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 Selection may refer to: Science * Selection (biology), also called natural selection, selection in evolution ** Sex selection, in genetics ** Mate selection, in mating ** Sexual selection in humans, in human sexuality ** Human mating strat ...

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 ''British Poultry Standards'' is a compilation of the breed standards for poultry in the United Kingdom, approved and published by the Poultry Club of Great Britain. The standards themselves are usually drawn up by the individual specialist ...

, which is still in publication today. Other standards include the

Standard of Perfection The ''American Standard of Perfection'' is the official book of breed standards of the American Poultry Association. It classifies and describes the standard physical appearance, coloring and temperament for many breeds of poultry recognized i ...

, the

Australian Poultry Standard The ''Australian Poultry Standards'' is the official breed standard for poultry fancy in Australia. It is the standard of perfection from which all poultry in Australia is supposed to be judged when exhibited at poultry shows. It is published ...

, 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 Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...

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 A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

* 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 The Australian Langshan is an Australian chicken breed, derived from the Croad Langshan and accepted by the Australian Poultry Standard as a recognized breed. The Australian Langshan is little known outside Australia but is a popular breed insid ...

* Australian Game * Australian Pit Game

Austria

* Altsteirer * Sulmtaler

Belgium

Brazil

Índio Gigante Índio Gigante, also known as Indian Giant, is a breed of domestic chicken originally developed in Brazil. It is one of the largest chicken breeds in the world, especially in terms of height. History The Índio Gigante originated in Brazil aro ...

Bulgaria

* Black Shumen * Starozagorska Red

Canada

* Chantecler *

Red Shaver The Red Shaver is a sex linked breed of chicken developed in Canada. Pullets are reddish-brown in colour with white underfeathers, while males are white with a few red markings on the feathers. They are a hardy, dual-purpose breed laying brown eg ...

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 The Icelandic chicken is a type of chicken from Iceland. Called ''íslenska hænan'' (, Icelandic chicken), ''Haughænsni'' (, pile chicken) or ''landnámshænan'' (, hen of the settlers) in the Icelandic language. They are a landrace fowl which ...

India

Indonesia

Iran

Manx Rumpy The Rumpless Game is a British breed of tail-less chicken. It may have originated on the Isle of Man, and may thus be known as the Manx Rumpy. There are both standard-sized and bantam Rumpless Game. History Manx Rumpy The British breed ...

(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 A kampong (this term is in Za'aba Spelling, ''kampung'' in both modern Malay and Indonesian) is a term for a type of village in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and a "dock" in Cambodia. The term applies to traditional villages, especi ...

* Malay * Serama

Mariana Islands

* Saipan Jungle Fowl

Myanmar

* Burmese * Pama Game

Netherlands

Norway

Norwegian Jærhøne Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe *Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway *Demographics of Norway *Norwegian language, including the two ...

Pakistan

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

Philippines

Banaba BanabaThe correct spelling and etymology in Gilbertese should be ''Bwanaba'' but the Constitution of Kiribati writes Banaba. Because of the spelling in English or French, the name was very often written Paanapa or Paanopa, as it was in 1901 A ...

Bolinao Bolinao, officially the Municipality of Bolinao ( Bolinao: ''Babali nin Bolinao;'' ; ; ), is a municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 83,979 people. Sea urchins are regula ...

Camarines Ambos Camarines (, meaning "both"; commonly known as Camarines), officially the Province of Ambos Camarines, was a historical province in the Philippines found on the northern end of the Bicol Peninsula. It now exists as two separate province ...

* Darag * Paraoakan or Parawakan

Poland

Polbar The Polbar is a breed of chicken from Poland. It was created between 1946 and 1954 by Laura Kaufman, who crossed the native Polish Green-legged Partridge breed with American Plymouth Rock birds. The aim was to introduce the barred gene of th ...

* 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 The or Sombor Crested is a Serbian List of chicken breeds, breed of crested chicken. It was bred at the beginning of the twentieth century in the Vojvodina, Autonomous Province of Vojvodina in northern Serbia, and is named for the city of Sombo ...

(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 Ovambo may refer to: *Ovambo language, Bantu language of Namibia **Ovambo people, Bantu people of Namibia *Ovamboland, former Bantustan in South West Africa (now Namibia) *Ovambo sparrowhawk The Ovambo or Ovampo sparrowhawk, also known as Hilge ...

* Potchefstroom Koekoek *

Venda Venda ( ), officially the Republic of Venda (; ), was a Bantustan in northern South Africa. It was fairly close to the South African border with Zimbabwe to the north, while, to the south and east, it shared a long border with another black hom ...

* Boschveld

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Appenzeller Barthuhn The Appenzeller Barthuhn is a Swiss breed of bearded chicken originating in the historical Appenzell region of Switzerland. It is one of two chicken breeds from that area, the other being the Appenzeller Spitzhauben; the only other Swiss bre ...

, * 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 An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo begins to develop. Egg, EGG or eggs may also refer to: Biology * Egg cell, the female reproductive cell (gamete) in oogamous organisms Food * Eggs as food Places * Egg, Austria * Egg, Switzerland ...

, 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

, 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 Bresse () is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term ''Bresse'' has two meanings: ''Bresse bourguignonne'' (or ''louhannaise''), whic ...

* Cornish (a.k.a. Indian Game) *

Ixworth Ixworth is a village and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk, England, north-east of Bury St Edmunds on the A143 road to Diss and south-east of Thetford. The parish had a population of 2,365 at the 2011 Census. History Ix ...

Jersey Giant The Jersey Giant is an American breed of domestic chicken. It was created in Burlington County, New Jersey, in the late nineteenth century. It is among the heaviest of all chicken breeds. 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 Animal fancy is a hobby A hobby is considered to be a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one's leisure time. Hobbies include collecting themed items and objects, engaging in creative and artistic pursuits, playin ...

, the breeding and competitive exhibition of

poultry Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of harvesting animal products such as meat, Eggs as food, eggs or feathers. The practice of animal husbandry, raising poultry is known as poultry farming. These birds are most typ ...

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 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 ...

has been outlawed in the developed world, most breeds first developed for this purpose, called

game A game is a structured type of play usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator sports or video games) or art ...

fowl, are now seen principally in the show ring rather than the cock pit as

fighting cocks 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 " ...

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

crossbred A crossbreed is an organism with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. A domestic animal of unknown ancestry, where the breed status of only one parent or grandparent is known, may also be called a crossbreed though ...

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 Sex linkage describes the sex-specific patterns of inheritance and expression when a gene is present on a sex chromosome (allosome) rather than a non-sex chromosome (autosome). Genes situated on the X-chromosome are thus termed X-linked, and a ...

, allowing for easy

chick sexing Chick sexing is the method of distinguishing the sex of chickens and other hatchlings, usually by a trained person called a chick sexer or chicken sexer. Chicken sexing is practiced mostly by large commercial hatcheries to separate female chicks ...

Footnotes

References

{{Authority control

Chickens 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 ...

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 ...