ARAUCANA Origin: Arauca province, Chile. Egg layer - 180 per annum. Blue-green eggs that permeates shell. Long, deep bodied. Small pea comb face covered with thick muffling, no wattles. Compact crest. Also a rumpless variety with unique ear-tufts. Colours - white, lavender, blue, black-red, blue-red, silver/golden duckwing, pyle, spangled, cuckoo, black.

BARNEVELDER Origin: Barneveld, Netherlands. Most attractive feature is the double lacing in plumage. Mature cock displays a lustrous plumage with iridescent shades of green, violet & bronze. Smallish head & single comb. Calm, placid & hardy. Great for free range. Good backyard egg-layer - 180 per annum.Eggs are real dark brown colour. Black & Blue-laced, Partridge & Silver varieties.

White

Silver laced

Gold laced

Partridge

Barred

COCHIN Origin: Shanghai, China. Earlier known as Chinese Shanghai fowl, then Cochin China. Dual purpose. Eggs 120 per annum. Great size. Cocks - 11 lbs, Hen - 8 1/2 lbs. Good meat bird. Usually very calm. Excellent broodies. Profuse soft feathering; extraordinary thick, fluffy plumage with great abundance of down in under-fluff. Also leg & foot-feathering. Varieties - Buff, Blue, White, Black & Partridge, Silver-laced, Golden-laced, Brown & Barred..

Brown

Light

Silver

Speckled

Buff

SUSSEX Origin: Sussex, England. Speckled Sussex are a favourite in England where they are prized for their beautiful colouring. One of the best of dual purpose breeds. Heavy breed. Weigh 7-9 lbs. Varieties: Speckled, Red, Light, Buff, Brown & Silver

FRIZZLE Feathers curl backwards instead of lying naturally pointed towards the tail.

JERSEY GIANT Origin: New Jersey. 2 varieties - black & white. Large & very heavy. Cocks - 12 lbs, Hens -10 lbs. Dual purpose but mainly meat. Egg production - 180 per annum. Slow-growing, therefore not commercially viable.

Light

Buff

BRAHMA Origin: Asia. Huge, very good natured, calm & docile. General purpose for heavy meat production. Egg production - 140 per annum. 3 varieties - light, buff & dark.

KRAIENKOPPE Origin: shared border area Holland & Germany. aka Twentse (Dutch name). Varieties: Silver & Blackbreasted Red. Long back, fully feathered in hackle & saddle. Walnut comb & wattles quite small.

Red

White

Silver Grey

Coloured

DORKING Got its name from Dorking, a market town in the south of England. Varieties - White, Silver Gray  Red & coloured & also Cuckoo variety. Most common -red; red speckles & spangles, black breasted red & brown reds. Very short legs. Relatively large, single rose comb. Quite docile. Good, general purpose for producing meat & white-shelled eggs (egg production - 140 per annum) although developed for its especially fine quality meat.

Gold spangled

Silver spangled

Gold penciled

Silver penciled

HAMBURG Origin: Holland.  Called the Hollands Hoen (Dutch fowl) in the Netherlands. Varieties: Gold/Silver spangled, Gold/Silver penciled, Black & White. Also Blues, Buffs & Silver-laced Blacks. Penciled varieties also known as Dutch Everyday Layers. & are the smallest of all the varieties. Distinctive features - rose comb, beautiful markings. Cocks weigh 5 lbs., Hens 4 lbs. Good white shelled egg producers although eggs relatively small. Active.

Buff

Brown

Cuckoo

LEGHORN White leghorns are the backbone of the egg industry. Good feed conversion ration. Large red combs stand out against pure white feathers.

Exchequer

Pile

White

Silver

Mottled

Buff

Dark

Whitelaced red

CORNISH Origin: Cornwall, England. Also known as Indian Game. Hard-feathered breed, plumage sits very close to body. Small pea comb. Very sturdy, heavy. Males 10 1/2 lbs. Meat bird. Egg production only 80 per annum.

Chamois laced

Yellow penciled

FRIESIAN Origin: Friesian area, Northern Holland. At least 13 colours. Layer. Egg production - 160 per annum.

Croad

White

LANGSHAN Black Langshan native of China (Langshan district, north of Yangtze river). Called Croad Langshans in Britain. 3 varieties - Black, White & Blue. Feathering on legs & massive appearance, in common with Brahma & Cochin, although smaller.  Cock - 9 1/2 lbs, Hens - 7 1/2 lbs. Tail feathers nearly same height as head. Single comb. Dual purpose. Extremely good layers (180-200 per annum) with large brown eggs. Excellent  feed to egg ratio. Very gentle.

FAVEROLLE Origin: Faverolle village, France. Varieties: Salmon, White, Cuckoo. Contrasting plumage colours between the genders. Because of this contrasting colour between the sexes and the brillance of colour in the males, they are said to the Peacock of the poultry world. Distinctive 5 toes. Dual purpose. Known for excellent table qualities & superior egg production (160 per annum). Excellent choice for small home flock; excellent backyard fowl. Adult birds typically range from 6-8 lbs.

DOMINIQUE Domestic chicken (excellent farm chicken). Characterized by bright red rose combs & barred patterns. Males have long sweeping tails. Sexing at hatching - males have yellow toes & leg shanks while females have dark grey or black. Females have a yellow spot on top of their head; males are a blend of black & yellow. Dual purpose. Reasonably good layers (170 per annum) of light to dark brown eggs. Also good meat birds. Known for their hardiness - do well both on open range & in confinement. Generally calm by nature. High fertility -hatch well, feather early, mature young. Medium weight. 5-7 lbs.

FAYOUMI Origin: Fayoum, Egypt. Otherwise known as Bigawi. Fairly small active chickens. Flighty.  Weigh 3 1/2-4 1/2 lbs. Fast maturing. Pullets may start laying small, off-white eggs by 4 months of age. Quite long neck, very high almost vertical tail carriage. Penciled breed in gold/silver. Similar in plumage pattern to Campines.

Golden

Silver

CAMPINE Origin: Campine, Belgium. Layer  - white egg production. Varieties: Golden & Silver barred patterns. Fairly small, closely feathered breed.

LA FLECHE Origin: La Fleche, La Sarthe Valley, France. Dual purpose. White egg production - 18p per annum. Pair of spikes in place of comb. Always black colour. Medium size. Very active, but slow maturing.

Barred

White

Columbian

PLYMOUTH ROCK Origin: Massachusetts, America. One of the most popular dual purpose breeds for backyard. Egg production 160 per annum. Varieties: Barred, White, Buff (origin Rhode Island), Silver penciled (origin New York), Columbian (origin Ohio), Blue & Partridge. Weigh 7 1/2 - 9 1/2 lbs.

MALAY Origin: SEA. Originally used for cock fighting. Varieties: Black breasted red (Wheaten), Spangled, Black, White & Red Pyle. Weigh 7-9 lbs. Long legs. Strawberry comb. Bodies inclined upward with tail low & drooping. Closely, short feathered Dark brown eggs.

Black crested white with cuckoo chicks

Buff lace

White crested black

Silver

POLAND Origin: Europe. Also known as Crested Dutch or Polish. Most prominent feature is the crest of feathers on head. Domesticated. Weigh 4 1/2-6 1/2 lbs. White-shelled eggs - production 120 per annum. Varieties: Black crested White, White crested Black/Blue, Golden/Silver Laced (Spangles), Buff-laced, White, solid blue/black, buff, Cuckoo, White crested cuckoo, Black crested Buff & Black breasted Red.

Buff

Blue

Black

ORPINGTON Origin: Orpington, County Kent, England. Larger breed. Dual purpose. Excellent layers of large brown eggs - 160 per annum.  Colours - Black, Buff, White & Blue.

Black

White

Buff

TURKEN Origin: Hungary. Also known as Transylvanian Naked Necks. Quite popular in South Africa where they are known as Kaalnek. Relatively good layers of brown eggs (180 per annum). Also excellent meat quality. Strong, resistant to diseases. Mainly found in Black colour. Others - White & Partridge, Speckled.

Black

Cuckoo

SCOTS DUMPY Origin: Scotland. Originally known as Crawlers & Creepers because of their very short legs. Other names include Balies, Daidies & Hoodies. Kruepers in Germany,  Varieties: Common Cuckoo (light grey with dark grey bands) & Black, Brown, Gold, Silver. All with white feet except Blacks have black feet & Cuckoo have mottled feet. Weighs 6-7 lbs.

SUMATRA Origin: Sumatra. Also frequently referred to as Black Sumatras. Beautiful, lustrous black plumage, shining with a really intense beetle green  sheen. Long tail carried low. Males has a particularly impressive heavy sweep of long, brilliant, curving, sharply pointed tail feathers.

RHODE ISLAND RED Origin: Rhode Island. Excellent farm chicken. Excellent layers of large brown eggs. Can produce around 180-300 eggs per year. Known for their hardiness.  Average 7 1/2-8 1/2 lbs.

REDCAP Origin: Derbyshire, England. What sets them apart from other breeds & identifies them at a glance is their large rose comb which is responsible for their name. Hardy, active, alert. Excellent layers of white-shelled eggs (production 200 per annum). Weighs 6 1/2-7 1/2 lbs. Chicks are mahogany-coloured with a dark stripe.

SULTAN Origin: Southeastern Europe. Very popular in Turkey where they are known as Sultan's Fowl. Full crest, muff & beard, heavily feathered shanks.

NORFOLK GREY Origin: Norwich, Great Britain. Originally known as Black Maria. Reasonable layer of brown eggs. Classified as heavy breed, although weigh only 6-7 lbs.

NEW HAMPSHIRE REDS Origin: New Hampshire. (Developed from Rhode Island Reds). Dual purpose. Large brown eggs (Production - 120 per annum). Particular features - Early maturing, quick feathering & plump carcass. Weighs 6 1/2-8 1/2 lbs.

Partridge

Buff

Black

Golden laced

Columbian

Blue

Silver penciled

Silver laced

WYANDOTTE Origin: America. First known as American Seabrights & Seabright  Cochins. Varieties - Silver/Golden laced, White, Black, Buff, Columbian, Partridge & Silver Penciled. Good dual purpose. Egg production 180 per annum. Good-sized brown eggs. Weighs 6 1/2-8 1/2 lbs.