The Blue Foot or Poulet Bleu is a Canadian
chicken
The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...
hybrid bred to resemble the French
Poulet de Bresse
The () or volaille de Bresse is a French chicken product which has ''appellation d'origine contrôlée'' status, and which was registered as a Protected Designation of Origin under EU and UK law as ''Volaille de Bresse / Poulet de Bresse / ...
.
History
The Blue Foot was
bred by Peter Thiessen of
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...
and was intended to provide an alternative to the French
Poulet de Bresse
The () or volaille de Bresse is a French chicken product which has ''appellation d'origine contrôlée'' status, and which was registered as a Protected Designation of Origin under EU and UK law as ''Volaille de Bresse / Poulet de Bresse / ...
, a chicken product from birds of the
Bresse Gauloise breed raised and fed in a specific and traditional way within a strictly-defined area in France. It was developed over a period of 15 years starting in the 1980s. The Canadian stock was destroyed in 2004 during the
avian flu scare. Some stock in California survived.
Characteristics
The birds are white, with a red comb and steel-blue feet.
Use
Blue Foot chickens are typically slaughtered much later than industrially-produced stock, being left to grow for longer. They require 14 to 16 weeks to reach market size. After slaughter, the chickens may be air-chilled.
References
Chicken breeds
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