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Interesting Chicken Breed Facts:

Barnevelders: The Barnevelder Chickens originated in the Barneveld district of Holland just prior to the first war (1914-18) and stock was imported in 1921 with the deep egg color being its main attraction many in the early trials laying around the 200 per year mark. The Barnevelder Chickens most popular color is called Double Laced although they are standardized in Black, Partridge and Silver.

Brahma: Although named after the Brahmaputra in India the Brahma Chickens are accepted as being created in the USA from the Shanghais where they were crossed with Malay types which put in the pea comb and brow. The Brahma Chickens were imported into New York in 1846 and stock first reached England in 1853 where they caused a great stir. Brahma Chickens were included in the first book of poultry standards issued in 1865. The name was shortened as Brahma in 1852 when a small flock was given to Queen Victoria. They were also referred to as grey Chittagongs which possible meant the present dark Brahmas. An Asiatic breed of fowl, called Chittagongs, Gray Shanghais, and Brahma Pootras, later shortened to Brahma, thought to have been a cross of the Malay and Cochin in India. Imported from Shanghai, China, in the early 1840's, they landed in New England much later. American poultry fanciers made over and refined the original parent stock into the large stately and useful Light and Dark Brahma varieties. The Buff Brahmas are of more recent origin.

Cochins: The first records in the UK date back to the 1830's / 40's when early imports were presented to Queen Victoria and they were known as Shanghai's and of differing types. The game forms were used in the Malay and the large abundantly feathered ones were consolidated in the Cochin. The Chinese Shanghai fowl came to England and America in 1845. The name of this Asiatic breed was later changed to Cochin. The earliest Cochins were more or less buff in color. Its striking appearance, due to great size and profuse soft feathering, distinguished it from all other known breeds at the time. Cochins created a sensation in England, resulting in a great boom for the 'Cochin China', as it was called in the days of the 'Cochin craze'.

DORKINGS: The only purely British breed makes the Dorking Chickens possibly the oldest pure breed lineage. A Roman writer described birds with five toes of the Dorking Chicken type at the time of the invasion by Julius Caesar. The Dorking Chicken was detailed by Columella, a Roman writer, before the breed was popular in

England

. Columella spoke of large, broad-breasted hens that were square framed with large heads and has small upright combs. He also stated that the purer breeds were five clawed. The combs are still allowed in two forms the rose and the single. Historically the rose combs were northern as were the Redcaps; Hamburgs etc. and the single combs were southern. They featured in the first Poultry show in 1845 and were used to create the Light Sussex and Faverolles as well as other breeds, they were used to produce excellent table birds.

Faverolle: Originated by breeding Dorkings, Houdans and Asiatices in the French village, Faverolle. They were initially bred for utility. The main object of the Faverolle chicken is winter eggs and heavy table poultry. They were created as a dual purpose breed and were imported into England in 1886 where they were used for crossing with other breeds to produce excellent table fowl. The Dorking and Houdan ancestry can be detected by the fact they have five toes. They have large beards and muffling around the face.

Nankin: This is a true bantam with no large fowl counterpart, It gets its name from the colour of Nankeen cloth. It is one of the oldest bantam breeds in this country and was used in the makeup of many other breeds. It is unusual in the fact that it is a buff coloured bird yet it has slate blue legs.

Sebright: Sebright Bantams were originated around 1810 in England by Sir John Sebright, the result of some thirty years of intensive breeding. They represent the greatest feat of fancier skill ever performed, for not only are they known for marvelous perfection of lacing, but even more so the fact both male and female are entirely hen-feathered, the male showing no pointed sex feathers in hackle, saddle or wing bow, nor any tail sickles.

Silkies: These birds have been mentioned in writings for several hundred years. The explorer Marco Polo described discovering chickens with 'fur'. They make good pets and are excellent Moms, although many people tend to think of them as bantams, in the UK silkies are classed as large fowl. However, in the last few years a proper bantam strain has been developed. Silkies are one of the oddities of the poultry world with their nearly black skin, face, comb, wattles and bones, and their hair-like plumage in which there is no web. Ancient writers referred to fowl with hair instead of feathers and they are believed to have originated in Japan although information of them also comes from India, China and the Malay states. They are further distinguished by a crest, also bearded and non-bearded varieties, and five toes.