Chicken breeds recognized by the American Poultry Association
The chicken breeds recognized by the American Poultry Association are listed in the American Standard of Perfection. They are categorized into classes: standard-sized breeds are grouped by type or by place of origin, while bantam breeds are classified according to type or physical characteristics.
Large breeds
[edit]The large breeds are divided into six classes – American, Asiatic, Continental, English, Mediterranean, and All Other Standard Breeds – largely according to their place of origin.
American
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/BlackJava_female%2C_1905.png/220px-BlackJava_female%2C_1905.png)
The American Class contains thirteen breeds which originated in Canada or the United States.[1]: 11 All are heavy breeds, and most lay brown eggs;[1]: 11 most are cold-hardy:[2]
- Buckeye
- Chantecler
- Delaware
- Dominique
- Holland
- Java
- Jersey Giant
- Lamona
- New Hampshire
- Plymouth Rock
- Rhode Island Red
- Rhode Island White
- Wyandotte
Asiatic
[edit]These three breeds originate in China; they are large, feather legged, and lay brown eggs:[1]: 21
Continental
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Silver-Spangled_Hamburg_Sam_dinner.jpg/220px-Silver-Spangled_Hamburg_Sam_dinner.jpg)
This group consists of eleven breeds from Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. They are mostly sprightly birds, the Faverolles being an exception:[1]: 70
- Barnevelder
- Campine
- Crevecoeur
- Faverolles
- Hamburg
- Houdan
- La Fleche
- Lakenvelder
- Marans
- Polish
- Welsummer
English
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/Orpington_chicken_2.jpg/220px-Orpington_chicken_2.jpg)
This class consists of five breeds from the United Kingdom and one from Australia:[3]
Mediterranean
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2f/Ancona_chicken.jpg/220px-Ancona_chicken.jpg)
These breeds originating in Italy and Spain have white earlobes and tend to be productive layers of white eggs. In general they are flighty, and exceptional free-range birds, with both evasion and foraging skills:[1]: 178
All other standard breeds
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Phoenix_rooster_and_hen.jpg/220px-Phoenix_rooster_and_hen.jpg)
Other breeds are grouped in this class, which has three subclasses: Game, Oriental, and Miscellaneous. The Game subclass includes the non-oriental game birds, the Oriental subclass includes mainly birds from Asia; the Cubalaya, however, is from Cuba. The Miscellaneous subclass holds the remaining breeds.[3]
Game
[edit]Oriental
[edit]Miscellaneous
[edit]Bantam breeds
[edit]Bantams are grouped according to type or physical appearance into six classes:[3]
Modern game
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/30/Modern_Game_pair.jpg/220px-Modern_Game_pair.jpg)
This class consists solely of the Modern Game bantam.[1][3]
Game
[edit]The Game class includes the remaining game bantams:[1][3]
Single comb clean-legged
[edit]This class contains all the bantam breeds with a single comb, excluding the game bantams:[1][3]
- Ancona (single comb)
- Andalusian
- Australorp
- Campine
- Catalana
- Delaware
- Dorking (single comb)
- Dutch
- Holland
- Japanese
- Java
- Jersey Giant
- Lakenvelder
- Lamona
- Leghorn (single comb)
- Minorca (single comb)
- Naked-neck chicken
- Nankin (single comb)
- New Hampshire
- Orpington
- Phoenix
- Plymouth Rock
- Rhode Island Red
- Serama
- Spanish
- Sussex
- Welsummer
Rose-comb clean-legged
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Sebright_hen_on_a_branch.jpg/220px-Sebright_hen_on_a_branch.jpg)
This class groups breeds with both a rose comb and featherless legs:[1]
- Ancona (rose comb)
- Bearded d'Anvers
- Dominique
- Dorking (rose comb)
- Hamburg
- Leghorn (rose comb)
- Minorca (rose comb)
- Nankin (rose comb)
- Redcap
- Rhode Island Red
- Rhode Island White
- Rosecomb
- Sebright
- Wyandotte
Feather-legged
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Millefleur.jpg/220px-Millefleur.jpg)
The breeds of this class have feathering on their legs and feet:[1][3]
- Belgian Bearded d'Uccle
- Booted
- Brahma
- Cochin
- Faverolles
- Langshan (Croad Langshan)
- Silkie
- Sultan
All other comb clean-legged
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f2/Ameraucana_wheaten_bantam_male.jpg/220px-Ameraucana_wheaten_bantam_male.jpg)
This class includes all of the breeds that do not fall into any of the other classes:[1][3]
- Ameraucana
- Araucana
- Buckeye
- Chantecler
- Cornish
- Crevecoeur
- Cubalaya
- Houdan
- La Fleche
- Malay
- Polish
- Shamo
- Sicilian Buttercup
- Sumatra
- Yokohama
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Gail Damerow (2012). The Chicken Encyclopedia. North Adams, Massachusetts: Storey Publishing. ISBN 9781603425612.
- ^ Ekarius, Carol (2007). Storey's illustrated guide to poultry breeds. North Adams, Mass.: Storey Pub. ISBN 978-1-58017-667-5.
- ^ a b c d e f g h APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties: As of January 1, 2012. American Poultry Association. Archived 4 November 2017.