Mahogany: male and female rich mahogany brownthroughout.

Millefleur: male and female orange ground with blackspangles with white highlights.

Partridge: male hackle, back and saddle greenish black withred lacing; breast and body black. female reddish lacing onblack ground.

Pile: male head golden, hackle and saddle lighter; back red;front of neck white; wings mainly white. female hackle whitewith gold lacing; neck and body white with salmon breast.

Porcelain: similar to Millefleur but bright beige ground.

Quail: complicated colouring giving impression that upperparts are dark and lower light; gold lacing and shafts.

Red: male and female bright red throughout.

Silver barred: male and female white to pale grey groundwith bright black barring.

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Silver cuckoo: male and female white to pale grey groundwith dark grey to black indistinct broad barring.

Silver duckwing: male silver hackles and back; breast andbody black; tail black with silver edging. female silvery greywith salmon breast; tail and wings black with grey edging.

Silver spangled: male and female grey ground with blackspangles.

Speckled: in speckled Sussex male and female mahoganyground with white tips and black/green intermediate stripe.

Splash: male and female white ground with irregular slatyblue blobs, grey in places.

Wheaten: male gold hackles, rich brown body and dark greentail; female shades of wheat from golden to chestnut withblack tips.

White: male and female uniformly white throughout.

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Parts of a wing

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Housing and fencing

You are going to need a henhouse of some sort. Hens arehardy creatures but they do need a degree of pampering ifthey are going to lay well. There are all kinds of purpose-builthenhouses available in a wide range of sizes, so firstly youmust decide how large your flock is going to be. Each henwill require about 25cm (10 inches) of perching space andthere should be a nesting box per four or five birds.Purpose-built houses come with pop-holes, nesting boxes andperches ready made but can be pricey. A less expensiveoption is to buy the smallest tool shed available and convert itby making a pop-hole (25cm x 30cm [10 x 12 inches] foraverage-size hens), adding a perch and putting in somenesting boxes – these could simply be wooden wine cases oreven cardboard boxes filled with either hay or wood shavings.The other alternative is a fold unit or ark; these are veryversatile as they have a small run attached and can be movedaround with ease. Fold units are small and bantams are goingto be the most suitable occupants, as even a large ark is verycramped for a full-size hen.

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Fold unit or ark

Unless your hens are going to be totally free range, you willneed a fox-proof run. This means a 2.1–2.4m (7–8ft) highchicken-wire fence either dug 45cm (18 inches) into theground or with 45cm (18 inches) of netting laid flat on theground on the outside of the fence to prevent foxes digging in.You may need an electric fence as well – just a couple ofstrands at the bottom and one at the top; foxes are aformidable foe and persistent, and if they do manage to getinto your run, they will kill all the hens whether they cancarry them away or not.

Also available is electrified poultry netting; this has theadvantage that it can be easily moved to a clean patch ofground. You will require a battery-, mains-or solar-poweredelectrifier.

If you go for totally free range, you will have to shut up yourhens in their house at night (bearing in mind that they go tobed at dusk and this isn’t until 21:30 hrs in June) and let themout again in the morning – no more Sunday lie-ins. Nowadaysone can acquire an automatic pop-hole door. This is a smallbattery-powered gadget that opens and closes the pop-holedepending on light sensitivity and can be set for specific timesif required.

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Typical henhouse

One method is to have a small fox-proof run around the houseso that the hens can be let out to free range during the day butbe safely shut in when they have their corn in their safe areain the evening, and can go to bed and get up when they like.

Free-range hens will be utterly content but they will scratchand have dust baths in flowerbeds and munch merrily throughyour lettuces and cabbages if they have access to a vegetablegarden.

Most likely you will have to keep them in a run as large asyou can make it, and unless it is extremely large it willeventually become bare from their constant scratching. Thehens, however, will be completely happy and you can throwin weeds, gone-to-seed vegetables or even straw for them toforage about in. If space is no problem, make two runs side by

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side that can both be accessed from the house and that wayone can be rested at a time.

They will also need a daytime shelter of some sort (fromeither rain or sun), a dry spot for dust bathing and somewhereto be fed if wet. One idea would be to put your house up onblocks with a ramp for the hens to walk up, so that there is agood dry area underneath.

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Hygiene

Periodically you will need to clean out your henhouse – thedroppings are high in nitrogen and make excellent fertiliser,or just add them to your compost heap.

If uncontrolled your flock may get red spider mite or lice,particularly if they live in crowded conditions. There areplenty of preventative products on the market and if yousprinkle the powder or spray around the house, particularly onperches and in nesting boxes, each time you clean out thereshould be no problem. It is also a good idea to change thecontents of the nesting boxes frequently.

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Acquiring stock

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Buying hens or fertile eggs

You’ve decided on your breed, now you need to acquire somebirds. If you have managed to borrow a broody or bought asmall incubator, you need fertile eggs. These can come quitesafely by post and you can find breeders with hatching eggsfor sale by looking in poultry magazines or, in this day andage, by searching on the web, although if using this methodmake sure they are reputable breeders and not just selling yousupermarket eggs. Eggs that come by post should be given atleast a 12-hour rest period before being introduced to thebroody or incubator. Another good source would be poultrysociety or agricultural shows, and some country markets alsohave large poultry sections with live birds as well as hatchingeggs.

If you want to head straight into adult birds, they will have tobe more local – you can find lists of breeders in poultry

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magazines or approach a particular breed club or local poultrysociety. The younger the bird, the cheaper; chicks are ‘offheat’ at about five weeks, meaning they no longer need theirmother or a heat lamp, although this may still be too early totell which are pullets and which cockerels. Pullets areconsidered to be point-of-lay at about 21 weeks and thiswould be the ideal age to buy, but they will be considerablymore expensive.

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Bringing them home

Hens are totally docile in the dark and easy to pick up andmove, so having collected your birds let them stay in theirboxes until dark and then introduce them to their house. Ifthese are your first birds and they have no older ones tofollow, they may not know to go into their house at night –you will have to teach them. Each night, check if they havegone into their house and if not retrieve them from theirchosen spot and set them on the perch; they will very soon getthe message.

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Pecking order

Hens soon establish a pecking order and any introduced to theflock will be at the bottom of it, so in order to preventbullying never introduce just one hen but always two or more.Hens can be very unkind to newcomers at first, pecking andchasing them off the food, but they will soon settle in.Gamefowl or Asian gamefowl can only be kept in very smallgroups, possibly just a pair or ‘trio’, which is one male birdand two females – they are so aggressive that newcomers willnever be accepted.

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Feeding

There are many and varied views on this subject but thefollowing is a common-sense guide. Basically find a routinethat fits in with your own – hens are versatile creatures andyou can put in as much or as little time as you like, but if youmake their feeding totally automated you will miss half thefun of owning a flock. Feeding time is the ideal moment toget to know your hens and develop an eye for trouble before itoccurs. Does one look out of sorts? Is another being bullied?If you’re familiar with your birds you will minimise the riskof problems.

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What to feed

Your local feed merchant will stock mixed poultry corn, chickcrumbs, growers’ pellets, layers’ mash and layers’ pellets.Your hens can eat anything that you can, as long as it hasbeen cooked, as well as such things as outside lettuce orcabbage leaves – greens help to make the yolk orange. Theywill also enjoy potato and other vegetable peelings but thesemust be boiled up for them. They can’t eat such things asbanana skin, orange peel or tea bags. They will thoroughlyenjoy bread crusts, cake and stale biscuits, but avoid anythingsalty as birds have an intolerance to salt.

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How much?

This is never an exact science. It all depends on the size andage of your hens, how much they are going to be able to findfor themselves, what the weather is like, what quantity ofscraps you have, etc. As a very simple rule of thumb, about ahandful of pellets and a handful of corn for each bird is aboutright. Feeding is something you will eventually get a feel for,and if you include scraps with their meal and there is anythingleft after anhour, you are probably feeding too much – any food left lyingaround will encourage rats and other vermin. If it has all gonein 15 minutes, this is probably too little.

The following is purely a guide and presumes that your hensdo not have access to any other food.

• A chick of 6 weeks old will require approximately 50g (2oz)per day, divided between chick crumbs and corn

• A grower of 12 weeks will require approximately 75g (3oz)per day, divided between growers’ or layers’ pellets or mashand corn

• A laying hen will require 125g (4½oz) per day, dividedbetween pellets or mash and corn

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• You could always just put mash or pellets and corn inhoppers and let them help themselves ad libitum, whichwould be fine if you were away for a day or two, but can leadto the hens getting over-fat and lazy.

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When?

Ideally give the mash or pellets feed first thing in the morningand the corn an hour or so before bed or in late afternoon inthe summer – this is also the time to collect the eggs.

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Anything else?

Your hens will drink a surprising amount of water, especiallywhen they are laying, so make sure they always have aplentiful supply and that it is defrosted in winter (this isimportant if you are away for a day or two – you must getsomeone to come in and check that the water hasn’t frozensolid if there is any chance of frost). Specially designed watertowers are best, but small buckets will also do as long as thehen can reach the water. Narrow-lipped drinkers will berequired for birds with fancy feathering on their heads, tokeep it from getting wet.

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Water tower

They will need a supply of oyster shell, to replace the calciumneeded to make eggshells, and grit, which they use in theirgizzards to grind up their food.

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Breeding your own stock

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Broodiness

A hen is described as ‘broody’ when she feels she has laid herclutch and is ready to start sitting or incubating them. Youwill find she has remained in the nest box all day and nightand fluffs up her feathers if you put your hand under her toremove eggs. She may well peck your hand but won’t get offthe nest.

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Preventing broodiness

If you do not have a cock your hens may still go broody buttheir eggs will not be fertile, so you must decide whether toacquire some fertile hatching eggs from somewhere else ortry and dissuade her. Dissuading will not be easy but what shewants is to think she is sitting on her clutch, so preventing herfrom getting to the nest box is the first move. If you can puther outside the run (she will be easy to pick up) for a spelleach day, she will run up and down trying to get back in andeventually forget her broodiness, but it may be some timebefore she starts to lay again. Another method is to have asmall house with a slatted or wire-netting floor, where anybreeze will cool her breast and she will be unable to sit. Oneof the strange laws of poultry keeping is that if you don’twant a broody, whatever you do the hen will be very difficultto discourage, but if you have been waiting patiently for oneand want to hatch eggs, your broody will be surprisingly easyto upset and stop her sitting at once!

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Caring for the broody

If you want to breed then a broody is a joy as she will do allthe work for you. Firstly make sure she really is broody. Ifpossible move her (tactfully at night) to a nest box well awayfrom the other hens. If she remains with the other hens shewill allow them to adddaily to her clutch and you will have to try and sort out thenewly laid eggs as they will obviously have a differenthatching date. Set her on some old or china eggs, even golfballs would do, to make sure she is settled.

You have a week or so to collect your own fertile eggs oracquire some. Choose clean, well-shaped eggs and keep themin a cool place; they should not be warm, about 12°C (55°F)is fine. Do not wash or wipe them but place them pointed enddown in an egg box and alter their position once a day. Aneasy way to do this is to prop the box up on one side and

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swap sides each day. They will keep for at least 14 days, buthatchability goes down after about 10 days, and those thathave come by post should be no more than 7 days old. Eggsthat arrive by post should be given at least 12 hours to restbefore being introduced to the broody.

Once you have collected your clutch, which could be up to 12for a full-size hen or 12 bantam’s eggs or 5 or 6 full-size eggsfor a bantam, remove the false eggs and pop the hatching eggsunder the broody, being careful not to upset her – this is bestdone at night.

She will now settle in for the 21 days it takes for the eggs tohatch, carefully turning them several times a day. She willprobably only leave her nest once a day to drink, eat anddefecate – do not worry if you do not see her get off and trynot to disturb her. Leave her food – she will be happy with acouple of handfuls of wheat – and make sure she has freshwater.

In her natural state, when the hen gets off her nest to eat anddrink she would dampen her breast in the dew on the grass –if she is confined to a shed or has no access to outside it is agood idea to sprinkle the eggs with lukewarm water verycarefully on the last fewdays before hatching is due – chicks formed but dead in theshell when the hatching date is reached is a sign of lack ofhumidity.

On the 21st day the eggs will start to ‘pip’, which is when thechick, using its egg tooth (a horny growth on the end of itsbeak), begins to break through the shell. Once it has made asmall hole it will rest for up to eight hours; at this point you

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can often hear the chick already cheeping from inside itsshell. It then continues the laborious task of breaking free.The mother will wait until she is sure that all the chicks havehatched and dried before bringing them out – they can happilysurvive for 36 hours with no food or water, living off theremaining yolk in their stomachs. If after 36 hours yoususpect there are still unhatched eggs, then it is best to removethem. Have ready a low container of chick crumbs and awater container that the chicks can reach into but not drownin -the addition of a few stones will help to make it safe.Don’t forget food for the broody herself; you can give hermixed corn and she will break it up for the chicks and showand encourage them to eat the crumbs.

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Cocks and fertility

When a cock is introduced to the flock the laying hens willbecome fertile after a couple of days, but if you want to hatcheggs then wait a week to be safe. If your cock shouldsuddenly die for whatever reason, the hens’ eggs will remainfertile for up to four weeks – it therefore follows that if youhave two cocks running with your flock but only want one tofertilise the hens, it will be four weeks from the day youremove the unwanted cock until you can be certain all theprogeny will be the remaining cock’s.

Salmon Faverolle cock

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In the poultry world inbreeding is normal; in fact manydistinct strains are created by what is called ‘line-breeding’,where the entire strain emanates from one cock and hen. Aslong as the best layers and lookers are used, there should beno problem, although eventually inbreeding will causeinfertility, so occasional new blood should be introduced.

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Using an incubator

Without a broody you can still rear chicks by using anincubator – the results are never quite as good and you shouldexpect the occasional failure. Incubators come in all sorts andsizes, from tiny models that will require hand turning of theeggs several times a day, to medium-sized that will take20–40 eggs and do the turning automatically, to enormouscommercial cabinets that may take several hundred eggs.There are two types of incubators: forced-air machines thathave a fan built in to circulate the air and still-air incubatorswith no fan. What they all have in common is that thehumidity and temperature must be correct – 37.7°C (100°F)for forced air and 39.4°C (103F) for still air.

Machines will all be slightly different, so read the instructionsthat come with it to find out exactly what temperature andhow much and where the water for humidity should be added.During incubation the water will evaporate and have to betopped up – always add warm water, as close as possible tothe temperature in the incubator. Each machine will have aventilation hole – follow instructions for how open or closedit should be.

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Wyandotte chick

After eight days you can ‘candle’ the eggs to see if they arefertile. This involves holding each egg in front of a brightlight. You can buy special candling lamps but home-madeversions work just as well. You need a bulb or torch inside abox with an egg-shaped hole on the top. The egg is held overthe hole so that the light shines through and you can seeinside. This is best done in a darkened room. At seven to eightdays a fertile egg will have blood vessels that look rather likeleggy spiders and an obvious air sacat the broad end. At 14 days any infertile eggs will appearclear and should be removed and those growing correctly willhave a large shadow and enlarged air sac.

For the last three days before hatching, remove the machinefrom its cradle or stop turning and increase the humidityslightly. Try to resist opening the machine when hatchingstarts (this will be hard!), to maintain humidity. Pipping willstart on the 21st day, when the chick will break through theshell with its special egg tooth, a horny projection on the endof its beak. Remember that once pipped the chick may rest forat least 8 hours before continuing to hatch, and the wholeprocess may take 24 hours. Never help a chick from its shell –it will hatch on its own or there will be a reason why it doesnot.

If you are unlucky enough to have a power cut whileincubating all may not be lost. There are various methods ofkeeping the eggs warm. Firstly cover the incubator withblankets or find a box large enough to fit over it; alternatively,make a makeshift frame and set nightlight candles in jam jarsinside. This should be sufficient to maintain warmth until the

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power returns. Embryos can survive at slightly lowertemperatures for up to 18 hours, although this may mean thehatch will be one day later.

The chicks will rest for a while when they have finally brokenfree of the shell but they will soon be on their feet. As soon asthey have all dried and fluffed up, remove them to the rearingpen with heat lamp that you have already prepared.

Welsummer chicks

If you have room create a circular enclosure with cardboardor other flexible material so that there are no corners forchicks to get trapped. Hang the lamp slightly to one side andat a height so that it is 32°C (90°F) at ground level. Thechicks will also need shallow containers for chick crumbs andspecial chick drinkers. When introducing the chicks to theirnew home, dip their beaks carefully in the water and placethem under the lamp. They do not need to eat or drink on theirfirst day but make sure they havefound the food and water on the following day. Byobservation you will be able to see if the temperature iscorrect; the chicks will spread right out away from the lamp ifit is too hot and crowd together underneath if too cool. Each

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week raise the lamp a little, until by week three thetemperature is no more than 23°C (75°F). During summer thechicks should no longer need a heat source once they are fiveweeks old – keep it on for another week or so in cold weather.

When your hatch is successfully over, make sure to removeall shell debris from the incubator and rinse out the interior,making certain that it is totally dry before closing it up.

Day-old chicks can successfully be introduced to a broodywho has been sitting on sham eggs. Do this at night in as quieta way as possible. Gently remove a couple of the sham eggsand pop a couple of day-olds in their place. Wait to see if thehen will accept them before continuing to remove the eggsand replace them with chicks.

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BREED PROFILES

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Ancona

Ancona cock

Eye-catching, reliable layer that is happy in all but veryconfined situations

The Ancona is a tough, hardy bird that originated in theItalian port of its name, probably from Leghorn stock, in themid-19th century. It has beautiful black mottled feathers thathave a beetle-green sheen in the sun and end with white tips.At first the white tips may not be very prevalent, but witheach moult they become more so; this gives the birds aslightly camouflaged appearance, making them suitable forfree ranging where predators may be a problem.

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White ear lobes denote a white egg layer, and the Anconaproduces a prolific number, tending, like other Mediterraneanbreeds, not to go broody; it does, however, lay well throughthe winter. The single comb may droop to one side after thefirst point on the hen though it is upright on the cock – rosecomb varieties are also found.

This is an active bird, some might say flighty, that is happiestwith plenty of space; any fencing will have to be high as theyare also excellent flyers.

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Black mottled Ancona hen

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Ancona day-old chick

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Andalusian

Andalusian hen showing comb flopping to one side

Andalusian cock

An attractive bird that needs specialist breeding and is moresuited to free range

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The Andalusian was developed in Spain in the mid-19thcentury. Its beautiful blue plumage with slate black lacing isproduced by crossing a splash (blue-and-white mottled) cockwith a black hen and doesn’t breed true – i.e. two blue birdsmated together produce a mixture of colours – although it isonly the blues that are eligible to be shown. The bright redcomb flops to one side after the first point and can sufferfrostbite in cold climates – the bird being more suited to heat.It is an active forager that can run fast and tends to avoidhuman contact, which makes it difficult to tame.

This is not a beginner’s bird, not only because of its flightycharacter but because even if two blue birds are matedtogether the chances of breeding true blue offspring are smalland most of the young stock will have black or white splashesin their plumage.

Known as the Blue Andalusian in the United States.

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Blue Andalusian hen

Andalusian day-old chick

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Appenzeller

Black Appenzeller cock

An exotic-looking bird that prefers plenty of space

The national breed of Switzerland, named after thestrange-shaped bonnets worn by the local girls from theAppenzell area, which resemble the bird’s crest. This is ahardy bird, active, and an accomplished flyer that likes itsspace and doesn’t do well in confinement. If left to itself itwill happily roost up trees and seems able to survivesnowstorms. It is a bird well adapted to mountain living as ithas a very small comb and wattle, which reduce the risk offrostbite, and has tight feathering to retain heat. Similar inappearance to the Brabanter.

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Also known as the Appenzeller Spitshauben, which translatesas bonnet from Appenzell. There is another type, calledAppenzeller Barthuhner or Bearded Hen, which is a largerversion with a rose comb and beard but no crest. This breedwas developed from crossing with Leghorns, RussianBearded and a now extinct type of Poland. The Barthuhnerlays a tinted rather than white egg but is similar in characterto its more popular cousin.

Various feather colourings are found, including black, blackmottled, blue, chamois, gold spangled and silver spangled.

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Silver Appenzeller hen

Appenzeller day-old chick

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Silver spangled Appenzeller hen

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Araucana

Araucana day-old chicks

A conversation piece that lays exotically coloured eggs

This strange hen was named after the Arauca Indians ofcentral Chile and can still be found in the wild in the Amazonbasin. There is some dispute over how it arrived in the UKbut tales of blue egg layers surviving shipwrecks in theHebrides abound and Araucanas are still popular in theScottish Islands.

Araucanas have a rather upright stance with ear-tufts and crestand virtually no wattles; they are adaptable to confinement,do not show aggression and do well free range. Their eggscan range from blue through greenish khaki to pink; hence thenickname ‘the Easter egg chicken’. The birds come in manyfairly random colours, but two lavenders mated together willproduce lavender offspring.

In the United States, Araucanas are always rumpless, i.e. theyhave no tail; in fact the entire coccyx is missing and there is

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no uropygium or parson’s nose – this does not affect theirlaying ability. They also have pronounced ear-tufts, whichuniquely grow from a lump of fleshy skin behind the ear lobe;ideally these should point backwards.

The tailed version is known as an Ameraucana in the UnitedStates, and this should sport a muff and beard, along with apea comb.

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Araucana hen

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Lavender Araucana cock

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Ardenner

Ardenner pullet – note the dark skin colouring

Ardenner pullet

A hardy bird, best suited to living free range

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This old Belgian breed is a tough bird that has a reputation forlaying well through the winter. Its wattles, face and singlecomb are a strange purplish colour, sometimes referred to as‘gypsy face’ or compared to the colour of mulberries or evenblackberries. Ardenners come in a large variety of colourssuch as partridge, white, black and golden-necked black, andsilver and golden salmon. The birds’ legs are also very dark,ranging from dusky to almost completely black. There is alsoa rumpless version of this breed (meaning the bird has notail), which supposedly makes it harder for foxes to catch ifkept free range, as there is nothing for them to get hold of.Indeed these birds hate to be shut in and will roost in trees ifgiven the chance. If left in the wild they would survivehappily by themselves.

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Golden Salmon Ardenner cock

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Golden Salmon Ardenner hen

Ardenner chick

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Asil, Reza Asil (or Aseel)

Asil day-old chick

Needs experienced handling and wouldn’t suit a mixed flock

Known in India at least 2,000 years ago and possibly evenlonger. Its name means ‘of long pedigree’ in Arabic or ‘highborn’ in Hindi, and indeed this is an intelligent bird that bearsconfinement well and is docile if away from other cockerels.Together the birds are very aggressive and will fight to thedeath – which is, in fact, what they were bred to do. Ratherthan having sharp spurs fitted to their legs, as in somecockfighting, in the Asil, the spurs were covered and thefights were trials of endurance, which could last days at atime.

The hens do occasionally go broody and make very protectivemothers, but the chicks start fighting the moment they leavethe egg. This is a robust breed that enjoys heat and is slow tomature. The upright stance with tail sloping down andheavy-browed eyes giving a rather haughty appearance.

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Asil cock

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Australorp

Australorp hen

Australorp day-old chick – the pale undercolour graduallydisappears

An excellent all-round bird for any situation

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The Australorp was developed in Australia from blackOrpington stock imported from England. One of this breedwas reputedly a record layer in the 1920s, producing 364 eggsin 365 days.

The birds have a reputation for maturing early and laying onthrough the winter when other breeds stop. A large bird withbulging black eyes and somewhat fluffy feathering, they arehardy, docile creatures that are easily handled. They makevery good mothers and can hatch up to 15 eggs at a time. Thechicks, when born, have white down on their undersides,which gradually turns black as they develop.

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Barbu d’Anvers

Quail Barbu d’Anvers hen with beard and muff

Barbu d’Anvers day-old chicks

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A small, striking bird well suited to a small run

This true bantam has existed in the Netherlands and Belgiumsince the 17th century, appearing in Dutch Masters’ paintingsof that time. Anvers is the French name for Antwerp and itcan sometimes be called the Antwerp Bearded Bantam. Itsbeard, thick muff covering the ear lobes and upright stancegive it a striking appearance, causing it to constantly look asif it is about to crow. These bantams differ from the otherBarbus in that they are always clean-legged.

Cocks can be aggressive in the breeding season but generallylack spurs. A special drinker will be required to keep thebeard and muff dry.

Barbu du Grubbe is the name of the rumpless version createdby a breeder of d’Anvers and named after their place oforigin, Grubbe.

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Barbu d’Anvers cock

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Barbu d’Uccle

Millefleur Barbu d’Uccle hen

Barbu d’Uccle day-old chick

Pretty and popular breed that would grace any garden

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Created by crossing a Booted Bantam with a Barbu d’Anversin 1880, the Barbu d’Uccle has well-feathered legs. It differsfrom the Booted Bantam in that it also has a thick beard andmuff and very small wattles, whereas the Booted Bantam hasno beard and large wattles. These birds are good flyers andforagers but will need specialist care to keep the feathers inorder – shelter from rain and no mud.

The fact that they have heavily feathered legs and feet makesthis a suitable breed for keeping in a garden as the featheringlimits the amount of scratching they can do.

Sometimes known as Millefleurs (thousand flowers) orMillies as this is the commonest colouring, consisting of anorange/red ground with black-and-white mottled feathers.

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Millefleur Barbu d’Uccle cock

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Barbu du Watermael

Barbu du Watermael cock

Small and lively but with a very loud crow

Named after the Brussels suburb Watermael-Bosvoorde, thistrue bantam is similar to the d’Anvers though lighter in frame.Being small they are happy in very confined spaces and easyto tame but have an exceedingly shrill crow, beginning earlyin the morning, so a well-insulated house is required unlessneighbours are far enough away not to be disturbed.

They go broody frequently and make good reliable mums butare so small that they can’t sit on more than seven of their

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own eggs and a maximum of five full-size eggs. They willrequire a water-tower drinker to protect their beard and muff.

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Barnevelder

Double laced Barnevelder hen

A reliable, handsome layer of gorgeous dark eggs

These fine layers were originally developed in Holland to laydark brown eggs. Many breeds were used in theirdevelopment, including Marans to improve egg colour, whichis a dark reddish brown, although the eggs tend to becomelighter as the season progresses. They have been found in theBarneveld district of Holland since the 12th or 13th century.Locals there claimed that their hens laid 313 eggs a year(being religious they rested on the Sabbath or it would havebeen 365!)

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A large, docile and friendly bird, Barnevelders are poor flyersand can be contained by even a low fence. They are knownfor their rather lazy disposition so would be ideal if only asmall space was available – however, they can run to fat,which will affect their laying performance. They are hardyand are known to endure damp weather, continuing to laythrough the winter, though it takes sunlight to show off thebeauty of their greenish black lacing on bronze feathers.Other colours found are black, partridge and white or silver,but it is the laced variety that is most popular and striking.

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Barnevelder cock

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Barnevelder day-old chick

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Booted Bantam

Lemon millefleur Booted Bantam hen

An ideal pet particularly suited to life in a garden

Imported into Holland in the 16th century from Java, this is avery old breed. They are sometimes called Sabelpoots in theNetherlands, Sabelpoot Kriel translating as ‘sword-leggedbantam’, which refers to the very large ‘vulture’ hocks. Theseand the wide leg feathers need to be kept dry, so a mud-freecovered area will be required. The heavily feathered feetsupposedly discourage scratching, therefore limiting thedamage that can be done to lawns and flower beds.

These are very small but decorative bantams very popular inGermany and the Netherlands, with delightful characters.

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They come in a wide variety of colours, some quite striking.Although they will spend a lot of their time broody they areso small that even a child will be able to handle them andmake excellent pets if the number of eggs produced is notimportant.

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Brabançonne

Brabançonne hen

Brabançonne hen showing the twisted comb

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Brabançonne hen

A specialist breed that is happiest free range

No one knows quite how the Brabançonne got its name but itis the title of the Belgian national anthem and the Belgian flagis black, yellow and red, rather similar in colouring to the hen.It seems more likely that they originated in the Brabant area.A good layer of exceptionally large eggs; although beingrather slow to develop, laying may not begin until the pullet issix or seven months old. The single comb folds over in a twistin front of a small crest or topknot, giving the hen a slightlycomical look.

Brabançonnes are excellent flyers and need high fencing tokeep them in. They are efficient foragers, finding most oftheir food if given the chance. They are not naturally friendlyand prefer their own company.

This is not the same breed as the Brabanter, which is verymuch a table breed.

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Brabanter

Gold spangled Brabanter hen

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Brabanter day-old chick

An eye-catching rare breed with a calm disposition

The Brabanter is known to be a very old breed from the factthat they feature in 17th century Dutch paintings. In 1900they were thought to be extinct but were recreated in 1920.

Their striking appearance is rather similar to the Appenzeller,with an upright crest and ‘V’ comb, but in the Brabanter’scase there is also a beard. This is a docile, intelligent breedthat will live happily in a small enclosure but can run to fat ifit lacks exercise. The fact that its comb and wattle are smallmakes it eminently suitable for cold climates where frostbitemay be a problem.

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Braekel (or Brakel)

Silver Braekel hen

Beautiful attention-grabbing birds not to be confused withCampine

The Braekel is documented as far back as the 15th centuryand was once very common in Europe. Although it becamealmost extinct in 1970, it is now recovering in numbers.

It is a proud-looking bird, with black eyes and dark red comb,which flops to one side in the hen. Its striking plumage ofpure white cape and black-and-white pencilled body is very

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attractive and the commonest colouring, but it is also foundwith gold barring. Being a good forager it is happiest beingallowed to range but will live happily in a large run.

Although looking rather similar to the Campine, it differs inthat it has saddle hackles, which Campine cockerels lack, andis a heavier bird altogether. The hens are rather similar.

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Brahma

Silver duckwing Brahma cock

Dark Brahma cock

The gentle giant of the hen world with a charming nature

Named after the Brahmaputra River, though in fact mostlikely created in the United States from Chinese and Indian

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birds, the Brahma caused quite a stir when introduced toBritain in the 1850s. A number were given to Queen Victoriaby an American breeder and were a great favourite of PrinceAlbert. Also known as chittagongs, the original birds all haddark plumage, the other colourings being developed overtime.

This is a magnificently large, good-natured and docile henthat makes an excellent pet as it is extremely easy to tame ifhandled gently. They are best kept as trios, as one cockerelcan only manage to fertilise a couple of hens rather than thenormal six or seven. Broodiness occurs, but as the hens tendto get fat they often break the eggs in their care, particularlyas they lay surprisingly small eggs for such a large hen.

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Dark Brahma hen

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Breda Fowl

Black laced Breda Fowl hen

A good all-round choice with rather strange looks

Although this is the largest of the old Dutch breeds it is notvery big, but at one time it was caponised before that practicewas stopped, and it then made a fine carcass, weighing up to5kg (11bs) or so.

Known in Holland as Kraaikops (not to be confused withKraienkoppe) because its strange combless head resembles acrow, or kraai in Dutch. It is unique in the fact that it has nocomb, but there is a kind of bulge on the skull where thecomb should be, with a few whiskery feathers pointing

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backwards. Other characteristics of this breed are the verylarge nostrils and feathered legs with vulture hocks.

Although rather slow to mature, it is calm and friendly thatwill live uncomplainingly in a small space, and for a bird bredfor the table lays well through the winter.

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Buckeye

Buckeye hen

A dual-purpose hen with personality and character

This is the only American breed to have been developed by awoman. She was Mrs Nettie Metcalf and she lived in Ohio,‘the buckeye state’ (after the buckeye nut, which is darkchestnut brown), in the latter half of the 19th century. The henshe developed by crossing barred Plymouth Rocks with buffCochin and gamefowl is known for its strong character and anapparent propensity to hunt mice. Buckeyes are friendly birdsthat never feather peck each other, even in overcrowdedconditions. The cocks possess an exceptionally loud crow.

A truly dual-purpose and charming breed that never reachedits deserved popularity, perhaps because the meat is dark –the housewife’s choice being white.

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Burmese

Burmese cock

A very rare but charming bird with an interesting history

Burmese were originally imported in the late 19th century bya British army officer serving in what was then Burma, whofinding them delightful little birds brought some home for afriend in Scotland. The Scottish climate did not suit them andthey nearly died out, until being recreated in the 1970s.

They are quiet and friendly little birds, easy to tame and withheavily feathered legs, which might restrict their ability toscratch somewhat and make them suitable for free ranging in

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gardens. Sadly they are very rare, with only two or threebreeders still maintaining a flock.

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Campine

Gold pencilled Campine hen

A resilient bird that would prefer free range

This breed was developed in Belgium in the district of LaCampine from Turkish fowl. There is Fayoumi bloodsomewhere in their ancestry and they may even date back asfar as Julius Caesar. The most unusual thing about this breedis that the cock is ‘hen feathered’, i.e. it lacks the sickles andneck and saddle hackles of a normal cock. Regardless of this,they are striking birds that mature early; the hens beginning tolay at 18 weeks. They are vigorous and need plenty of space,tending to stay wild, so they will require good fencing orclipped wings if they are to live in a pen.

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They are similar to a Braekel and equally arresting, butsmaller with solid-coloured hackles and black-and-whitebarred body.

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Silver pencilled Campine cock

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Campine day-old chick

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Catalan

Catalan hen

A true farmyard bird that needs its freedom

The buff Catalan or Catalan del Prat came from an area closeto Barcelona in Spain, where they were raised primarily formeat. Though rare in the United States, they are common inSouth America and are the best of the dual-purposeMediterranean breeds.

Not surprisingly they enjoy heat and although hardy are nottolerant of confinement and avoid human contact. Ifcontained this breed will need high fencing as they arecapable and determined flyers and will do their utmost to

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roost in a place of their own choosing rather than in thedesignated henhouse.

Their honey-coloured feathers are complemented by ablack-tinged tail, and their large comb with six points flopsover in the hen after the first point but is upright in the cock.

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Chantecler

Chantecler hen

An excellent dual-purpose breed suited to a cold climate

A composite of many breeds, developed by a Trappist monkcalled Brother Wilfrid in 1920 near Montreal. The namecomes from the French poet Rostand’s story of love betweena cockerel ‘Chantecler’ and a golden pheasant.

Brother Wilfrid tried to create a general-purpose fowl thatwould lay through the cold Canadian winter, with a smallcomb and wattles to avoid frostbite and tight feathering toretain heat. Although quiet by nature, this is a prolific laying

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breed that produces a good carcass of white meat anddeserves to be more popular.

The commonest colour is white but there is also a partridgeversion that has the added asset of blending with thebackground, making it less visible to predators.

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Cochin

Black Cochin hen

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Cochin day-old chick

Attractive additions to any garden with many uses

Cochins were originally known as Shanghai Fowl whenimported from China around 1840. They reached the UnitedStates by 1878.

One of the largest breeds – cocks can reach 5kg (11bs) – itwas the Cochin that launched interest in poultry shows,causing a sensation because of its huge size. This really is anall-round bird as not only does it produce a fine carcass andlay moderately but also its feathers were used to stuff pillowsand feather mattresses.

Being so large, these birds are slow to mature into very fluffy,peaceful and friendly creatures, with feathered legs and feetand pouf tails. They need little space, and because of theirfeathery feet tend not to scratch as much as some; however,they will need a mud-free sheltered area to retain the qualityof their feathers. For a bird of such great size, they laysurprisingly small eggs. The hens make excellent mothers andfrequently go broody.

Although Pekins look like bantam Cochins, they are in factrecognised as a separate breed.

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Black Cochin hen and cock

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Buff Cochin hen

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Cream Legbar

Cream Legbar cock

Female day-old chick showing sexual difference

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Male day-old chick

An auto-sexing layer of beautiful blue eggs

The Cream Legbar is what is known as an auto-sexing breed,i.e. when the eggs hatch there is a marked difference betweenthe male and female chicks (males being paler). This breed ismade up of many different breeds but includes Araucana,from where it gets its beautiful blue eggs and crested head. Infront of the crest the single comb flops over, often in twodirections. They are alert, inquisitive birds that tend not tomake the most reliable of mothers.

The Legbar family also includes Cambars, Rhodebars,Welbars and Wybars, all of which have barred PlymouthRock in their make-up and all of which are auto-sexing.

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Cream Legbar hen

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Crèvecoeur

Crèvecoeur hen

Unusual-looking, rather rare breed popular in France

This very old French breed from Normandy is closely relatedto the Poland, though slightly larger and with a V-shapedcomb, which gives it a somewhat ferocious look, although infact it is friendly and tames easily. It pre-dates the La Fleche,another French breed, and was likely to have beeninstrumental in that breed’s origins. The Crevecoeur isconsidered a fine table bird in France but never gained suchpopularity in Britain, thanks to its dark leg skin – Britishhousewives preferring white.

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It is a true dual-purpose bird that fattens easily but also layswell. Thanks to its fancy crest feathering, it will do best ifkept dry. The fact that the hens have full crests on their headsmeans that they are more prone to lice and this should bechecked for frequently to avoid an outbreak. This breed takeswell to confinement but being a dual-purpose breed it shouldbe borne in mind that they will run to fat if they do not getsufficient exercise.

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Croad Langshan

Croad Langshan day-old chick

A handsome, docile breed with exceptionally lustrousplumage

Imported from China by Major Croad in 1872 and namedafter the Langshan district of the Yangtze (Chang) River.Resembles the Cochin, and at first there was some argumentas to whether they were the same.

These birds are exceptionally tall, with lustrous blackplumage that appears bottle green in the sun, and they have asingle comb with five points. Their height is accentuated bytheir high tail carriage. Their legs should be feathered downthe outside, and unusually their feet have pink soles – blackspots in the pink skin is a defect. They are slow to mature,intelligent, adaptable and cold hardy.

The Croad Langshan is not recognised in the United States,but a slightly different version including Minorca andPlymouth Rock blood, known simply as Langshan, is.

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Croad Langshan hen

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Cubalaya

Cubalaya hen

Happiest free ranging in the sun and not suited to a coldclimate

Developed in Cuba in the 19th century from Philippine orIndonesian stock, this breed was practically unknown outsidethe Caribbean region until recently. A good forager, thisactive bird will not take kindly to confinement, although it isless aggressive than some gamefowl.

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The Cubalaya’s tail is known as a ‘lobster’ tail because of itsresemblance in shape to a lobster claw and is carried low in aline from the neck down the back, rather similar to a Sumatra.This bird is best suited to a hot and humid climate whichshould be taken into account when considering keeping them.

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Dandarawi

Silver wheaten Dandarawi hen

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Silver duckwing Dandarawi cock with crown-like cup

Perfect for a free-range life in a farmyard

Dandarawi is an ancient Egyptian breed from the city ofDendera, north of Luxor. They are tough little birds that caneasily look after themselves, enjoy the heat and fly well. Thisis not a breed that will take kindly to close confinement.

They have remarkable combs, rather similar to a SicilianButtercup in that they are made up of two single combs joinedat the front and back, making a sort of elongated cup with asmall tassel at the back. One useful attribute is that when thechicks hatch females can be distinguished by a dark spot ontheir heads, which the males lack.

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Delaware

Delaware hen

Delaware day-old chicks

Formerly king of the American table birds

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Once known as Indian Rivers, the Delaware originated from across of a male barred Plymouth Rock with a female NewHampshire in the state of its name, fulfilling its purpose as thepremier table bird of its time. It has since been overtaken bythe Cornish Rock or Indian Game cross.

The colouring of mainly white feathers with light barring onthe tail, hackles and wings, and the fact that the feathers havewhite quills, produces a nice white, meaty carcass.

Delawares are calm, forgiving birds that are content in anysurroundings, and although classed mainly as table birds, alsolay a moderate amount of brown eggs.

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Derbyshire Redcap

Derbyshire Redcap hen

Derbyshire Redcap cock

An ancient breed – one for the wide open spaces

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Derbyshire Redcaps were developed, as their name suggests,in Derbyshire from a Hamburg cross and are thought to be theoldest breed of domestic fowl in Britain. They are mostlyknown just as Redcaps, being named for their huge rosecomb, which is much larger than any other breed.

They are active, characterful birds, quite capable of finding agreater part of their food if allowed to forage and are alsoexcellent flyers. This is not a breed that would be happy in asmall enclosure but needs a large space to show off itslustrous mahogany feathers tipped with black spangles.

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Dominique

Dominique cock

Dominique hen

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Dominique day-old chick

An attractive dual-purpose bird with smart barred plumage

The Dominique was originally the most popular breed in theUnited States, documented as far back as the mid-18thcentury, where they were not only a dual-purpose breed buttheir feathers were used for stuffing pillows and feather beds.They were instrumental in the development of the barredPlymouth Rock in the mid-19th century, which supersededthem in popularity.

Dominiques will tolerate confinement but can be flighty anddo best if allowed to range as they are good hardy foragers,and their stripy cuckoo-barred plumage, also known as ‘hawkcolouring’, supposedly gives them a certain protection fromairborne predators.

A useful attribute is that, with practice, the chicks’ sexes canbe told apart on hatching, as the cockerels have a small,scattered spot of yellow on their heads, and in the hens thespot is more obvious.

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Dorking

Silver grey Dorking hen

Male day-old chick

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Female day-old chick

The archetypal English hen – did it come over with theRomans?

Dorkings were thought to have been brought to England bythe Romans; there is a description of a hen with five toes by aRoman farmer and agricultural historian, Calumella. The fivetoes are an important breed characteristic, although the fifthtoe appears to have no purpose and is found just above thefourth toe. Originally they were bred as table birds with verywhite meat and supposedly had no equal. They reached theUnited States from England with early settlers.

This is a breed that doesn’t like to be too confined and wouldbe happiest scratching about in a farmyard – indeed they liketo range widely. Having said that, they have rather short legsand seem to scratch less than other breeds, therefore makingthem very suitable for a garden environment. They are ratherslow to mature and may not start laying until at least 26weeks old, but once they start they have a reputation forlaying well through the winter. They only occasionally gobroody but make good mothers, and being gentle souls areprone to bullying from more outgoing breeds.

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Silver grey Dorking cock

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Faverolles

Salmon Faverolles hen

A gentle breed, easy to handle with a calm disposition

This is the heaviest of the French breeds, developed in the19th century from a cross that included Houdans andDorkings from which the Faverolles got its distinctive fivetoes, muff and beard. This fast-growing breed is famed for thefine texture of its meat and also the fact that it continues tolay through the winter when some breeds stop.

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Faverolles make excellent pets, being calm, docile and gentlebut therefore easily bullied by more energetic breeds. Theyseem quite content in fairly small runs.

Various colourings are found, but salmon is the commonestand in fact the only colour recognised for showing by theAPA.

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Salmon Faverolles cock

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Faverolles day-old chick

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Fayoumi

Silver pencilled Fayoumi hen

Simply a survivor and one of the oldest known breeds

This is an ancient Egyptian breed, known since the time of thepharaohs, and has only recently been found outside Egypt – itarrived in Britain in 1984. It is a small, hardy breed with anupright tail, which likes the heat and matures early. Thecockerels begin to crow at five to six weeks old. This traitalso means that the hens start laying at 16–18 weeks ratherthan the average 21. Being known for their wild streak, thebirds are rather flighty but could support themselves ifallowed to free range.

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They have one other benefit – they seem to be resistant toviral disease, possibly including avian flu, which could be ahuge advantage considering the possible pandemic of thisdisease.

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Friesian

Chamois Friesian hen

An independent soul with very ancient lineage

A very old Dutch breed that was once common in thefarmyards of Friesland, an isolated area of the northernNetherlands. The fact that it is so remote protected the breedfrom being weakened by crossing with others. Archaeologicalexcavations have proved that these birds existed at least 1,000years ago in this area. Various colours are found, alwayspencilled, with chamois being the commonest.

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A small bird, rather flighty and nervous, but very quick tomature and with an inbuilt resistance to disease. If given thechance they will roost up trees and do not take kindly to beingtoo confined. They only occasionally go broody but makeprotective mothers when they do.

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Chamois Friesian cock

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Friesian day-old chick

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German Langshan

German Langshan cock

An unusual all-rounder with elegance to match

The German Langshan was developed from the CroadLangshan by German and Austrian breeders around the late1800s and lacks the feathering on the legs of the latter. It is atall, elegant bird with rather upright stance, which gives theappearance of extra-long legs – its outline is commonlydescribed as ‘wine glass’ because of the shape created by itsshort tail and prominent breast.

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This is a very active bird though not a particularly good flyer,and the fact that it is dual purpose, i.e. lays fairly well andproduces a good meaty carcass, makes it an excellentbackyard choice. It has a tolerant nature and can be tamedwith patience.

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Hamburgh

Gold Pencilled Hamburgh feather

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Gold pencilled Hamburgh hen

A self-sufficient and smart breed – one for the open spaces

The origins of the Hamburghs (or Hamburg in the UnitedStates, without the ‘h’) have become lost in the mists of time.As they were also called Mooneys or Hollands, some thoughtthey were developed by the Dutch, but it is more likely thatthey originated in Eastern Europe. Regardless, they have beenknown in Britain for at least 300 years. They are small, active,graceful birds with a smart rose comb and upright tail.

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Hamburghs were originally bred as fighting birds and stillhave a very aggressive streak. Indeed if they are too enclosedand bored they will even attack each other. This is not afriendly breed and prefers its own company to that of humans.They are unreliable mothers but do lay a good quantity ofsmall white eggs. So saying, they are beautiful birds, whetherspectacularly pencilled or spangled, and their strong flyingability can be curbed by clipping of one wing.

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Silver Spangled Hamburgh cock

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Silver Spangled Hamburgh day-old chick

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Houdan

Black mottled Houdan hen

Black mottled Houdan day-old chick

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A gentle, eye-catching bird with a style all its own

Known in France since before 1700, the Houdan reached theUnited States in the late 1800s. It is thought to be a crossbetween Dorking and Poland and has the characteristic fifthtoe of the former.

A stylish bird with a gentle nature and easily handled, it alsotakes kindly to confinement, although would do well freerange.

Houdans have a reputation for laying well through the winter,continuing past November, when many other breeds stop. Thehen does occasionally go broody but tends to make a ratherclumsy mother, prone to breaking her eggs.

Because of their fancy feathering they will require a coveredarea in their run with protection from rain, and watercontainers that accommodate their crests.

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Indian Game (Cornish Game Hen)

Double laced Indian Game hen

Best choice if meat production is your aim

This is the original broiler hen, developed in Cornwall fromvarious Asian breeds, including the Malay. It is a muscular,heavy breed with a wide, deep breast and wide-apart legs.Males and females have a similar conformation, with tightfeathering and no fluff. Although docile, as far as game birdsgo they are pugnacious and the chicks can be cannibalistic.

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Breeding is tricky as the male bird has such short legs and ahuge breast, making it difficult for him to mount the female.Only a few eggs are laid in late spring, but they arecharacterful creatures and can be kept in pairs or trios. Largehands are needed for handling as these are massive birds, andthey will also require low perches and outsize pop-holes. Apopular colour is ‘jubilee’, which describes a chestnut groundwith white lacing.

They were imported into the United States in the late 1940sand renamed Cornish Game Hen.

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Dark Indian Game cock

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Blue laced Indian Game cock

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Ixworth

Ixworth hen

Ixworth day-old chick

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An unusual dual-purpose bird restricted to the UK

Reginald Appleyard, well known for the Silver Appleyardduck, is credited with producing the Ixworth in the Suffolkvillage where he lived in 1932.

What he tried to create was a table bird with white skin thatalso laid well and matured fast, rather similar to the CanadianChantecler (see here). Breeds included in its make-up werewhite Sussex, white Orpingtons and several colours of IndianGame. Sadly the Ixworth was never exceptional at laying oras a table bird, although it does have a devoted following inthe UK, particularly with organic/free-range producers.

The Ixworth is a handsome well-built bird that possesses thewhite skin beloved of the housewife. It is only found withwhite plumage but this is set off with a bright pink pea comband beak, and exceptionally pink legs.

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Japanese Bantam

Frizzled Japanese Bantam cock

Ornamental bird suited to small enclosures and juniorhandlers

The Japanese Bantam, or Chabo as it is also known, is a truebantam, i.e. it has no large equivalent. It is acknowledged tohave existed in Japan in the 1650s, as it appears in art of thattime, and reached the West shortly after, as it also appears in17th-century Dutch paintings. These bantams were kept asornamental garden birds by Japanese society, who bred themas a hobby.

There are various types of this breed, some of which typicallyhave exceptionally large combs, some have frizzled feathers

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and all have legs so short they are almost invisible, withwings that hang down to touch the ground, giving theappearance that the creature is sitting. The characteristic tailstands up over the body. In order to keep the fancy featheringclean, they should only go out in dry weather; in any casethey are not cold hardy and should be kept inside in winter astheir breasts brush the ground and they get easily chilled ifwet.

Exceptionally gentle and submissive, they make charmingpets and are very suitable for children to handle, their shortlegs making them rather slow moving. They will live happilyin a small enclosure but lay only a few very small eggs.

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Japanese Bantam hen

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Japanese Bantam day-old chick

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Java

Mottled Java hen

A genuine all-round bird – ancestor of many modern breeds

The Java was developed in the United States from birdsimported from Asia in the early 19th century and became acommon farmyard hen. It was instrumental in the

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development of the Jersey Giant, Rhode Island Red andPlymouth Rock.

The Java has mottled feathers and a comb whose first point isfurther back than most, starting over the eye rather than thenostril; although a single comb it was probably a pea comboriginally. This is a down-to-earth, hardy, dual-purpose birdthat, although a capable forager when free range, will happilylive in confinement.

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Jersey Giant

Jersey Giant cock

A loveable American giant with a loveable character to match

As its name suggests, this breed was developed in New Jerseyin 1870, by crossing Brahmas with Langshans and the Java.Although very slow to mature, Jerseys were very popular ascapons, before caponising (or neutering) was banned, somereaching an incredible 9kg (20lbs) or so. If allowed to growon naturally a good cock bird will reach a respectable 6kg(13lbs).

Jersey Giants make excellent mothers, being calm, gentlebirds. Owing to their great size they are almost unable to fly,

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so do not need high fencing to contain them, but they do needplenty of space and a large house to accommodate them. Ifbreeding for the table, the earlier in the year hatching isachieved the larger the birds will be. The brown eggs are alsoexceptionally large and the hens tend to have a long layingseason.

Black was the colour first developed and is still the mostpopular, having a wonderful greeny-coppery sheen in the sun,but they also come in white and, rarely, blue laced.

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Jersey Giant hen

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Jersey Giant day-old chick – the white underfeathers turnblack as the chick matures

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Ko Shamo

Ko Shamo cock

A small bird with attitude and a ferocious glint in its eye

The Ko Shamo is a true bantam and not simply a smallversion of a Shamo. It has become the most popular of thesmall Shamo breeds since its arrival in the UK and Europe inthe 1980s. These little birds stand almost upright, andalthough very aggressive to each other from birth, they arenaturally friendly to their owners and make characterful pets.They seem content in fairly small spaces.

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The Ko Shamo is a distinctly strange-looking bird, withprominent eyebrows and penetrating eyes, which give it aferocious appearance, and a large dewlap of red skin in placeof wattles – no one could call it beautiful – which is possiblypart of the reason why it endears itself to its owner.

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Kraienköppe

Gold Kraienköppe hen

Elegance on legs but with a mean streak

Kraienkoppe is the German name for this breed but it is alsoknown as Twente by the Dutch. It arose from a crossing ofcountry fowl from the region of Twente, on theDutch-German border, with Malays and Leghorns. Whatevolved was a large, elegant bird with proud bearing andrather fierce expression, with a longer than normal tail, smallear lobes and a small walnut comb covered in tiny points andfurrows. The comb is hardly visible in the hen.

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Although hardy, it has some of the aggression inherited fromits Malay forebears. It will tolerate confinement but is anactive forager and competent flyer. This really is a breed thatwill do best if allowed free rein. It should also be kept in mindthat the cock birds have exceptionally loud voices that maynot endear them to near neighbours.

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Kulang

White Kulang Stag

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Kulang male

A fighter through and through, but easy to handle

Kulang stags have a natural aggressiveness towards eachother and even the hens have this trait, but their ferociouslooks belie the fact that they are easy to handle and tame. TheKulang is, in fact, a large Asil, the Reza Asil being thesmaller version, and a close relative of the Malay. Like othergamefowl they cannot live as a flock but must be kept in pairs

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or possibly trios, and it should be borne in mind that no newbirds can be introduced – they were bred to fight and this iswhat they will do.

Kulangs are rather slow to develop to full maturity and arehardy but also enjoy heat.

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Kurokashiwa

Kurokashiwa hen with typical black face

Kurokashiwa cock

Handsome bird with a voice that just goes on and on

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These magnificent birds are known as long-crowers – theycrow without undulations for up to 21 seconds, and even thehen has been known to crow as well. Obviously this must betaken into account if considering this breed!

Long-crowing breeds are bred in their native countries fortheir crow, but the UK has no facility for judging this and thebreed is included in the Yokohama standard. Althoughsmaller they are similar to Tomarus and have similar blackfaces. They are somewhat quarrelsome with each other butare generally calm and friendly.

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La Bresse

La Bresse hen

King of the table birds and beloved of the French

The little town of Bourg-en-Bresse in eastern France has beenthe home of the renowned Bresse hens since Roman times.They have the honour of being the only poultry protected byan Appellation d’Origine Controlee, which was awarded in1957, rather like good wine – the so-called ‘queen of chickensand chicken of kings’.

They are kept free range for at least 23 weeks, and the herbsand plants they eat while naturally foraging account for theplump and tasty carcass, with white meat finally achieved bya couple of weeks kept inside in the dark. This is the breedchosen by the French to grace their tables.

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The most common colouring is white, with a large bright redcomb that flops to one side in the hen and blue/grey legs –rather the colour of the French flag or tricolour. They areactive busy birds and will need good fencing to contain them.Although bred for their meat, they are also good layers ofwhite eggs. In the United States they are known as theBlue-footed Chicken.

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La Fleche

La Fleche cock with horn or ‘V’ comb

La Fleche hen

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A striking dual-purpose choice with a devilish look

The strange horn-like combs of the La Fleche have given itthe name ‘Satan’s fowl’ or ‘devil bird’. This breed has beenknown in France since the early 17th century, when it waspopular for producing poussin for the Paris market.

Probably related to the Crèvecoeur, the La Fleche is acompliant bird though particularly hard to tame. It is also anaccomplished flyer, preferring to roost in trees if given thechance. The fact that it is a slow-maturing bird also meansthat it eventually produces a large carcass with exceptionalbreast meat.

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Lakenvelder

Lakenvelder hen

Lakenvelder day-old chick

An eye-catcher in its smart black and white livery

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The striking colouring of black neck and tail and pure whitebody is similar in appearance to a belted Lakenvelder cow,which is possibly where the name originated. The Vorwerklooks rather similar, with its black neck and tail but buffbody, and is considered to be the same breed in the UnitedStates; however, they are recognised as separate breeds by thePoultry Club of Great Britain.

Although Lakenvelders do well free range or in confinement,they are flighty and tend not to be the friendliest of birds.

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Leghorn

Black Leghorn hen

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Leghorn chick

An excellent, reliable layer in a colour of your choice

The Leghorn (pronounced ‘legorn’ with silent ‘h’) comes in awider variety of colours and form than any other breed ofpoultry. It originated in the Italian city of Livorno (leghornbeing the English translation of Livorno) and due to itsremarkable laying ability is now found all over the world,where it has been developed into a number of differentstrains, all stemming from the same initial stock.

All birds have white ear lobes and yellow legs in common,mature early, lay their large white eggs through the winterand are versatile, in that they will readily scavenge forthemselves if left free to roam but also take happily to life in arun. Cockerels have an exceptionally large upright combwhich falls elegantly to one side in the hen. As with mostMediterranean breeds, they go broody only very rarely.

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Leghorn cock

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Exchequer Leghorn cock

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LIght brown Leghorn hen

Leghorn hen

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Lincolnshire Buff

Lincolnshire Buff cock

Good choice if dual purpose is what you have in mind

A handsome, upright bird, its five toes showing Dorking in itspedigree. In the 19th century it was considered the idealsmallholders’ dual-purpose bird, being easily raised and fastgrowing, and supplied the London market with the preferredwhite-breasted table birds.

By the end of the 19th century, it had lost its popularity to thebuff Orpington and almost died out but was reintroduced by

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Lincolnshire breeders in the 1980s. It was granted a standardby the Poultry Club of Great Britain in 1997.

The fact that this breed has a calm nature, a reputation as agood winter layer, and is also a wonderful table bird makes itideal for the present, leaning toward organic farming, and itwould be a good choice for anyone trying to becomeself-sufficient.

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Malay

Malay black red cock

This breed’s ferocious looks belie a sunny nature

A very ancient breed from the Far East, known in the UKsince 1830 and developed as a show breed in VictorianBritain from Asian bloodlines. The birds’ overhanging browgives them a cruel expression, but regardless of this they aremore placid than most other gamefowl and are no longer afighting breed.

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Being 1m (3ft) or so in height, they are the tallest of allgamefowl, with very long legs and upright necks. Ideally theywould live as a ‘trio’, i.e. one cockerel with two hens. Theyhave a self-confident air about them and get to know theirowners, but this is not a breed you would choose if eggs wereyour priority as you will be lucky to get even 50 a year.

This is a short-lived breed that takes skill to reproduce.

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Malines

Malines hen

Ideal dual-purpose bird content in a small enclosure

An ancient Belgian breed, created by crossing Brahmas,Cochins and others with local breeds in order to produce alarger bird. Also known as the Poulet de Bruxelles or BrusselsChicken, it was exported all over the world as a fine table birdwith heavy carcass.

Malines, though slow to mature, can become very large. Theyhave a rather imperious, proud look about them and, unlike

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the Marans that they resemble, have feathered legs. This is apassive, tranquil breed that seems content in even a small run,though owing to their size they must have a roomy house.

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Marans

Silver cuckoo breast feather

Marans day-old chicks

An excellent backyard layer of spectacularly dark brown eggs

The Marans was developed in the northern French fishingvillage of its name in the early 20th century from a crossingof several breeds but in particular the Langshan. Originallythe French birds had lightly feathered legs inherited from theLangshan, but this was bred out of the British and Americanlines as clean legs are preferred, being less susceptible toscaly leg mite. Marans lay remarkably dark, chocolate brown

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eggs that have thick shells with very small pores; it is thoughtthat this has the advantage of preventing salmonella bacteriaentering the egg. Although certain breed lines are inclined tobe rather flighty, in the main they are friendly birds and easyto tame. They make excellent mothers and the chicks, whenhatched, can be sexed by an experienced eye, as the cockerelstend to be lighter in colour than the pullets. Along with otherbarred breeds, if the female is mated with a compatiblenon-barred cockerel, sex-linked chicks will result, the maleshaving a larger white head-spot.

Marans have yet to be recognised by the APA but have agrowing following in North America.

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Marans cock

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Marans hen

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Marsh Daisy

Marsh Daisy hen

One to consider if your ground tends to be boggy

Cross an Old English Game cock and Malay hen, add a bit ofHamburgh and Leghorn and finally stir in some SicilianButtercup, mix well and you will have created a Marsh Daisy.This took place in Lancashire in the 1880s and such was theirpopularity that a breed club was formed shortly after the FirstWorld War.

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Sadly the Marsh Daisy is now fairly rare, which is a pity as itis a beautiful, brightly coloured bird with a handsome rosecomb, particularly large on the cockerel. A good forager thathas the reputation of thriving on swampy ground and in wetconditions, making it sound as if it is aptly named – in fact the‘Marsh’ comes from Marshside, where it was developed.

Unusually there is no bantam version of this breed.

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Marsh Daisy cock – a brightly coloured bird with handsomerose comb

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Minorca

Minorca cock – the hen has similar colouring

Minorca cock

A handsome layer of large white eggs that was known inRoman times

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It is unknown if this breed did originate on the Balearic islandof Minorca, but what is known is that some form of it wasaround in the time of the Romans. The present-day form wasdeveloped in England into the heaviest of the light breeds.

This is a bird that likes the heat; it will tolerate cold but itsexceptionally large comb, wattles and ear lobes make itvulnerable to frostbite. The hen’s comb droops gracefully toone side but should not obstruct her vision.

A rather flighty creature that needs tactful handling, theMinorca will reward its owner with a good number of largewhite eggs.

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Modern Game

Birchen Modern Game hen

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Blue red Modern Game cock

A handsome bird with personality and character

Cockfighting was made illegal in 1849 but British breedersstill wanted some sort of competition and resorted to poultryshows. This breed was produced especially for this pastime.What resulted was an easy to handle, noisy but handsome birdwith character. Although tightly feathered the Modern Gamedoes not like the cold and will need good housing. The birds’exceptionally long legs make them appear as if they are ontiptoe, and for showing some people still prefer the bird to bedubbed (see here), although this practice is dying out.

The bantam version of this breed is the most commonlyfound.

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Modern Langshan

Modern Langshan cock – hens have similar colouring

An exceptionally tall and handsome layer and reliable mum

When the first Langshans were imported by Major Croad inthe late 19th century, some breeders felt that they were toosimilar to Cochins. A taller, tighter-feathered bird wasdeveloped, which eventually became a breed in its own right.

The birds are exceptionally large, even taller than Croads,with a tail carried at a high angle. The main colour is black,exceptionally shiny with a beetle-green sheen in sunlight, butthere are also whites.

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The hens tend to be placid creatures that will tolerateconfinement and make first-rate broodies, being steady andcareful – but their size should be taken into account whenconsidering housing.

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New Hampshire Red

New Hampshire Red hen

New Hampshire Red day-old chick

Ideal all-round bird with attractive chestnut plumage

The New Hampshire Red was developed in the early 20thcentury by researchers and farmers in New Hampshire

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directly from Rhode Island Red stock by careful selection ofearly-maturing, vigorous, large brown egg layers. What theyproduced was an adaptable, friendly bird that lays well andproduces a good-size carcass. It was admitted to the APA in1935.

This breed is popular in Germany and the Netherlands andthough it only arrived in the UK in the early 1980s isattracting a great deal of attention.

The New Hampshire Red differs from the Rhode Island Redin its colouring, being a much lighter, more chestnut browncompared with the RIR’s mahogany colouring, and also has adifferent body shape with higher tail carriage.

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Norfolk Grey

Norfolk Grey hen

An unusual choice for a dual-purpose bird

This breed was developed by Mr Fred Myhill of Norwicharound 1920. There is a similar-looking German breed calledBirchen Niederrheiner, which is not related. Originally theywere known as Black Marias but Mr Myhill thought theconnotations too unpleasant and changed it.

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Although fairly popular in the 1920s, they dwindled innumbers until re-emerging in the 1970s and can now be foundin plentiful numbers in Norfolk and occasionally in otherparts of the country. They are an easy-to-keep, dual-purposebird with attractive plumage.

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Ohiki

Ohiki hen

Charming little birds with unusual looks

These pretty little bantams are very popular in Japan and are amember of the ‘tail dragger’ family. Their name translates assmall (O) and dragging (hiki), which is a good description ofthe male birds, whose tails can grow to 60–150cm (22–55in)long, and with their very short legs, the tail feathers soon startto drag along the ground.

They have only been found in the UK since the 1990s butalready have a devoted following.

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Old English Game (Carlisle and Oxford types)

Old English Game Oxford type cock

Most popular of the gamefowl that comes in a colour of yourchoice

English Game have always been a very popular breed inBritain – supposedly the Romans found them when theyinvaded, but they were being used for cockfighting rather thanfood. Cockfighting was banned in 1849 but that didn’tdiminish their popularity and showing took over. The OldEnglish Game Club was founded in 1887, but gradually twotypes of bird evolved and in 1930 the club split into two –Oxford type and Carlisle type. The American Old EnglishGame is similar to the Oxford type.

The two types are alike but the Oxford type has a moreupright stance, is close heeled and athletic and the Carlisle islarger breasted with a horizontal back. Both are veryaggressive and can be noisy, and like all game can only bekept in pairs or trios and will not accept new birds. The hens

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make very protective mothers but young stags or cockerelswill only be tolerated until about six months of age, whenthey will have to be separated. Both types come in a widevariety of colours and it is said that ‘a good gamefowl cannotbe a bad colour’.

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Old English Game Carlisle type crele cock – larger breastedthan the Oxford type

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Oxford type cock – more upright than the Carlisle type

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Old English Game day-old chick

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Old English Pheasant Fowl

Old English Pheasant Fowl hen

A beautiful breed that would prefer to free range

This is an old breed from the north of England, once know asthe Yorkshire Pheasant. It is known to have existed sinceabout 1700. Rather similar to the Derbyshire Redcap, it hasbeautiful shiny feathers of a mahogany brown with blackspangles that glow purple in the sun and distinctive white earlobes.

A large run will be required to contain these birds, who aredetermined flyers and may need a wing clipped (seeGlossary) to restrain them. The hens mature slowly but lay

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year round once they get going. Considering their size theyproduce a good meaty carcass.

Unusually in the poultry world there is no bantam OldEnglish Pheasant Fowl.

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Orloff

Orloff cock

Orloff day-old chick

An unconventional choice for a table bird with an unusualupright stance

These strange, rather wild-looking birds originally came fromPersian stock but were developed in Russia by Count

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Orloff-Techesmensky in the early 19th century. They reachedEurope and Britain in the late 1880s.

This breed once had an APA standard and was known in theUnited States simply as ‘Russians’; sadly interest in themwaned and the standard was dropped.

They are rather slow to mature into tall, hardy birds withdistinctive beards and muffs. Their Russian blood makesthem a hardy breed, and although they lay well their firstyear, egg numbers tail off as they age and they would usuallybe kept for meat.

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Spangled Orloff cock in typical upright stance

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Orpington

Buff Orpington hen

A large cuddly ball of fluff with a docile and affectionatemanner

William Cook of Orpington, Kent, who was editor of ThePoultry Journal, created this breed in 1880, with help from hisdaughter. What he made was a cold-hardy, adaptable, docileand affectionate creature that is easy to handle, but itscompliant nature makes it all too open to being bullied byother more ebullient breeds.

A black Orpington pullet won the grand prize at the CrystalPalace Poultry Show in 1886; however, gradually over theyears selection of birds for looks rather than egg production

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has resulted in less good laying records. A good heavycarcass is still produced, though the full feathering makes thebirds look rather larger than they actually are. Orpingtons areenthusiastic and reliable mothers and can cover many eggs ata sitting, including goose eggs.

Orpingtons have a loyal following – a flock was owned by thelate Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother – and those thatsettle for this breed rarely seem to find a need to try others.

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Buff Orpington cock

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Black Orpingotn hen

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Orpington day-old chicks

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Pekin

Lavender Pekin cock

A cuddly creature in a colour of your choice

The Pekin is what is classed as a true bantam, which means ithas no large equivalent. It looks very like a miniature versionof a Cochin but is classed as a different breed in Britain; theyare known as Cochin bantams in the United States. They aresaid to have been imported by soldiers looting the Emperor ofChina’s palace in Peking in 1860.

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Pekins have very soft fluffy feathering, with the top of the tailbeing higher than the head and no legs or feet visible,although these are feathered. The fact that the feathers aredragging on the ground means that they need to be kept out ofmuddy areas but also that they won’t scratch about quite asmuch as some other breeds and very rarely fly. They gobroody frequently and make excellent mothers. One otherattribute that makes them ideal as pets is that their crow is alittle quieter than most.

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Pekin hen

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Pekin day-old chick

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Penedesenca

Penedesenca hen

Penedesenca day-old chick

A very rare layer of the darkest of eggs from Catalonia

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Although generally with Mediterranean breeds a white earlobe denotes a white egg layer, in the case of this Spanishbreed the eggs produced are the darkest of purplish browns, insome cases almost black in the first year, gradually becominglighter with age.

These are nervous birds with an excellent foraging ability,which could survive in the wild if necessary. They haveremarkable combs, known as King’s combs as they look alittle like a crown; they start with a large single but developinto multiple lobes at the back and droop elegantly to one sidein the female. Although still very rare this breed has beenrevived in the Catalan region of Spain since the 1980s.

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Phoenix

Partridge Phoenix cock

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Partridge Phoenix hen

Partridge Phoenix day-old chicks

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Magnificent bird that needs specialist care

The Phoenix was developed in Europe from a Japaneselong-tailed breed called Onagadori, which possesses arecessive gene that prevents moulting. In the Phoenix thisgene is lost, and although it does moult, its tail can grow up to1m (3ft) in length; therefore it will require a large house withhigh perches to accommodate this magnificent feature.

Generally the Phoenix tends not to be very friendly but it isdocile, which is lucky as it will require a good deal moreattention than most other breeds to keep the feathers in goodcondition. The house will have to be kept clean and dry and itwill benefit from extra protein to make up for the addedfeather growth.

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Plymouth Rock

Barred Plymouth Rock hen

The archetypal all-round hen – most popular of all

Plymouth Rock is a granite boulder on the shore of PlymouthBay, Massachusetts, where the Pilgrim Fathers stepped ashorein 1620, but it wasn’t until the mid-18th century thatPlymouth Rocks as we know them today were created from,among others, crossings with Javas.

They are now the most popular dual-purpose breed in theUnited States and no wonder, as they are robust birds thatmature early, are content to free range or be kept confined and

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are easily handled. The cocks have the reputation of beingeven tempered and less aggressive than some breeds.Although found in many colour variations, the barred versionis the most commonly seen and all colours have distinctyellow legs.

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Barred Plymouth Rock cock

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Barred Plymouth Rock day-old chick

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Poland

Chamois Poland hen

A placid individual with a pompom on top

The Poland is undoubtedly a very old breed and can be seenin Dutch paintings dating from 1600, but it seems veryunlikely that it originated in Poland and the name was acorruption of something else – probably ‘polled’.

Their rather comic appearance can have its disadvantages –their enormous crest limits the bird’s vision, allowing it onlyto see forward and down; owners need to warn it of theirapproach or it is easily frightened. Also, being out of reachfor preening, the crest is prone to lice. In order to keep thisfancy feathering in good condition, a certain amount of cover

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from rain will be required, but these birds are quite content inconfinement, being friendly and gentle, but tend to be bulliedby more energetic breeds.

Known as Polish in the United States.

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White-crested black Poland cock

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White-crested black Poland hen

Poland day-old chick – the crest is already visible

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Rhode Island Red

Rhode Island Red hen

Exemplary beginners’ backyard bird – the best of both worlds

The quintessential hen – state bird of Rhode Island – andarguably the most successful breed ever created. What mostpeople consider a traditional hen was created by crossingAsiatic fowls such as Shanghai, Malay and Java to create anexcellent dual-purpose breed with a reputation for reliable egglaying and fine carcass, along with a certain resistance todisease.

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As with many breeds the cocks can be aggressive, but as arule the hens are calm, easy to handle and will live happily ina large run or free range. They are not spectacular flyers socan be contained by a low fence.

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Rhode Island Red cock

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Rhode Island Red day-old chick

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Rhode Island White

Rhode Island White cock

A handsome all-round bird with an easygoing character

This is not just a white Rhode Island Red but a separate breedaltogether and does not enjoy the popularity of the former. Itis made up of a mix of Wyandottes, Cochins and Leghornsand was created around 1900.

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When crossed with a Rhode Island Red it produces the classicsex-link, i.e. the female chicks are red and the males white. Itis a calm, hardy bird with an easygoing character, whichmatures early, is an excellent all-rounder and would make abrilliant choice as a slightly more unusual backyard bird.

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Rosecomb

Rosecomb cock with long leader or spike on comb

Rosecomb cock

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Rosecomb day-old chick

King of the show ring and handsome to boot

Rosecombs are true bantams, i.e. they have no largeequivalent. Their origin is unclear but they have been foundin the British Isles since the 15th century. They are smart littlebirds, with their rose combs that have a long leader or spikeand large white ear lobes.

Laying is not their strong point – their eggs are exceptionallysmall – and they are bred mainly as pets. In the breedingseason cocks can be aggressive, although the hens are friendlyand easy to tame. They take kindly to confinement, althoughthey love to forage and if free range it must be rememberedthat they are accomplished flyers. Thanks to a certain amountof inbreeding, they can suffer from infertility, which makesbreeding difficult.

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Rumpless Game

Rumpless Game cock

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Rumpless Game hen

Characterful conversation piece that lacks a tail

In common with other rumpless breeds, the Rumpless Gamelacks a parson’s nose or uropygium, which is the fleshyprotrusion at the end of the backbone from which the tailfeathers grow. This was probably the result of a geneticmishap that occurred several hundred years ago, as this is anancient breed. It is popular on the Isle of Man, where theyspecialise in tailless creatures, and known there as the ManxRumpy.

Most commonly seen as bantams, this is a characterful breed,whose rather upright stance and lack of tail give it asomewhat comical appearance. Though aggressive and noisyit can be tamed and makes an interesting pet. Althoughknown to have fertility problems, the hens make goodmothers when they occasionally go broody.

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Satsumadori

Satsumadori hen

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Silver duckwing Satsumadori cock

Glorious looks belie a belligerent character

These handsome birds were developed in Kagoshima, whichwas once known as Satsuma, on the island of Kyushu, Japan.They were bred originally for fighting with steel spurs, andlike all Japanese game their small combs helped preventunnecessary injury.

Their proud bearing and piercing pale eye gives them aferocious appearance. Unusually their magnificent tails fanout sideways, rather like a peacock’s. The fact that they wereoriginally fighting birds indicates that the cocks will beaggressive to other creatures, and in the case of theSatsumadori this includes humans.

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Silver duckwing Satsumadori hen

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Black red Satsumadori cock

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Scots Dumpy

Scots Dumpy hen

An endearing personality with a mothering instinct

The exceptional feature of this breed is its very short legs,giving rise to a long list of other names, such as creepers andcrawlers. It is an ancient breed and supposedly alerted theScots and Picts to potential attacks from the Romans.

By the middle of the 20th century the breed had nearly diedout, but a pure line was found in Kenya, taken there by LadyViolet Carnegie in 1902, and re-imported to give the existingstock a boost.

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Hens of this breed make very good broodys; they wereapparently particularly favoured by gamekeepers to rearpheasants, but their own chicks can easily chill on wet grass,being so close to the ground. As short legs are a feature of thisbreed, the occasional chick that develops long legs should notbe included in breeding stock.

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Scots Grey

Scots Grey hen

A hardy bird well suited to its native climate

As its name suggests this breed is found mostly in Scotland,where it has been in existence for over 200 years. It is a hardybird that thrives in even the harshest climate, with thereputation of maturing quickly – an advantage in a countrywhere the days are short in winter.

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The Scots Grey has a fairly upright stance and long legs,supposedly as a result of some gamefowl in its ancestry. It isnot an easy bird to tame and will roost up trees if given thechance – this is not a breed that will take kindly to closeconfinement. Although classed as a non-sitter, hens willoccasionally go broody and when they do make excellentprotective mothers.

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Sebright

Silver laced Sebright cock

The well deserved winner of the best-turned-out prize

Sebrights are true bantams, meaning there is no largeequivalent. Their creator, Sir John Sebright, worked onbreeding programmes of various animals, including chickens,around the year 1800. What he wanted to produce was a lacedbantam and this he certainly did, by crossing Nankin, lacedPolish and Hamburgh and possibly other breeds, the resultbeing the very smart and beautifully laced gold and silverSebrights.

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One odd feature of this breed is that the cockerels are‘hen-feathered’ and do not have the saddle hackles or sicklesof a normally feathered cockerel. This fact is thought to be thecause of the breed’s poor fertility and delicate chicks, and acertain amount of skill will be needed for successful breeding.Sebrights are not great egg layers but they make up for thisfact with their charm and character.

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Gold laced Sebright hen

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Sebright day-old chick

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Serama

Serama hen

Pocket-sized poultry that will enchant its owner

The Serama is the smallest breed of poultry in the world,which originally came from Malaysia and was thought tohave been kept by Thai royalty as long ago as the 17thcentury. These tiny birds are even kept as house pets inMalaysia. They only recently arrived in the UK but alreadyhave a growing following – perhaps because their diminutivesize makes them easy to keep in even the smallest space.

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They also possess a quiet crow, which will endear them toneighbours.

There are disadvantages to being small, in that if left to freerange they are vulnerable not only to foxes but also to catsand birds such as magpies, hawks and buzzards. They willalso need to have warm housing – keeping a larger bantamsuch as a Silkie will provide natural heating. Their eggs areequally tiny, being not much larger than a quail egg.

The birds carry their tails at 90° with their chests protrudingand give a proud appearance. Cocks may weigh as little as340g (12oz) and be no more than 15cm (6in) high. They aredivided into classes by weight:

Class A cock 340g (12oz)

hen 310g (11oz)

Class B cock 480g (17oz)

hen 425g (15oz)

Class C cock 570g (20oz)

hen 480g (17oz)

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Serama cock

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Serama day-old chick

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Shamo

Shamo hen

Ferocious fighter with personality but a quiet voice

This is a breed that comes in a variety of sizes: O-Shamo,meaning large, and Chu-Shamo, meaning medium. TheO-Shamo is the tallest of the Japanese game and can stand atup to 75cm (30in) in height. This is a very ancient breed andwas initially imported into the United States in 1874specifically for cockfighting; it didn’t reach the UK or Europefor another 100 years.

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Its very upright stance, heavy overhanging brows, bare faceand neck, and patches of bare red skin down the keel give it avery ferocious demeanour, and indeed it is an extremelyaggressive breed. The chicks may even fight each other fromthe moment they leave the shell and have to be separated.Although antagonistic with each other, these birds seem tolike humans and are easy to tame, making characterful andcharming pets, with the added bonus that they tend not tocrow as much as some.

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Shamo cock

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Shamo day-old chick

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Sicilian Buttercup

Sicilian Buttercup cock with large cup-shaped comb

A pretty princess with a crown on her head

This is a very old breed, which may have been known even inbiblical times – it was certainly around in Italy in the 16thcentury, when it was frequently depicted by Italian artists ofthat time. The first birds were imported into the USA in 1835,where they became known just as Buttercups or Butters, and

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did not make it to British shores until around 1913. Originallyall birds had red ear lobes, but the American standard nowrequires a white one – birds imported more recently tend to bewhite and the British standard now states that lobes need notbe solid red but more than one-third white will count as adefect.

The outstanding feature of this breed is the enormouscup-shaped comb, which is actually two single combs joinedat the front and back; this takes time to reach its finalsplendour but its size makes it prone to frostbite. Thecockerels have the normal farmyard bird colouring but thehens are a beautiful golden colour, with black spangles andblack tail – there is also a silver version, where the groundcolour is silver as opposed to gold.

This is an early-maturing breed – cockerels can crow at onemonth – but the birds do tend to be rather flighty and resistconfinement.

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Gold Sicilian Buttercup hen

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Sicilian Buttercup day-old chicks

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Silkie

Silkie hen

This is the powder-puff of the poultry world

This is a very ancient breed, originally from Asia though itsexact origins are unknown. Marco Polo brought back storiesof these strange fowl when he returned from his travels in the13th century.

Silkies are totally different from most other poultry, having amelanotic gene, which results in their skin, and even theirbones, being black. Their very odd feathers are fluffy and

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more like fur but do not retain heat or provide waterproofingin the same way as normal feathers, and this causes them todislike getting wet. The Silkie is also one of the few breedswith a fifth toe and completes its unique look with a topknotand sometimes even a muff.

They make excellent pets, being docile and friendly, but dospend a good deal of their time broody and are widely used assurrogate mothers for all kinds of other birds.

Although small they are not considered to be bantams butclassed as light soft feather.

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Dark Silkie hen

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Silkie hen

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Silkie day-old chick

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Spanish

Spanish cock

Spanish hen

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Spanish day-old chick

An unusual but elegant choice with a unique charm

The white-faced Spanish is one of the oldest of theMediterranean breeds, having been known since the 16thcentury, or even before. It is also one of the oldest known inthe United States, having been brought there via theCaribbean by early Spanish settlers and made an appearanceat the first poultry show in Boston in 1849.

In the hen the comb droops to one side, although it shouldremain upright in the cocks, whose large white faces give thebirds a rather haughty look. They are, in fact, rather noisy andnot always friendly creatures, though with a charm of theirown, which do not take kindly to being over-contained,preferring free range. This breed is rather slow to mature, thewhite face taking a year or so to develop, but it willeventually reward you with a good number of large whiteeggs.

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Sulmtaler

Wheaten Sulmtaler hen

Delicatessen from Austria that thrives on maize

Named after the Sulm valley in the region of Stiermarken insouthwestern Austria, the Sulmtaler was developed in the19th century to fill the need for large, heavy hens. What was

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produced was a hardy, fast-growing breed that was easy tofatten, particularly if fed maize. It soon spread across Europe,and the Germans produced a bantam version after the GreatWar.

The hens have rather sturdy bodies, with twisted single combsand a tuft-like crest on the back of the head. Although calmnatured these birds are good flyers and will requirereasonably high fencing to contain them. They are classed asrare in Britain but are still plentiful in Austria and otherEuropean countries.

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Sultan

Sultan hen

An unusual-looking breed that make charming pets

Sultans were introduced in the 19th century from Turkey,where they were called Serai-Tavuk, which means ‘fowls ofthe Sultan’, and kept as pets by Turkish royalty. Those foundin Britain all originated from five that were imported by MrsElizabeth Watts in January 1854.

The Sultan is a smallish bird with crest, beard, muff andfeathered legs with five toes. It also has fancy feathering,

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which means it will require good cover to keep its feathers ingood condition. Rather slow to develop, they are poorforagers and well suited to confinement, where their calmtemperament makes them easy to handle.

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Sultan cock

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Sultan day-old chick

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Sumatran

Sumatran cock

A glamorous breed with glistening plumage

As its name suggests this is an ancient breed from the islandof Sumatra. It is a very active breed and intolerant ofconfinement, which means it will need very high fencing evenif its wings are clipped, as it can also jump high. Pens mayeven need to be covered to contain it, and the house will alsoneed to be larger than normal to accommodate the long tail.

Sumatrans have wonderful lustrous, shiny feathers, changingcolour in sunlight. Their long tails flow horizontally behind,rather similar to a pheasant, and altogether they look gracefuland exotic. They have plum-coloured faces, a colouringsometimes called ‘gypsy’, and uniquely some have severalspurs on each leg. This is not an aggressive breed as far as

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gamefowl go, but cockerels will fight, particularly in thebreeding season, which with this breed is slightly later in theyear than most.

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Sussex

Light Sussex hen

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Speckled Sussex feather

An attractive, popular and reliable breed

This is one of Britain’s oldest breeds and also one of thecommonest – the light, with its black neck and tail and whitebody, being the most popular. Originally there was ablack–red (now called brown) version, which was wellcamouflaged when sitting, but a ‘light’, really Columbian,was developed, as the white feather stubs didn’t show on thecarcass when plucked. The light was also useful forsex-linkage; typically a light Sussex hen mated with a RhodeIsland Red cock produced chicks with dark females and palemales.

The speckled Sussex has mahogany feathers withblack-and-white mottling that glows green in the sun, andthere is also a buff-and-silver version.

All Sussex hens are hardy, adaptable and easily handled, infact the perfect backyard bird.

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Light Sussex cock

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Speckled Sussex hen

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Thai Game

Red black Thai Game cock

A ferocious member of the Asian hard feathers

Although a large bird related to the Malay, the Thai Game islighter than the Shamo, with a higher tail carriage. It wasoriginally developed in Thailand for cockfighting – a sportthat although banned in the Western world still continues inthe East.

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Thais are found in many colours but red black is the mostcommon.

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Thüringian

Thüringian hen

Silver spangled Thüringian hen

A sadly rare breed with charm and a full beard

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There have been records of Thüringian hens in Germanysince 1793, but they have only been seen in Britain since2000. They are charming birds with a docile temperament,making them ideal for small runs, and with their full beardsand frequently spangled feathers they are unusual as well.

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Transylvanian Naked Neck

Transylvanian Naked Neck hen

A conversation piece that is also a reliable layer

Transylvania is now a region of Romania and not necessarilywhere this breed originated, as they are found in many otherparts of Europe and the Middle East. Also known as a Turkenbecause it faintly resembles a turkey, the Naked Neck has tobe one of the strangest, some might even say ugliest, breedsof poultry. The lack of feathers on the neck is caused by agene that reduces the size and density of the plumage. This isan advantage in a hot climate (although they can suffersunburn on their naked necks), but these mild-mannered,

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friendly birds are hardy and tolerant of cold. They are alsothought to be exceptionally immune to disease.

The fact that they are slow to mature also means that theyproduce good meaty carcasses, which are quick to pluckowing to the thinness of the plumage. This lack of plumagealso has the advantage that, rather than putting proteintowards producing feathers, it goes into egg production, andthey are good, reliable layers of tinted eggs.

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Transylvanian Naked Neck hen

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Transylvanian Naked Neck day-old chick – its naked neckalready visible

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Tuzo

Tuzo cock with upright stance and proud bearing

A slightly sinister-looking Asian hard feather

The Tuzo was probably developed from the Nankin Shamo, asimilar true bantam now very rare. Folklore has it that it waskept by Japanese nobility, but there is no record of this inJapan – it does, however, descend from Asian bloodlines.

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An elegant small bird with proud bearing and shiny blackplumage tight to the body. Some lines have black spurs and, itis said, black tongues as well, though this may also befolklore.

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Vikinghen

Vikinghen

Vikinghen day-old chicks

A free-ranging hen with personality and a variety ofcolouring

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When the Vikings reached Iceland they brought their poultrywith them, and astonishingly for 1,000 years the Vikinghen,or Landnamshaena as it is known in Iceland, remained theonly breed found there. In the 1930s brown and whiteLeghorns were introduced and soon outdid the Vikinghens aslayers and meat producers, and numbers dwindled. Theformation of a breed club regenerated interest, and theVikinghen is now found in small numbers in the United Statesand several European countries.

This ancient breed comes in a wide range of colours andcomb types, and may even have head-tufts. They are tough,self-sufficient and self-possessed and would not be happy in asmall run. Even so they are exceptionally friendly and makegood pets.

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Vorwerk

Vorwerk hen

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Vorwerk day-old chick

A well-dressed bird for the backyarder to enjoy

These striking hens were developed in Hamburg in 1900, withthe aim of producing an economical utility breed. Whatresulted was an ideal smallholders’ bird – quick to mature,good forager and prolific egg production that continuedthrough the winter.

Their striking plumage is rather similar to Lakenvelders,though in a different colourway, being black neck and tail andchestnut body, and they are classed as the same breed by theAPA, although the Vorwerk bantam is recognised. They aretolerant birds that are happy confined as well as free range,and the males have the useful trait that they tolerate eachother more than most breeds. The hens are not prone tofrequent broodiness, but when they do hatch, the chicks areexceptionally lively.

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Welsummer

Welsummer cock

An all-round beautiful breed, ideal for the backyarder

This is a fairly modern breed, created by a farmer in Welsum,Holland at the end of the 19th century, who crossed variousbreeds, including Barnevelders, until he found the stable crosshe wanted. It didn’t reach British shores until the late 1920sand is still not common in the United States.

Apart from being an exceptionally pretty hen and handsomecockerel of a traditional farmyard type, its chief claim to fameis the wonderful dark, sometimes speckled, brown of its eggs.This hardy breed is generally adaptable; it is economical to

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feed, being an excellent forager, though occasional strains dotend to be on the flighty side. The hen has lovely partridgecolouring, enhanced by the light shafts of the feathers. Henswill go broody but not excessively so, making reliablemothers, and when hatched an experienced eye candistinguish hens from cockerels by the colour of the stripe ontheir heads – the cockerel being darker. This does takepractice and needs comparison, but by six weeks or so thecockerels will become obvious as their combs start to appear.

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Red partridge Welsummer hen

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Welsummer day-old chicks

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Wyandotte

Wyandotte cock

Gold laced, blue laced and silver laced

A superb and showy dual-purpose bird with a strongcharacter to match

This breed acquired its name from a Native American tribecalled the Wendat, which became corrupted to Wyandotte bysettlers when it was developed in the late 19th century.

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Wyandottes come in a wide range of colours, the silver lacedbeing the original and perhaps most striking variety. Theyhave a rather rotund appearance, short tail, sturdy legs andslightly loose feathers, which makes them look fluffy. This isa robust breed, the hens of which make excellent mothers.Most birds are calm and docile, but their strong characters cansometimes make the occasional one seem unfriendly – this is,however, an ideal beginners’ breed.

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Blue laced Wyandotte cock

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Silver laced Wyandotte hen

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Wyandotte day-old chick

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Yakido

Yakido cock – with a fierce proud bearing

A miniature Asian hard feather that only comes in black

This is a true bantam variety of Shamo, created in the 1850sin Mie Province on the main Japanese island of Honshu. Ithas an upright stance with a fierce proud bearing and wasoriginally created as a sparring partner for the largerO-Shamo.

Unlike many hard feather breeds the Yakido only comes withblack plumage. It has a bright red triple pea comb and yellow,or yellow with black, spotted legs. As with all gamefowl these

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birds are best kept as pairs or trios, i.e. one cock and twohens. No new birds can be introduced as they simply will notbe tolerated.

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Yamato-Gunkei

Yamato-Gunkei cock

With the character and temperament to overcome its looks

An ancient ornamental breed and largest of the small Shamos,the Yamato-Gunkei has a rather large frame with chunky legs.Its rather outsize head has a pendulous dewlap, which is verywrinkled and becomes more so with age, which can result inthe bird looking quite grotesque – they are sometimes likenedto the chicken version of a bonsai tree. The feathers are hardand sparse, leaving the breastbone completely bare, and theshort prawn-tail should point between the legs.

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The wings are held away from the body and the shouldercoverts should show clearly on the back giving what is knownin poultry circles as the ‘five hills’ outline, i.e. wing/shouldercovert/back/ shoulder covert/wing.’

It gives a tough appearance but is, in fact, rather delicate andneeds good housing.

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Yamato-Gunkei hen

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Yamato-Gunkei cock

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Yokohama

Red-saddled white Yokohama hen

A beautiful breed with a remarkably long tail

Originally documented in China between 600 and 800 AD,modern-day Yokohamas, in particular the red-saddled white,were developed in Germany in the 19th century from variousJapanese long-tailed breeds.

Their very fancy feathering needs good protection and a largehouse to accommodate their exceptionally long tails. Thiselegant, docile breed is slow to mature but the hens makegood protective mothers. The male bird’s tail can grow up to1m (3ft) a year and they also have extra-long saddle feathers.

In the UK many of the Japanese long-tailed and long-crowerbreeds are included in the Yokohama standard.

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Common ailments

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Culling

There will come a time when one of your flock may need tobe put out of its misery – possibly it will have been attackedby a dog or become seriously ill – and it is your responsibilityto do this. If you hatch your own chicks you must be awarethat 50% will most likely be cockerels, which you may noteven be able to give away let alone sell. The obvious answeris to rear them for the table and end their lives in the mosthumane way possible.

You could take them to the vet or find another poultry keepernearby who will do the job for you – your local poultrysociety could help with this. There are various humanedispatchers available but it is generally thought, andrecommended by the Humane Slaughter Association, thatneck dislocation is the kindest and swiftest method. Beforeattempting it yourself it would be a good idea to find someoneto give you a demonstration.

How to wring a neck

If possible collect the bird for slaughter after dark when it isquietly on its perch. Hold the legs firmly in one hand and withthe bird’s body against your thigh and head hanging down,place the index and middle fingers (or thumb and index fingerif you prefer) either side of the neck with the head in the palmof your hand. Bend the head slightly outward and give asharp, twisting pull downwards, at the same time bending theneck backwards. This dislocates the neck from the head anddeath follows instantly. There will almost always be a certain

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amount of flapping but this is simply post-mortal nerves andwill cease shortly.

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Breed classes

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Quick reference guide

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Egg colours

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Useful websites

www.poultryclub.org

The site of the Poultry Club of Great Britain. Gives lists ofbreed clubs and societies with their secretaries and phonenumbers. Also a great deal of useful advice from breed lists tocare, etc.

www.rarepoultrysociety.co.uk

This society was formed to cater for the rare and endangeredbreeds that do not have their own breed club or society andincludes new breeds from abroad.

www.amerpoultryassn.com

The site of the American Poultry Association ‘to promote andprotect the standard-bred poultry in all its phases’.

www.rbst.org.uk

The Rare Breeds Survival Trust, a charity founded to protectall native breeds of farm animals, including poultry.

www.bantamclub.com

Site of the American Bantam Club, a ‘national organisation topromote breeding and exhibiting of all kinds of bantams’.

www.defra.gov.uk

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Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs –very comprehensive site covering all marketing rules andregulations of the egg and poultry industry. Large section onpoultry welfare and updates on avian influenza.

www.feathersite.com

Comprehensive poultry site with heaps of photos andinformation.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following people, who very kindlyallowed me to use their chickens as models for myillustrations or supplied me with photos:

Andalusian cock and hen heads; Campine (gold cock): ArielRedmond

Appenzeller; Campine cock; Marsh Daisy cock, hen andhead; Rhode Island White cock: Chris Graham, EditorPractical Poultry

Araucana hen: Anne Cushing

Araucana (lavender cock); Friesian hen, cock and chick: JeniStanton

Ardenner cock; Barbu d’Anvers; Barbu d’Uccle cock andhen; Barbu du Watermael; Brabançonne head; Breda Fowlhen; Brakel hen; Indian Game hen and cock; JapaneseBantam cock; Leghorn (black hen and head, brown hen);Malines hen; New Hampshire hen; Orloff head; Rosecombhead; Sebright hen and cock; and several chicks: JohanOpsomer

Ardenner hen and heads: Stuart Sutton

Barnvelder cock and hen: Ian MacDonald

Brabanter chick: Lisa West

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Brabanter hen: Mary Wilson

Brahma cock: Sylvia Brown

Brahma head: Joachim Dippold

Brahma (dark hen); Jersey Giant hen; Orloff cock (Photo:Henny Tate); Pekin hen; Satsumadori hen; Scots Grey hen(photo: Henny Tate); Silkie hen; Sultan hen: Maurice Dukes

Buckeye hen; Java hen; Ko Shamo cock; Norfolk Grey hen:Tony Beardsmore

Burmese cock; Modern Langshan cock: The Cobthorn Trust

Chantecler hen: Yvonne Hillsden

Cochin black hen; Spanish (white-faced cock): AndyMarshall

Cream Legbar chicks: Rowena Evans

Crèvecoeur cock; La Fleche head: Jean-Claude Periquet

Crèvecoeur hen: Rob Gibson

Croad Langshan cock: The Croad Langshan Club

Dandarawi hen and cock head: Dr Nabil Makled

Derbyshire Redcap hen: Christine Taylor

Dominique hen; Lakenvelder hen: Chalkhill poultry

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Dorking chicks: Nicki Stannard

Faverolles cock: Hazel Marks

Faverolles hen; Poland hen (chamois): David Brandreth

Fayoumi hen; Rumpless Game hen and cock: RobertStephenson

German Langshan cock: Karen Pimlott

Hamburgh gold-pencilled hen: Matt Gavenlock

Ixworth hen; Vorwerk hen: Gillian Dixon

Ixworth chick; Vorwerk chick: Jo Seccombe

Japanese Bantam hen; Serama cock; white Wyandotte head:Charlotte Carneigie

Java; Old English Game Carlisle type cock; Plymouth Rock(barred hen); Poland cock and head; and several chicks:Derek Sasaki of My Pet Chicken

Kulang cock: Wilem van Ballekom

Kurakoshiwa cock and hen head; Shamo hen: Julia Keeling

La Fleche hen; Kraienköppe hen; Scots Dumpy hen;Transylvannian Naked Neck hen: Peter Hayford; photos:Rinsey Mills

Leghorn (Exchequer cock): Rod and Moira Attrill

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Lincolnshire Buff cock: Lucy Hampstead

Malay; Old English Game Oxford type cock and head: Stuartand Jennifer Gamble

Marans cock and hen: Derrie Watchorn

Modern Game cock and hen: Jennifer O’sullivan

Ohiki: Jaroslaw Mazur

Old English Game Carlisle type hen: Joan Barry

Old English Pheasant Fowl hen: Tracy Eden

Orpington (buff hen): Sue Lambert

Pekin (lavender cock): Henrietta Fiddian-Green

Penedesenca hen: Amadeu Francesch

Serama hen: Mrs J Cable

Shamo cock: John Benson

Sicilian Buttercup hen: Eric Coppinger; heads: Nüle Mersch

Spanish (white-faced hen): Tricia Coles

Sultan cock: Emma Lewis

Sulumtaler hen: Georg Zohrer

Sumatra cock: Wanda Zwart

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Sussex (light hen): Molly Mahon

Sussex hen with chicks: Jane Burton

Sussex cock: Danny and Carolyne Pecorelli

Thai cock: Jim Zook

Thüringian hen: Liz Holt

Vikinghen: Johanna Haroardottir

Wyandotte (silver-laced hen): owner: Allan Brookes; photo:Chris Graham

Wyandotte (blue-laced cock): Collette Roberts

Yamato-Gunkei cock and hen: Dirk Henken

Yokohama hen: Fleur Swanton

I would also like to thank Anne Merriman of the RPS andAndrew Sheppy of The Cobthorn Trust for their help, andparticularly Julia Keeling for her tireless advice on Asian hardfeathers.

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Glossary

auto-sexing: a breed in which male chicks are lighter thanfemales

bantam: small version of large chicken

barring: stripes of two colours across a feather

beard: feathers in a small clump under beak, e.g. Faverolles

booted: having feathers on the legs and feet and includingvulture hocks

cape: feathers between neck and shoulder

cock: male bird after its first moult

cockerel: male bird before its first moult

columbian: plumage colour where body is white, hackles areblack with white lacing and tail is mainly black

comb: fleshy protruberance on bird’s head

crest: feathers on top of a bird’s head, known as ‘topknot’ or,in an Old English Game, ‘tassel’

crop: area food collects before passing on to the gizzard

dewlap: loose skin on throat under beak

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dubbing: removal of male gamefowl combs and wattles toprevent injury in fights

ear lobes: area of bare skin below chicken’s ear. Colourdenotes egg colour, i.e. in most cases white ear lobes = whiteegg, red ear lobes = brown or tinted

frizzle: a bird whose feathers curl in a random fashion,mostly towards the head

gizzard: the part of the chicken’s digestive tract that containsgrit to grind down the food

hackles: long, narrow feathers on bird’s neck, also saddlefeathers on male

hard feather: describes the short, narrow, tight-fittingfeathers of a gamefowl

hen: female bird after its first moult

hen-feathered: a male bird that lacks sickles or hacklefeathers, e.g. Campine

keel: the breastbone often featherless in gamefowl

leader: the backward-pointing spike of a rose comb

mandibles: upper and lower parts of the beak

meat spot: small harmless spot of blood in the egg

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moult: annual shedding of feathers, during which a hen stopslaying

muff: feathers that protrude from both sides of the face incombination with a beard

parson’s nose: lump of flesh from which tail feathers grow(technically known as uropygium)

point-of-lay: hens about to lay their first eggs, from 18 weeksold

prawn-tail: tail of some game-fowl, shaped like a prawn

pullet: female bird before its first moult

rooster: US term, in theory used to describe a male after itsfirst moult. In practice, it is used to describe a male chicken.

saddle: bird’s back in front of the tail

self-colour: single colour all over

sickles: long, curved tail feathers of male birds

spike: see ‘leader’

spurs: sharp, horny growths on the legs of male and somefemale bird’s legs; also known as ‘cockspurs’ or ‘gaffe’

stag: male gamefowl before its first moult

tassel: see ‘crest’

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trio: group of two hens and one cock

true bantam: small chicken that has no large equivalent

uropygium: parson’s nose

vent or cloaca: orifice through which eggs and excretions arepassed

vulture hocks: feathers that grow from the hock joint andpoint down

wattles: fleshy appendages that hang below beak

wing-clipping: when primary and secondary feathers are cutoff or clipped on one wing to unbalance bird and preventflight

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