There are hundreds of

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 ...

breed A breed is a specific group of breedable domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist seve ...

s in existence.

Domesticated Domestication is a multi-generational mutualistic relationship in which an animal species, such as humans or leafcutter ants, takes over control and care of another species, such as sheep or fungi, to obtain from them a steady supply of reso ...

for thousands of years, distinguishable breeds of chicken have been present since the combined factors of geographical isolation and selection for desired characteristics created regional types with distinct physical and behavioral traits passed on to their offspring. The physical traits used to distinguish chicken breeds are size,

plumage Plumage () is a layer of feathers that covers a bird and the pattern, colour, and arrangement of those feathers. The pattern and colours of plumage differ between species and subspecies and may vary with age classes. Within species, there can b ...

color,

comb A comb is a tool consisting of a shaft that holds a row of teeth for pulling through the hair to clean, untangle, or style it. Combs have been used since prehistoric times, having been discovered in very refined forms from settlements dating ba ...

type, skin color, number of toes, amount of feathering,

egg An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the ...

color, and place of origin. They are also roughly divided by primary use, whether for eggs, meat, or ornamental purposes, and with some considered to be dual-purpose. In the 21st century, chickens are frequently bred according to predetermined

breed standard In animal husbandry or animal fancy, a breed standard is a description of the characteristics of a hypothetical or ideal example of a breed. The description may include phenotype, physical or morphology (biology), morphological detail, genotype, g ...

s set down by governing organizations. The first of such standards was the British Poultry Standard, which is still in publication today. Other standards include the Standard of Perfection, the Australian Poultry Standard, and the standard of the American Bantam Association, which deals exclusively with bantam fowl. Only some of the known breeds are included in these publications, and only those breeds are eligible to be shown competitively. There are additionally a few hybrid strains which are common in the poultry world, especially in large poultry farms. These types are first generation crosses of true breeds. Hybrids do not reliably pass on their features to their offspring, but are highly valued for their producing abilities. __NOTOC__

By place of origin

Afghanistan

* Ingriido * Khasaki * Kulangi * Pusty * Sabzwari

Albania

* Commune hen * Black Tropoja Lekbibaj *

Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest ov ...

* Tropoja Pac * Yerevanian

Australia

* Australorp * Australian Langshan * Australian Game * Australian Pit Game

Austria

* Altsteirer * Sulmtaler

Belgium

Brazil

* Índio Gigante

Bulgaria

* Black Shumen * Starozagorska Red

Canada

* Chantecler * Red Shaver

Chile

Araucana The Araucana () is a breed of domestic chicken from Chile. The name derives from the historic Araucanía (historic region), Araucanía region where it is believed to have originated. It lays blue-shelled eggs, one of very few breeds that do s ...

China

Breeds listed in

DAD-IS DAD-IS is the acronym for the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System, a tool developed and maintained by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as a part of its programme for management of animal genetic resources for ...

Croatia

* Hrvatica (Croatian Hen, Kokoš Hrvatica) * Međimurska kokoš ( Međimurje Chicken, Međimurje Hen)

Cuba

* Cubalaya

Cyprus

* Cypriot chicken

Czech Republic

* Czech gold brindle chicken * Šumava chicken or ''Šumavanka''

Egypt

Finland

France

Germany

Large breeds

Bantam breeds

Greece

Iceland

* Icelandic chicken

India

Indonesia

Iran

* Manx Rumpy (or Rumpless Game) * Orloff * Black Azerbaijan (or Marandi)

Italy

Japan

Korea

* Jangmigye

Kosovo

* Kosova Long-crowing (also called ''Tringjyrshet Kosov'') In Fond Memory - Kokoq

Malaysia

* Kampung * Malay * Serama

Mariana Islands

* Saipan Jungle Fowl

Myanmar

* Burmese * Pama Game

Netherlands

Norway

* Norwegian Jærhøne

Pakistan

* Asil (or Aseel) * Sindhi * Misri * Lyallpur Silver black

Philippines

* Banaba * Bolinao * Camarines * Darag * Paraoakan or Parawakan

Poland

* Polbar * Zielononóżka Kuropatwiana (Green-legged Partridge) *

Polish chicken The Polish or Poland is a European breed of crested chicken. Its origins are unknown; similar birds are shown in seventeenth-century images from Italy and the Netherlands. The birds have a small v-shaped comb (anatomy), comb and an abundant cre ...

Portugal

* Amarela * Preta Lusitânica * Pedrês Portuguesa * Raça Branca

Romania

* Transylvanian Naked-neck

Russia

* Russian Orloff * Yurlov Crower

Serbia

* Banat Naked-neck (Banatski gološijan) * Sombor Kaporka (Somborska kaporka) * Svrljig Black (Svrljiška kokoš)

Slovakia

* Oravka

Slovenia

* Styrian Hen (or Altsteirer) * Slovenian Barred Hen * Slovene Late-feathered Hen * Slovenian Brown Hen * Slovenian Silver Hen

South Africa

* Ovambo * Potchefstroom Koekoek * Venda * Boschveld

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

* Appenzeller Barthuhn, * Appenzeller Spitzhauben, * Schweizer * Zwerg-Appenzeller Barthuhn * Zwerg- Schweizer,

Taiwan

* Taiwanese Game

Thailand

* Gai Chon * Gai Puen Muang * Pradu Hang Dum or Pradu Hang Dam Chiangmai * Thai Game

Turkey

* Abaza *

Denizli Denizli is a city in Aegean Region, Aegean Turkey, and seat of the province of Denizli Province, Denizli. The city forms the urban part of the districts Merkezefendi and Pamukkale, Denizli, Pamukkale, with a population of 691 783 in 2024. Denizl ...

* Gerze * Hacikadin *

Sultan Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...

Ukraine

Poltava Poltava (, ; , ) is a city located on the Vorskla, Vorskla River in Central Ukraine, Central Ukraine. It serves as the administrative center of Poltava Oblast as well as Poltava Raion within the oblast. It also hosts the administration of Po ...

United Kingdom

United States of America

Vietnam

By primary use

All chickens lay eggs, have edible

meat Meat is animal Tissue (biology), tissue, often muscle, that is eaten as food. Humans have hunted and farmed other animals for meat since prehistory. The Neolithic Revolution allowed the domestication of vertebrates, including chickens, sheep, ...

, and possess a unique appearance. However, distinct breeds are the result of selective breeding to emphasize certain traits. Any breed may be used for general

agricultural Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...

purposes, and all breeds are shown to some degree. But each chicken breed is known for a primary use.

Eggs

Many breeds were selected and are used primarily for producing eggs, these are mostly light-weight birds whose hens do not go broody often.

Meat

Most farms and homesteads use dual-purpose breeds for meat production. Some breeds are raised mainly for meat: * Bresse * Cornish (a.k.a. Indian Game) * Ixworth * Jersey Giant

Dual-purpose

The generalist breeds used in barnyards worldwide are adaptable utility birds good at producing both meat and eggs. Though some may be slightly better for one of these purposes, they are usually called ''dual-purpose'' breeds.

Exhibition

Since the 19th century, poultry fancy, the breeding and Livestock show, competitive exhibition of poultry as a hobby, has grown to be a huge influence on chicken breeds. Many breeds have always been kept for ornamental purposes, and others have been shifted from their original use to become first and foremost exhibition fowl, even if they may retain some inherent utility. Since the sport of cockfighting has been outlawed in the developed world, most breeds first developed for this purpose, called Gamecock, game fowl, are now seen principally in the show ring rather than the cock pit as fighting cocks. Modern Game pair

Bantams

Most large chicken breeds have a bantam counterpart, sometimes referred to as a ''miniature''. Miniatures are usually one-fifth to one-quarter the size of the standard breed, but they are expected to exhibit all of the standard breed's characteristics. A ''true bantam'' has no large counterpart, and is naturally small. The true bantams include:

Crossbreeds

Many common strains of Crossbreed, crossbred chickens exist, but none breed true or are recognized by poultry

s; thus, though they are extremely common in flocks focusing on high productivity, crossbreeds do not technically meet the definition of a

. Most crossbreed strains are sex linked, allowing for easy chick sexing.

Footnotes

References

{{Authority control Chicken breeds, Lists of birds, Chickens Lists of breeds, Chicken