The Cubalaya is a

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

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 ...

of domestic

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 ...

. It is the only chicken breed with official recognition from the Asociación Nacional de Avicultura, the Cuban national poultry association. It derives from

Sumatra Sumatra () is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the list of islands by area, sixth-largest island in the world at 482,286.55 km2 (182,812 mi. ...

and Malay birds brought to Cuba from the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

, and was bred as a triple-purpose breed, for meat, eggs and

cock-fighting Cockfighting is a blood sport involving domesticated roosters as the combatants. The first documented use of the word gamecock, denoting use of the cock as to a "game", a sport, pastime or entertainment, was recorded in 1634, after the term ...

History

In the middle 19th century, the

Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance-speaking ethnic group native to the Iberian Peninsula, primarily associated with the modern nation-state of Spain. Genetically and ethnolinguistically, Spaniards belong to the broader Southern a ...

brought to

Havana, Cuba Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

tic game fowl that originated in the

Philippine Islands The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. The Cubans crossed the Asiatic breeds, and subsequently re-crossed them with birds of European origin. These birds were then selectively bred for wide, extended tails and a curving beak, fierce eyes, and a courageous expression. In this manner the Cubalaya was created, independent from any scientific control. In 1935, the Asociacion Nacional de Avicultura (the Cuban national poultry association) approved the breed. Their name was chosen in honor of the

Republic of Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

, which had patronized and refined them. The Cubalaya was first shown in the U.S. at the International Poultry Exhibition in 1939, and was recognized by the

American Poultry Association The American Poultry Association (APA) is the oldest poultry organization in North America. It was founded in 1873, and incorporated in Indiana in 1932. The first American poultry show was held in 1849, and the APA was later formed in respons ...

in the same year; the bantam is recognized by the

American Bantam Association The American Bantam Association is a poultry fancy association for breeders of bantam poultry. It publishes the ''Bantam Standard'', with detailed descriptions of all the bantam breeds and varieties that it recognizes; in most – but not all � ...

Characteristics

Cubalayas are characterized by their stately carriage; pea comb; abundant, flowing hackle feathers and long, well-spread tail carried about 20 degrees below the horizontal. They have a friendly, curious disposition, are very heat tolerant and make excellent foragers when allowed to range. The hens lay small eggs and are good brooders. The breed has been developed in standard and bantam size. Standard-sized cocks weigh on average and hens ; bantam cocks weigh about and hens about . Three colors were allowed by the original Cuban standard: black, black-breasted red and white; many others were bred in Cuba at the time. The same three colors are accepted by both the APA and the ABA.

References

{{reflist, refs= Un legado a las generaciones futuras: Apoyo a la conservación y uso de los Recursos Genéticos
(in Spanish). Asociación Cubana de Producción Animal: ''Revista ACPA'', special edition 2005. Accessed August 2014.
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Accessed August 2014. APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties: As of January 1, 2012
American Poultry Association. Archived 4 November 2017. Carlos F. Caballe (July 1944). ''Las Cubalayas: A Genuine Cuban Breed''. Originally published: ''Tribuna Avicola'', July 1944; translated Braulio Saenz, 1968, reprinted (2000) i
''Bulletin of the Society for Preservation of Poultry Antiquities''
5: 7. Carol Ekarius (2007). ''Storeys Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds''. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing. {{ISBN, 9781580176682. {{nobreak, p. 143–44. Birds of Cuba Chicken breeds Chicken breeds originating in Cuba