Common breeds of poultry used to produce commercial poultry crossbreeds

The poultry breeds we know today are generally agreed to have originated from several species of wild fowl, principally the Indian jungle fowl (Gallus bankiva).

Through evolution and human selection, standard breeds emerged from different parts of the world. Originally most selection was done for ornamental characteristics such as colour and body type. Today, poultry is one of our main food sources. While selection and breeding has improved laying qualities and the amount of meat produced, many of the standard breeds have been neglected in favour of crossbreeds, because no single breed has all the desired traits. Commercial crossbreeds have been developed for either egg or meat production.

Early in Australia´s commercial industry, the principal cross for egg production was the white leghorn male x Australorp female. This cross produced about eight per cent more eggs than either parent breed.

The Australian meat chicken was developed from available heavy breeds, the main ones being new Hampshire, black Australorp, white rock, light Sussex and Indian game. The white leghorn, although a smaller bird, was used to introduce the dominant white feathering gene which is the preferred colour.

Since the development of enhanced Australian quarantine stations in the 1990s, the commercial industries have been able to import several overseas strains.

Fancy breeds

Chickens are often classified into three categories: light, heavy, and game breeds.

The lighter, more active breeds (e.g. leghorn, Ancona and Minorca) were developed in the Mediterranean area. They are characterised by non-broodiness, white-shelled eggs and white earlobes, which could indicate common ancestry.

Looser feathered, heavier breeds (e.g. langshans and cochins) first came from the mountain areas of Asia. They lay coloured eggs and are prone to broodiness. The European, English and American heavy breeds (e.g. Rhode Island red, Orpington, light Sussex, Australorp) are of more recent origin and probably owe their ancestry to both Mediterranean and Asian breeds.

Game birds include old English, modern, Malay, Indian and Australian game.

Leghorn

The White Leghorn is the most common of the lighter breeds. Before the introduction of cross-breeds, the female was considered one of the best layers and was used on many commercial egg farms. The White Leghorn should be pure white. This is a dominant characteristic - if White Leghorns are crossed with any other breed, the progeny will be almost completely white. Beak and legs are yellow, and earlobes white.

White Leghorns are small and should not be used as table birds. They are practically free from broodiness, which makes them an ideal layer. However, they are often nervous, particularly the hens, and care should be taken not to make sudden, abrupt movements or loud noises.

Other leghorns, such as the brown, black and blue, are less common. They tend to lay fewer eggs and are mainly kept by fanciers.

Ancona and Minorca

These two breeds came originally from Italy where they were used mainly as a layer bird. However, due to their light body weight and reduced rate of lay compared to the leghorn, they never gained popularity.

The Ancona is an attractive bird. Both male and female have black to beetle-green feathers with white coloured tips. The Minorca can be black, white or blue, with black being the most common.

Australorp

This breed was developed in Australia and is the most common of the heavy breeds. The male and female are black with blue-green sheen. Beak and legs are black or dark grey and earlobes are red. Any white or red feathering is considered a fault.

Before the introduction of cross-breeds, the females became very popular on many layer farms. This was due to their carcass value once they stopped laying eggs. They are less important as a layer strain today because they tend to go broody, but are generally calm and docile.

Rhode Island Red

The Rhode Island Red is a hardy breed exhibiting a rich, red colour with black tail feathers and some black in the wings. Hens have a placid disposition and are the source of most commercial crossbreds producing brown eggs. The breed originated in America from a cross between Asiatic and Mediterranean breeds.

Light Sussex

Originating in Sussex, England, Light Sussex birds are noted for their high food consumption. They occur as red, white, light and speckled varieties. Although speckled is the oldest, the light variety is the most popular. The Sussex is an excellent table bird as well as being favoured by the fancier. It lays brown eggs but has a tendency to go broody. It is one of the most attractive of all the heavy breeds of poultry.

Plymouth Rock

This breed is a favourite of fanciers and does extremely well as a dual purpose fowl, being a large, alert bird with yellow legs and beak. Plymouth Rock birds suffer from broodiness, lay brown eggs and have been used extensively in the development of today´s commercial layer breeds of poultry.

Further reading

For those interested in showing birds and to find out what judges look for, refer to books on British and American poultry standards.

Care and husbandry

• Housing small numbers of poultry
• Feeding poultry