Poultry - Rare Hardfeather Chickens

BREED

BREED SUMMARY

AMERICAN GAME FOWL

Large Status
OF CONCERN
Bantam Status
OF CONCERN

Origin: United States of America 
Classification: Light Breed
Uses: Originally bred for cockfighting, Ornamental, Table bird
Egg Colour: Brown
Comb: Single, small, smooth and fine. Straight, Pea or Rose is acceptable in undubbed birds.
About: Bred in a wide variety of colours, the roosters have long sickle feathers. The hens are protective and smart and make great mothers. The roosters are amiable towards the hens but can be aggressive towards each other. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln were proud owners of American Game.
Weight: Large Male 1.59-2.50kg; Female 1.36-2.20kg. Bantam Male 630-800g; Female 510-680g.

ASIL

Large Status
OF CONCERN
Bantam Status
CRITICAL

Origin: South Punjab and Sindh area of Pakistan, Indian States of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
Uses: Originally bred for Cockfighting, Table.
Egg Colour: White or Tinted Light Brown.
Comb: Triple, small, hard fleshed and set low.
About: Compact and muscular with a distinctive upright stance, the Asil is considered one of the most pugnacious of breeds. Even the hens will often fight for hours and day old chickens will spar to the point of wounding. The name Aseel or Asil, means high-caste, high born, pure and original in Hindi and it is a sign of high respect that these birds have been given this name.
Weights: Large Male 1.80-2.70kg; Female 1.35-2.25kg. Bantam Male 1.0-1.3kg; Female 910kg
 

AUSTRALIAN GAME

Large Status
WATCH
Bantam Status
WATCH

Origin: New South Wales, Australia. AUSTRALIAN BREED
Classification: Heavy Breed 
Uses: Originally bred for cockfighting, Table, Exhibition
Egg Colour: Tinted
Comb: Pea comb
About: Developed from the Australian Pit Game, but different in stature, the Australian Game's plumage is hard and brittle.They are large, solid and muscular and are considered a good meat bird. They were originally called Colonials and were highly prized for their stamina and great courage.
Weight: Large Male 4.10-5,45kg; Female 3.18-4.55kg. Bantam Male 1.26-1.58kg; Female 1.02-1.23kg.
 

Photo J.T Dale

AUSTRALIAN PIT GAME

Large Status
WATCH
Bantam Status
NOT RARE

Origin: New South Wales, Australia. AUSTRALIAN BREED
Classification: Heavy and Light Breed
Uses: Originally bred for cockfighting, Exhibition
Egg Colour: Tinted
Comb: Pea, Single or Triple, Small
About: Developed in the 1900's, for cockfighting, by British soldiers in New South Wales, the Australian Pit Game is one of the most loosely standardised breeds in Australia. It can be large or small, single or pea combed, any colour and cock feathered, hen feathered, tasselled or muffled. Due to their ancestry as fighting birds the standard does not regard colour as important but instead focuses on health and vigour. Carriage should be proud and aggressive looking, with movements quick and "ready for any emergency". They have been standardised since 1936.
Weight: Large Heavy Male over 2.7kg; Heavy Female over 2.0kg. Light Male under 2.7kg; Light Female under 2.0kg. Bantam Male under 1.36kg; Female under 1.135kg.

INDIAN GAME

Large Status
WATCH
Bantam Status
NOT RARE

Status (Large form): Watch 
Origin: Cornwall, England
Classification: Heavy Breed
Uses: Table
Egg Colour: Tinted
Comb: Pea type in undubbed birds, Small, closely set on the head.
About: The breed has been developed for its abundant quantity of breast meat. The Indian Game is upright, commanding and courageous. A powerful and broad bird that is active, sprightly and vigorous. They are also known as Cornish and are used for cross-breeding.
Weight: Large Male 3.60kg; Female 2.70kg. Bantam Large 1.26-1.47kg; Female 1.02-1.23kg.

Photo courtesy of Michelle Birchall.

JUNGLE FOWL

Large Status
OF CONCERN
Bantam Status
NO BANTAM FORM

Origin: Asia
Classification: Light Breed, Hardfeather
Uses: Table, Eggs
Egg Colour: White
Comb: Single, medium size, erect and set firmly and evenly on the head. 
About: The Red Jungle Fowl is the primary progenitor of the domestic chicken and was first domesticated in Asia over five thousand years ago. The male's tail consists of long, arching feathers whereas the female's plumage is cryptic and adapted for camouflage. Males make a food related display called, "tidbitting" in the presence of a female, constantly picking up and dropping the food until the female accepts his gift.
Bantam?: No
Weight: Male 900g-1.15kg; Female 600-700g.

MALAY GAME

Large Status
WATCH
Bantam Status
OF CONCERN

Origin: Asia (India, Mauritius, Malay Peninsula)
Classification: Heavy Breed
Colours: Black, Black Red, Duckwing, Pile, White. Other colours are known but the Malay is judged more on type and quality.
Uses: Table, Exhibition
Egg Colour:  Tinted
Comb: Small, shaped like a half walnut or strawberry and set well forward.
Facts: One of the oldest breeds and a giant amongst its peers, the Malay Game is fierce and lean with a characteristic cruel expression. It stands above 90 cm in height and has a long neck and long legs, often sitting on its shanks when resting. The breed can be quite quarrelsome especially when confined and although the hens are good with their chicks, the same cannot be said for the cocks.The Malay Game is one of the progenitors of our two national breeds of game...the Australian Game and the Australian Pit Game.
Weight: Large Male 5.00kg approx; Female 4.10kg approx. Bantam Male 1.26-1.47kg; Female 1.19-1.36kg.

MODERN GAME

Large Status
WATCH
Bantam Status
NOT RARE

Origin: Britain
Classification: Heavy Breed
Uses: Exhibition
Egg Colour: Tinted
Comb: Single, small, upright, fine texture, evenly serrated
About: The Modern Game is purely an ornamental chicken bred for exhibition, from the Old English Game and the Malay Fowl. When cockfighting was outlawed, chicken fanciers turned their attention to exhibiting and the Modern Game was bred to epitomise the visual appeal of the gamecock. Modern Game bantams developed over the same time and their popularity unlike their larger counterparts has never diminished. The Modern Game is a tall, handsome and active bird that is curious and can be tamed and handled easily. It is tightly feathered and quite small so is not good for the table or laying.
Weight: Large 2.70-3.60kg; Female 1.80-2.70kg. Bantam Male 680-790g; Female 570-680g.

SHAMO

Large Status
OF CONCERN

Origin: Japan
Uses: Originally a fighting bird, Exhibition.
Egg Colour: White or Tinted
Comb: Triple and firm, Walnut comb rare but acceptable
About: The Shamo is a Japanese breed originally inported from Thailand in the seventeenth century. It was developed into a fighting bird of unmatched courage and ferocity. In Japan there are seven recognised breeds of Shamo all of which are designated Natural Monuments of Japan. The Australian Poultry  Standards have only one form of Shamo. The Shamo is a tall, upright almost vertical bird with a well muscled body and thighs. The feathers are sparse but strong and shiny and often do not cover the whole body. It is friendy to humans but may not be to other poultry of the same gender. 
Bantam?: No
Weight: Male 3kg (min); Female 2.25kg (min)

SUMATRA

Large Status
OF CONCERN
Bantam Status
CRITICAL

Origin: Asia, Sumatra
Classification: Light Breed
Uses: Exhibition, Eggs
Egg Colour: White
Comb: Pea, low in front, fitting closely, the smaller the better
About: The Sumatra comes from a feral background and has a pheasant like carriage and a long flowing tail that is carried horizontally. The plumage is very full and flowing but should not lean towards soft and fluffy, the Black variety has a rich beetle-green sheen. The breed tends towards seasonal reproduction when the males will vie for territory but for the rest of the year they will live together in relative harmony. The Sumatra is used to living in the wild and is active and alert and especially good at launching itself vertically to escape danger. They were at one stage used for fighting, when no other birds were available, and although the males will sometimes sport three spurs on each leg, they are not particularly suited to the task. The hens are prolific layers and excellent sitters.
Weight: Large Male 2.25-2.70kg; Female 1.80-2.25kg. Bantam Male 735-900g; Female 625-800g.

BREED

BREED SUMMARY

AUSTRALIAN GAME

Large Status
WATCH
Bantam Status
WATCH

Origin: New South Wales, Australia. AUSTRALIAN BREED
Classification: Heavy Breed 
Uses: Originally bred for cockfighting, Table, Exhibition
Egg Colour: Tinted
Comb: Pea comb
About: Developed from the Australian Pit Game, but different in stature, the Australian Game's plumage is hard and brittle.They are large, solid and muscular and are considered a good meat bird. They were originally called Colonials and were highly prized for their stamina and great courage.
Weight: Large Male 4.10-5,45kg; Female 3.18-4.55kg. Bantam Male 1.26-1.58kg; Female 1.02-1.23kg.
 

Photo J.T Dale

AUSTRALIAN PIT GAME

Large Status
WATCH
Bantam Status
NOT RARE