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Breed Basics

Rare Breeds

American Game
Origin: USA
Egg Colour: White, cream, light brown
Recognised Colours: Reds; Duckwings; Dark Greys; Brown Reds; Ginger Breasted Ginger Reds; Blues and Duns; Piles; Whites; Blacks; Brassy Backs, Furnaces and Polecats; Spangles; Creels; Birchens
Fact: In undubbed birds, the comb is acceptable in straight, pea or rose, a reflection of the mixed ancestry of this breed.





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Andalusian
Origin: Mediterranean breed from Spain
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colour: Blue (laced)
Fact: When standard coloured birds are mated together only 50% of progeny are the standard blue colour.






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Araucana
Origin: South America
Egg Colour: Green, blue, olive
Recognised Colours: Lavender; Black; Splash; White; Cuckoo; any Old English Game colour
Fact: The Araucana is also standardised in a rumpless variety.




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Asil
Origin: Indian
Egg Colour: Tinted
Recognised Colours: No fixed colours
Fact:  Reputed to be the most pugnacious breed of domestic chicken.





Barnevelder
Origin: The Netherlands
Egg Colour: Dark brown, often with darker spots

Recognised Colours: Double-laced; Partridge; Black and Silver
Fact: Developed as a dual purpose breed, popular with backyarders because of egg colour.




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Brahma
Origin: Asiatic
Egg Colour: Tinted
Recognised Colours: Buff; Dark; Gold; Light; Golden Crele and White
Fact: Once a very popular dual purpose breed. Original stock in Australia died out but has been re-created with varying degrees of success.





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Campine
Origin: Belgium
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: Gold and Silver
Fact: Was one of the breeds used in the development of the first autosexing breed, the Cambar. Males are hen feathered.



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​Cochin
Origin: Asiatic
Egg Colour: Tinted
Recognised Colours: Buff; Black; Blue; White; Cuckoo; Partridge; Gold Laced; Gold Crele; Silver Laced
Fact: Like the Brahma, originally a popular dual purpose breed of which the original stock also died out in Australia. Re-created here, again with varying degrees of success.



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​Crèvecœur
Origin: France
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: Black
Fact: One of the few breeds standardised with a horn shaped comb, the Crèvecœur was originally developed for the excellent quality of its flesh. Imported into Australia in 2014



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Croad Langshan
Origin: Asiatic
Egg Colour: Brown
Recognised Colours: Black; Blue; White
Fact: One of the breeds used by William Cook to create the Black Orpington.







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Dorking
Origin: British
Egg Colour: Tinted
Recognised Colours: Silver-Grey; Blue Silver-Grey; Dark; Cuckoo; Red; White
Fact: An ancient breed, once used as a first class table breed. Most commonly seen in the Silver-Grey colour.





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Dutch Bantam
Origin: The Netherlands
Egg Colour: Tinted
Recognised Colours: Gold Partridge; Silver Partridge; Yellow Partridge; Blue Silver Partridge; Blue Yellow Partridge; Blue Partridge; Red Shouldered White; Cuckoo Partridge; Cuckoo; Black; White; Blue; Lavender
Fact: A true bantam with no large fowl counterpart.
Imported into Australia in 2014





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Faverolles
Origin: French
Egg Colour: Tinted
Recognised Colours: Salmon; Ermine; White; Buff: Cuckoo; Black; Blue; Birchen
Fact: One of its ancestors is the Dorking, and like that breed it has five toes.





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Frizzle
Origin: Asiatic
Egg Colour: White or tinted
Recognised Colours: Frizzles can be bred in any recognised colour
Fact: Popular because of its unusual feather structure. More common in its bantam form than in large fowl.





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Houdan
Origin: French
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: Mottled; White
Fact: Originally bred as a table breed, it is now classified as a light breed. Has a number of unique features including a leaf comb, five toes, beard and muffling, and a crest.





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Japanese
Origin: Japan
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: White; Red; Black; Blue; Lavender; Birchen; Black-tailed White; Black-tailed Buff; Cuckoo; Grey; Mottled; Buff Columbian; Brown Red; Old English Game colours
Fact: A purely ornamental breed. Well known for its very short shanks. Also standardised in a Frizzled variety.





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Jungle Fowl
Origin: Asian
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: Black Red
Fact: Represents Gallus gallus the Red Jungle Fowl, the ancestor of all domestic fowls.






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​​La Flèche
Origin: France
​Egg Colour: Tinted
Recognised Colour: Black
Fact: The La Flèche is unusual amongst other fowls in having two vertical spikes for a comb.



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Lakenvelder
Origin: Netherlands / Germany
Egg Colour: Tinted
Recognised Colours: Black and White
Fact: The Lakenvelder shares its name with a Dutch breed of cattle that also has the black and white belted pattern.



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Legbar
Origin: British
Egg Colour: Gold and Silver varieties - white or cream; Cream variety - green, blue or olive
Recognised Colours: Gold, Silver and Cream
Fact: An autosexing breed bred from Leghorns and Barred Rocks. The cream variety has a crest from an infusion of Araucana blood.





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Malay Game
Origin: Asiatic
Egg Colour: Tinted
Recognised Colours: Black; White; Pile; Black Red; Duckwing
Fact: One of the ancestors of the Australian Game and the Australian Pit Game.






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Marans
Origin: French
Egg Colour: Dark Brown
Recognised Colours: Black; Dark Cuckoo; Golden Cuckoo; Silver Cuckoo; other colours follow Pekin standard
Fact: Standardised with either clean or feathered shanks.






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Minorca
Origin: A Mediterranean breed from Spain
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: Black; White; Blue
Fact: Once a popular laying breed, still a productive bird and a real show stopper when presented in peak condition.






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New Hampshire
Origin: American
Egg Colour: Tinted to brown
Recognised Colour: Predominantly chestnut red
Fact: Developed in the state of New Hampshire in the USA from Rhode Island Red stock.






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Old English Pheasant Fowl
Origin: British
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: Gold; Silver
Fact: An old British dual purpose breed, it shares a common ancestor with the Redcap and Gold Spangled Hamburgh. Imported into Australia in 2014






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Phoenix
Origin: Japanese
Egg Colour: White, tinted
Recognised Colours: Colours follow Old English Game standard.
Fact: One of the long tailed breeds perfected in Japan.







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Polish
Origin: European
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: White crested Black; White crested blue; White crested Cuckoo; White crested Splash; Black; Buff; Cuckoo; White; Lavender; Splash; Silver Laced; Gold Laced; Chamois
Fact: Varieties fit into three basic divisions: White Crested, which must not have a beard or muff; Self colours, which may have a beard and muff or not; and Laced varieties, which must have a beard and muff. All varieties may also have frizzled feathers.





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Redcap
Origin: British
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: A variation of Gold Spangled
Fact: Generally known as the Derbyshire Redcap, it was originally an excellent dual purpose breed. However it was developed for exhibition with its immense comb as its main feature. Imported into Australia in 2014





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​Scots Grey
Origin: British
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: Barred
Fact: Developed in Scotland over two hundred years ago, it is standardised as a light, non sitting breed. Imported into Australia in 2014




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Sebright
Origin: British
Egg Colour: White or cream
Recognised Colours: Gold; Silver
Fact: A true bantam developed by Sir John Sebright. Males are hen feathered.






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Shamo
Origin: Japan
Egg Colour: White or tinted
Recognised Colours: ‘Game’ colours
Fact: No points are allocated for colour in the standard.








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Sicilian Buttercup
Origin:
A Mediterranean breed
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: Golden; Silver; other colours follow Leghorn standard
Fact: A reasonably good layer with a distinctive cup shaped comb.




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Spanish
Origin: A Mediterranean breed from Spain
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: Black; Blue; White

Fact: Unique in being the only breed with a white face. Once popular because it was a very prolific layer.




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Sultan
Origin: Turkish
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colour: White
Fact:  Has many unusual features including five toes, vulture hocks, feathered shanks, beard and crest.







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Sumatra
Origin: Asia
Egg Colour: White
Recognised Colours: Black; Blue; White
Fact: An old breed, which is noted for its black face, and pea comb and lack of wattles.






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Transylvanian Naked Neck
Origin: Central European
Egg Colour: Tinted
Recognised Colours: Black; White; Buff; Cuckoo; Red; Blue
Fact:  The naked neck gene reduces feather density which enables the breed to better withstand heat.






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Vorwerk
Origin: Germany
Egg Colour: Cream to Tinted
Recognised Colours: Black and Buff
Fact: The Vorwerk shares the same belted pattern as the Lakenvelder but with buff replacing white.



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Welsummer
Origin: The Netherlands
Egg Colour: Brown
Recognised Colours: Partridge; Silver Duckwing
Fact: A true dual purpose breed which is reflected in the points allocated in the breed standard.






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Yokohama
Origin: Japan, Europe
Egg Colour: White or tinted
Recognised Colours: Red saddled; White
Fact: The popular red saddled variety was actually developed in Germany, although original stock came from Japan.





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Rare Varieties

Ancona
Origin: A Mediterranean breed from Italy
Egg Colour: White
Eligibility Criteria: Red variety and rose combed variety eligible
Fact: A very productive breed which is also economical to feed





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Australian Game
Origin: Australia
Egg Colour: Tinted
Eligibility Criteria: In large fowl all colours except black-red and duckwing are eligible; in bantams all except black-red
Fact: Once considered an ideal farmer’s fowl, today they are kept purely for exhibition purposes.






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Australian Pit Game
Origin: Australia
Egg Colour: Tinted
Eligibility Criteria: Only the hen feathered variety is eligible
Fact:  Australian Pit Game may be any colour whatsoever.







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Australian Langshan
Origin: Australia
Egg Colour: Brown
Eligibility Criteria: Blue and White varieties eligible
Fact: Developed in Australia from Asiatic stock as a first class dual purpose breed. Still an excellent backyard layer suited to Australian conditions.






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Australorp
Origin: Australia
Egg Colour: Tinted to brown
Eligibility Criteria: Blue and white varieties eligible
Fact: Developed in Australia from the original Cook Orpingtons. Utility strains still make first class backyard layers.





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Belgian
Origin: Belgium
Egg Colour: White or tinted
Eligibility Criteria: Barbu d’Anvers - all eligible except normal quail, lavender and black; Barbu d’Uccle - all eligible except millefleur, black and black mottled; Barbu de Watermael - all eligible
Fact:  Barbu d’Anvers - always rose combed and clean legged; Barbu d’Uccle - always single combed and feather legged; Barbu de Watermael - always crested and clean legged. Each of the  above has a rumpless version known respectively as Barbu du Grubbe, Barbu d'Everberg and Barbu Bosvoorde





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Hamburgh
Origin: British/Dutch
Egg Colour: White
Eligibility Criteria: In large fowl all varieties except Silver Spangled. Gold Spangled, Silver Pencilled, Gold Pencilled, Black, White & Blue large fowl may be shown. All colour varieties of bantams may be shown.
Fact: Spangled varieties were developed in England, while the Pencilled varieties were developed in the Netherlands. Popular exhibition breed but some varieties extremely rare.





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Indian Game
Origin: British
Egg Colour: Tinted
Eligibility Criteria: Dark and Jubilee are excluded in both large and bantam
Fact: Developed as a first class table bird with no superior among the pure breeds.






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Leghorn
Origin: A Mediterranean breed from Italy
Egg Colour: White
Eligibility Criteria: All large varieties eligible except white and brown; all bantam varieties eligible except white, black and brown
Fact: The white variety was once the most popular laying breed in Australia and was used to produce first cross layers when mated with Australorps.





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Modern Game
Origin: British
Egg Colour: Tinted
Eligibility Criteria: No exclusions in large fowl; black-red, pile, duckwing, brown-red and birchen excluded in bantams
Fact: Developed as an exhibition breed after cock fighting was banned in Britain.






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Old English Game
Origin: British
Egg Colour: Tinted
Eligibility Criteria: Black-red partridge, blue-red dark leg, ginger, brown-red and duckwings are ineligible in large fowl; black-red, pile, duckwing, blue-red, ginger, brown-red, black, birchen, grey and crele are ineligible in bantams. Muffs and tassels in any colour are eligible in both large and bantam
Fact: Old English Game bantams are one of the most popular of all exhibition breeds.





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Orpington
Origin: British
Egg Colour: Brown
Eligibility Criteria: In large fowl all except black and buff are eligible; in bantams all except for black are eligible
Fact:  Originally introduced as excellent dual purpose fowls, today they are more popular as show fowls.






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Pekin
Origin: Asiatic
Egg Colour: White or cream
Eligibility Criteria: Colours other than black, white, and blue are eligible
Fact: A true bantam breed that is purely ornamental.






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Plymouth Rock
Origin: American
Egg Colour: Tinted
Eligibility Criteria: All eligible except for the barred varieties
Fact: The barring of the barred varieties is a sex-linked characteristic, and hens can be used to produce chicks that can be sexed at birth when crossed with a non-barred breed.






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Rhode Island
Origin: American
Egg Colour: Tinted to brown
Eligibility: Rose combed variety in both red and white, and the single combed white are all eligible
Fact: The single combed red variety was once one of the most popular breeds of fowl in the world.






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Rosecomb
Origin:  Asiatic
Egg Colour: White or cream
Eligibility Criteria: All colours except black are eligible
Fact: A true bantam breed that has no large breed counterpart.






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Silkie
Origin: Asiatic
Egg Colour: Tinted to cream
Eligibility Criteria: In large fowl all except white (bearded and non bearded) and partridge (non bearded) are eligible; in bantams all except white are eligible
Fact: The Silkie has black skin and flesh which is considered to have medicinal properties in some cultures.





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Sussex
Origin: British
Egg Colour: Tinted
Eligibility Criteria: All varieties except for light are eligible
Fact: When light Sussex hens are mated to Rhode Island Red cocks, the chicks can be sexed at birth by down colour - the females are red, the cockerels white.





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Wyandotte
Origin: American
Egg Colour: Tinted
Eligibility Criteria: In large fowl all colours except white, silver laced and gold laced; in bantams all colours except white, columbian, partridge, buff, silver laced and gold laced
Fact: The silver laced was the first variety of the Wyandotte, the whites coming as sports from this variety.





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The Rare Poultry Breeders' Association - Promoting rare breeds and rare colour varieties of pure bred domestic fowl