Breeds, Varieties, and Strains of Domesticated Poultry

Jungle fowls

Ancestors of the present day poultry breeds

Gallus

Meaning a cock

Jungle fowls

Ancestors of the present day poultry breeds

Gallus

Meaning a cock

Gallus gallus or Gallus bankiva

Red Jungle Fowl

Gallus lafayetti

Ceylon Jungle Fowl

Gallus sonneratii

Grey Jungle Fowl

Gallus varius

Javan Jungle Fowl

Gallus gallus bankiva

Javan Red Jungle Fowl

Gallus gallus gallus

Cochin-Chinese Red Jungle Fowl

Gallus gallus jabouillei

Tonkinese Red Jungle Fowl

Gallus gallus murgha

Indian Red Jungle Fowl

Gallus gallus spadaceus

Burmese Red Jungle Fosl

New Hampshire

This dual-purpose breed is originated from America. The body is broad, deep and rounded. The plumage is chestnut red in colour. Standard weight of Cock and Hen is 3.8 Kg and 3.1 Kg, respectively. This breed is mostly used as female line in broiler breeding.

Plymouth Rock

Birds of this breed have long body and good depth. They are docile (quite); possess a long, broad back and a moderately deep, full breast. The standard weight of Cock is 4.2 Kg and Hen is 3.2 Kg. The White variety is extensively used as male line in broiler breeding.

Rhode Island Red

The Rhode Island Red (RIR) originated from Rhode Island of New England. They are cross of Red Malay Game, Leghorn and Asiatic native stock. It has long rectangular body, back is flat and the breast is carried well forward. The plumage is rich dark or brownish red in colour. The Standard weight for Cock is 3.8 Kg and Hen is 2.9 Kg. The annual egg production ranges from 225-260 eggs per bird.

Brahma

 It is originated from Brahmaputra region in India where they were known as "Gray Chittagongs". The body is circular shaped and massive in appearance due to profuse, loose feathering and feathered legs and toes. The Mature weight of Cock is 5.5 Kg and Hen is 4.2 Kg.

Cochin

originated from India. It is a fancy bird. The Standard weight of Cock is 5.1 Kg and Hen is 3.9 Kg.

Australorp

The breed is from Australia and has deep oval body. The Plumage is lustrous greenish black in all the sections. The back is long and the body slopes gradually towards the tail. The Standard weight of Cock and Hen is 3.8 Kg and 3.0 Kg, respectively. “Austro-white” is a hybrid cross between Australorp male and White Leghorn female. It is an excellent layer.

Cornish

This is the native breed of England. The breed is heavily fleshed (meated) with compact body and a good depth. Body is well rounded on all sides and carried higher in front than rear (back). The Standard weight of Cock is 4.6 Kg and Hen is 3.5 Kg. The breed is used as male line in broiler breeding.

Orpington

The origin of this breed is England. It has deep and well rounded body. The breast is full and back is broad. The Standard weight of Cock is 4.5 kg and Hen is 3.5 Kg.

Sussex

The breed is of England origin. It has long rectangular body. The Standard weight of Cock is 4.0 Kg and Hen is 3.1 Kg.

Leghorn

This breed is originated from Italy. It is the world’s number one egg producer. It has small, oval and compact body, relatively long neck, prominent breast and long shanks. The single comb of the male should be of medium size and should stand erect with five uniform deeply serrated points. The front point of female should stand erect; but remainder of the comb gradually slope to one side. The Standard weight of Cock is 2.7 Kg and Hen is 1.8 Kg. Annual hen-housed egg production per bird is 290-320 eggs.

Minorca

It is a native breed of Spain and is the largest and heaviest of Mediterranean breeds of poultry. It has a long rectangular strong body. The Standard weight of Cock is 4.1 Kg and Hen is 3.0 Kg.

35 days

Incubation period of Muscovy Ducks

Runners

popular for their gait, stance and carriage; body held virtually perpendicular to the ground.

White eggs

Indian Runners egg color

Black eggs

Cayuga and black east indies produces ___ ____ which later on changes to blue

Duck

Occupies second place to chicken in production of eggs in our country

Khaki Campbell

This breed is developed in England by crossing Rouen, White Indian Runner and Mallard. Plumage colour is Khaki. The size of head of male is larger than female. Bills and shanks are black in colour. The body weight is light. Khaki Campbell duck lays 280 -300 eggs per bird per year (it can lay up to 365 eggs a year; an egg a day without a break). The standard weight of drake (male) and duck (female) is 2.2 to 2.4 Kg and 2.0 to 2.2 Kg, respectively.

Indian Runner

It is next to the Khaki Campbell duck in respect of egg production and native breed of Indonesia. The three standard varieties of Indian Runner are white, pencilled and fawn. The body is broader in front and slightly tapering at back. The outstanding feature of this breed is its perpendicular carriage which gives a lean appearance with wedge-shaped bill. It lays 250-280 eggs per year per bird. The standard weight of drake and duck is 1.6 to 2.2 Kg and 1.4 to 2.0 Kg, respectively.

Aylesbury

It is a native bird of England and plumage of both sexes is white. The legs and feet are bright orange and bill is yellow in colour. This is considered as deluxe table bird because of its light bone and high percentage of creamy white flesh. The standard weight is around 4.5 Kg for Drake and 4.0 Kg for duck.

Muscovy

It is originated in South America. There are no feathers on the face and the skin is bright red in colour with caruncles around the eyes. Drake has a knob on head which gives the appearance of a crest. Voice is not characteristic of sex. The incubation period of eggs is 35 days. Muscovies, when crossed with other breeds, produce sterile ducks called “Mule ducks”. The standard weight of drake and duck is 4.5 Kg to 6.4 Kg and 2.2 to 3.1 Kg, respectively.

Pekin

It is originated in China and its white variety is most popular for meat purpose. It has creamy white plumage, yellow flesh, long, broad and deep body with bills and legs deep orange in colour. The white Pekin attains 2.2 to 2.5 Kg body weight in 7 weeks of age with a feed conversion ratio of 1:1.26-3.0 Kg. It lays around 160 eggs per bird per year. The standard weight of drake and duck is 4.5 and 3.6 Kg, respectively.

Guinea Fowl

These birds derive their name from Guinea, a part of the West Coast of Africa

Guinea Fowl

They make their characteristic sound whenever anyone or anything moves in their vicinity. Hence, they also act as “Watch birds”!

Quail

commonly popular as “Bater”.

quails

The egg type ____ come into production at 5-6 weeks of age and reach their peak production by 9-10 weeks of age. The average production touches more than 250 eggs per quail per year. The average weight of an egg is 10 g and its chick weight on hatching is about 6-7 g.

Turkey

originated from Central and Northern America and were domesticated about 300 years ago by the Europeans colonized in North America. Mainly for meat purpose

Turkeys

primarily raised for meat and most popular varieties are Broad-breasted Bronze, White Holland and Beltsville Small White. Turkey egg has characteristic brown speckles (marks).

Belts Ville White

It is a medium sized turkey having white feathers. They produce more eggs compared to Broad Breasted Bronze and therefore included in breeding programmes. The toms will be weighing 10-12 kg at maturity and hens 7-8 kg.

Broad Breasted Bronze

It is the most popular and heaviest variety of turkey. As the name indicates, it is having a broad and prominent chest region and bronze coloured feathers. The males and females at maturity weigh 15-18 kg and 12-13 kg, respectively. Most of the present day hybrid turkeys are crosses of different strains of Broad Breasted Bronze or Belts Ville White. One of the common hybrid turkeys popular in North America is Nicholas Turkey. It is the cross of the above two.

 

White Holland

It is a popular variety of turkey most commonly found in European countries. It is bred and developed in Holland after importing several varieties from North America. They are also used as crosses