Chicken Breeds

As part of your chicken skillathon for Gauge County 4-H, you will need to know 20 breeds and varieties of chickens. The ones you need to know are the photos or illustrations with labels in bold red text on this page. Photos and illustrations of additional varieties for some breeds are included on this page labeled in black bold text. Study the photos, illustrations and descriptions on this page. When you are finished, click on the Next Page icon at the bottom of this page to test your knowledge on breeds.

The description for Cornish chickens is from the Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University. All other chicken descriptions are from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.


In Sri Lanka many farmers depend on animal husbandry for their livelihood, but not a large proportion. Therefore, many livestock products have to be imported. The main livestock products in Sri Lanka are milk, meat and eggs. Hides, wools and other products are still not produced within the country. Animal power formerly used in the cultivation of rice and vegetables has been replaced by modern technology to farm lands. However animal husbandry plays an important role in the rural economy for improving the living conditions of farmers in the country.
The land area of Sri Lanka is 65,610 km². and of this, 30% belongs to agricultural activities. From that 30%, 70% is solely devoted to crop production. The remainder consists of a mixture of crops and livestock. Hence, a very small proportion of the farm land is solely devoted to livestock production. In Sri Lanka, livestock sector contributes around 1.2% of national GDP. Livestock are spread throughout all regions of Sri Lanka with concentrations of certain farming systems in particular areas due to cultural, market and agro-climatic reasons. According to statistics from the Department of Animal Production and Health, there are about 1.3 million cattle, 0.3 million buffalo, 0.4 million goats, 13 million poultry and 0.08 million pigs in the country with negligible numbers of sheep, ducks and other animal breeds.

Sri Lanka has a documented history that spans over 3,000 years, but there are theories to suggest that Sri Lanka had pre-historic human settlements dating back to at least 125,000 years. Its geographic location and deep harbours made it of great strategic importance from the time of the ancient Silk Road through to World War II. Sri Lanka is a diverse country, home to many religions, ethnicities and languages. It is the land of the Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils, Moors, Indian Tamils, Burghers, Malays, Kaffirs and the aboriginal Vedda. Sri Lanka has a rich Buddhist heritage, and the first known Buddhist writings of Sri Lanka, the Pāli Canon, dates back to the Fourth Buddhist Council in 29 BCE.The country's recent history has been marred by a thirty-year civil war which decisively ended when Sri Lankan military defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2009.
Sri Lanka is a republic and a unitary state governed by a presidential system. The capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, is a suburb of the largest city, Colombo. It is also an important producer of tea, coffee, gemstones, coconuts, rubber, and the native cinnamon, the island contains tropical forests and diverse landscapes with a high amount of biodiversity.
The country has had a long history of international engagement, as a founding member of SAARC and a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Nations, the G77, and the Non-Aligned Movement. It is the only country in South Asia that is currently rated "high" on the Human Development Index.

Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock white American Large Fowl Image courtesy of Department of Animal Sciences, Oklahoma State University. Used with permission		Plymouth Rock Barred American Large Fowl Image courtesy of Department of Animal Sciences, Oklahoma State University. Used with permission
The Plymouth Rock, often called simply Rocks or Barred Rocks (after their most popular color),  is a chicken breed that originated in the United States. The Plymouth Rock is a dual-purpose,  cold-hardy bird and therefore makes a great breed for the small farm or backyard flock owner. Origin The Plymouth Rock was developed in New England in the middle of the 19th century  and was first exhibited as a breed in 1869. Several individuals claimed its invention,  using crosses of Dominiques, Black Javas, Cochins, and perhaps Malays and Dorkings.   John C. Bennett  (1804-1867) has been credited with either creating or popularizing the breed. Plymouth  Rocks were bred as a dual-purpose fowl, meaning that they were valued both for their meat  and for the hens' egg-laying ability. The first Plymouth Rock was barred and other varieties  were developed later. The breed became popular very rapidly, and in fact, until World War  II, no breed was ever kept and bred as extensively in the United States as the Barred Plymouth  Rock. Its popularity came from its qualities as an outstanding farm chicken: hardiness,  docility, broodiness, and excellent production of both eggs and meat. Most of the other varieties were developed from crosses containing some of the same  ancestral background as the barred variety. Early in its development, the name Plymouth  Rock implied a barred bird, but as more varieties were developed, it became the designation  for the breed. The Barred Plymouth Rock was one of the foundation breeds for the broiler  industry in the 1920s, and the White Rock continues to be used as the female side of the  commercial broiler cross.  Characteristics Plymouth Rocks are large, long-lived chickens. Some varieties are good layers while  others are bred principally for meat. They possess a long, broad back; a moderately deep,  full breast; and yellow skin and legs. The hens have a deep, full abdomen which is a sign  of a good layer. The face of a Plymouth Rock is red with red ear lobes, a bright yellow beak,  bay-colored eyes, and a single comb of moderate size. Their feathers are fairly loosely held  but not so long as to easily tangle. Generally, Plymouth Rocks are not extremely aggressive, and tame quite easily. They are  docile and normally will show broodiness. The hens usually make good mothers. However, some males and females are big and active enough to be quite a problem if they become  aggressive. Breeders should be aware of the standard weights and not select small or narrow birds for  the breeding pen. Common faults include a shallow breast, high tails, narrow bodies and  small size. Varieties The varieties of Plymouth Rocks refer to differences in feather markings. Barred White Buff Partridge Silver Penciled (or Silver Laced) Blue Columbian Eggs Plymouth Rocks lay a large egg that varies in color from light to medium brown, sometimes  with a touch of pink. The birds continue laying all through the winter with decreased production.  On average, each hen will lay around 200 eggs per year. Weight The standard weights for Plymouth Rocks, as established by the American Poultry Association,  are as follows: cock - 9-1/2 pounds; hen - 7-1/2 pounds; cockerel - 8 pounds; and pullet - 6 pounds. Use Plymouth Rocks were bred to be dual-purpose birds. In the poultry industry, the term  "dual-purpose" implies that these chickens are both prolific layers and excellent table fowl. In the rapidly-growing "backyard chicken" movement in the United States, Plymouth Rocks  are a popular choice among families who choose to raise chickens at home as pets.  The birds are well-adaptable to confinement or free range, are docile, friendly, and easily-handled.  Leghorn
Leghorn Single Comb White Mediterranean Large Fowl Image courtesy of Department of Animal Sciences, Oklahoma State University.

The Leghorn is a breed of chicken named after the Italian city of Livorno, which in English is also known as Leghorn. Leghorns, and leghorn crossbreeds, are one of the most popular commercial breeds of chicken worldwide, and while the majority are white, a number of varieties also exist. In America in both the APA and ABA they are recognized in: white red black tailed red light brown dark brown black blue buff columbian buff columbian barred exchequer silver. Most have single combs but there are several color varieties that have rose combs. In bantam they are also exchequer, a pied pattern. Leghorns are excellent layers of white eggs (around 300 per year), but they can be noisy, flighty, and easily excited. Leghorns mature quickly, but are generally not considered to be large birds, they average from 3 lbs to 4 lbs. Due to their prolific egg-laying, they are preferred by laboratories for embryonic and avian biological research as well as being the number one breed used for large-scale commercial egg production in the United States.
Wyandotte
Wyandotte white American Large Fowl Image courtesy of Department of Animal Sciences, Oklahoma State University. Used with permission		Silver Laced Wyandottes are the original variety of the breed Image from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Wyandotte chicken is a breed of chicken that began in America and spread all over the world. Appearance The Wyandotte has a medium sized breast with a rose comb and clean legs. The chicken feathers are broad and loosely fitting. The area around the vent is very fluffy. The legs are yellow, although some silver laced may have gray. Colors There are eight colors recognized by the APA (American Poultry Association) which are: golden laced, silver laced, white, black, buff, Columbian, partridge silver penciled. In bantams there is also buff Columbian black breasted red blue red lemon blue barred brown red birchen that are recognized by the American Bantam Association. However, there are more colors than that which are either recognized by similar organizations in other countries like the PCGB (Poultry Club of Great Britain). These colors include blue laced red buff laced. Overall there are 17 colors Characteristics The Wyandotte is a breed that suits both free range and confinement in a run. They occasionally go broody. They tend to be quite friendly, and not flighty, and so make good pets for people. They are also very vocal, uttering soft clucks on a regular basis. Utility aspects The hens (females) will lay around 200 eggs a year with an exceptional hen laying around 240 eggs a year. The eggs are brown or tinted. The hens weigh around 6 pounds and the cocks weigh around 8 1/2 pounds. The hens also make great setters. It is sometimes difficult for natural insemination to occur, due to the number and thickness of feathers in the tail area for the same reason, they are prone to accumulation of feces on vent-area feathers that needs to be regularly washed off, or the vent could become clogged. Variations The Blue Laced Red is one of the rarest varieties Image from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Silver Laced:   The silver laced wyandotte has white feathers with black edges to every feather, an effect called lacing. The tail is black and they should have yellow legs. The silver laced was developed in New York state in the early 1870s and was admitted to the standard in 1883. The silver laced wyandotte was the base for all other colors. Golden Laced:  The golden laced wyandotte has a golden color with black around the edge of every feather and black tail. It is the result of a cross between a Silver Laced Wyandotte females with a large "Black Red" patterned fowl of unknown origin called the Winnebago. Blue Laced Red: The blue laced red is a buff/red color with a blue that looks just like gray around the edge of every feather. Buff Laced:  The buff laced is buff but with white around the edge of the feathers. White:  The white is white all over. Black:   The black is black all over. Buff:  The buff is a buff color all over. A buff is like a ginger orange color Columbian:  Columbian is white, but with a black tail, black wing tips and the neck is mainly black with some white. Partridge:  A red color but with three black stripes, meeting at the middle of the feather and then going outwards at an angle in the hen, and the cock looks like a typical farmyard cock. Silver Pencilled:  Like the partridge, but with a silver undercolor in the hen and the cock is a white color but with bits of black in there until the tail and the wing which are black. Blue:  The hen is blue all over but the cock is black with the tail and wing blue on some birds. Barred:  The barred, in both genders, has feathers which have black and white stripes across the width of the feather, all over the body Mille Fleur:  The mille fleur wyandotte is a dark brown color with black crescents with white spots on the tips. Buff Columbian:   Like the Columbian except buff. Red:   The red wyandotte is a dark red/brown all over.
Cornish
Cornish White English Large Fowl Photo courtesy of My Pet Chicken . Used with permission.			Dark Cornish Cock Image from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Varieties: Dark White White Laced Red Buff Standard Weights: Cock-10-1 /2 pounds; hen-8 pounds; cockerel-8-1/2 pounds; pullet-6-1/2 pounds. Skin Color: Yellow. Egg Shell Color: Brown.

Use: 
 Developed as the ultimate meat bird, the Cornish has contributed its genes to build the vast broiler industry of the world, Its muscle development and arrangement give excellent carcass shape.

Origin: 
 Cornish were developed in the shire (county) of Cornwall, England where they were known as "Indian Games". They show the obvious influence of Malay and other oriental blood. They were prized for their large proportion of white meat and its fine texture.

Characteristics:
 The Cornish has a broad, well muscled body. Its legs are of large diameter and widely spaced. The deep set eyes, projecting brows and strong, slightly curved beak give the Cornish a rather cruel expression. Cornish males are often pugnacious and the chicks tend to be more cannibalistic than some breeds. Good Cornish are unique and impressive birds to view. The feathers are short and held closely to the body, and may show exposed areas of skin. Cornish need adequate protection during very cold weather as their feathers offer less insulation than can be found on most other chickens. Because of their short feathers and wide compact bodies, Cornish are deceptively heavy. Due to their shape, good Cornish often experience poor fertility and artificial mating is suggested. Cornish are movers and need space to exercise and develop their muscles. The old males get stiff in their legs if they do not receive sufficient exercise. The females normally go broody but because of their very minimal feathers can cover relatively fewer eggs. They are very protective mothers but are almost too active to be good brood hens.