All chicken breeds recognized by the American Poultry Association are categorized into classes. Standard-sized breeds are grouped by type or by place of origin; bantam breeds are classified according to type or
physical characteristics.
Large breeds
The large breeds are divided into six classes – American, Asiatic, Continental, English, Mediterranean, and All Other Standard Breeds – largely according to their place of origin.
American

The American Class contains thirteen breeds which originated in Canada or the United States. All are heavy breeds, and most lay brown eggs; most are cold-hardy:
*
Buckeye
*
Chantecler
*
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacen ...
*
Dominique
"Dominique" is a 1963 French language popular song, written and performed by the Belgian female singer Jeannine Deckers, better known as Sœur Sourire ("Sister Smile" in French) or The Singing Nun. The song is about Saint Dominic, a Spanish-bor ...
*
Holland
Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...
*
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...
*
Jersey Giant
*
Lamona
The Lamona is an American breed of chicken. It was developed from 1912 by Harry S. Lamon, who was the senior poultry expert of the Bureau of Animal Industry, at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center of the U.S. Department of Agriculture i ...
*
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...
*
Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock is the traditional site of disembarkation of William Bradford and the ''Mayflower'' Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony in December 1620. The Pilgrims did not refer to Plymouth Rock in any of their writings; the first known writt ...
*
Rhode Island Red
*
Rhode Island White
The Rhode Island White is a breed of chicken originating in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Despite their very similar names and shared place of origin, the Rhode Island White is a distinct breed from the Rhode Island Red. However, Rhode Isla ...
*
Wyandotte
Asiatic

These three breeds originate in China; they are large, feather legged, and lay brown eggs:
*
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp ...
*
Cochin
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part ...
*
Langshan
Continental

This group consists of eleven breeds from Belgium, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. They are mostly sprightly birds, the
Faverolles being an exception:
*
Barnevelder
The Barnevelder is a Dutch breed of domestic chicken. It resulted from cross-breeding between local Dutch chickens and various "Shanghai" birds imported from Asia to Europe in the later part of the nineteenth century; these may have been of Brah ...
*
Campine
The Campine (French ) or De Kempen ( Dutch ) is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-eastern Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands. It encom ...
*
Crevecoeur
*
Faverolles
*
Hamburg
Hamburg (, ; nds, label=Hamburg German, Low Saxon, Hamborg ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (german: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg; nds, label=Low Saxon, Friee un Hansestadt Hamborg),. is the List of cities in Germany by popul ...
*
Houdan
*
La Fleche
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
* "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
*
Lakenvelder
*
Marans
The Marans, french: Poule de Marans, italic=no, is a French breed of dual-purpose chicken, reared both for meat and for its dark brown eggs. It originated in or near the port town of Marans, in the département of Charente-Maritime, in the Nouve ...
*
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
*Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
*
Welsummer
English

This class consists of five breeds from the United Kingdom and one from Australia:
*
Australorp
*
Cornish
*
Dorking
Dorking () is a market town in Surrey in South East England, about south of London. It is in Mole Valley District and the council headquarters are to the east of the centre. The High Street runs roughly east–west, parallel to the Pipp ...
*
Orpington
Orpington is a town and area in south east London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is 13.4 miles (21.6 km) south east of Charing Cross.
On the south-eastern edge of the Greater London Built-up Area, it is south of St Mary ...
*
Redcap
The redcap (or powrie) is a type of malevolent, murderous goblin found in Border folklore. He is said to inhabit ruined castles along the Anglo-Scottish border, especially those that were the scenes of tyranny or wicked deeds and is known for soa ...
*
Sussex
Mediterranean

These breeds originating in Italy and Spain have white earlobes and tend to be productive layers of white eggs. In general they are flighty, and exceptional free-range birds, with both evasion and foraging skills:
*
Ancona
Ancona (, also , ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region in central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region. The city is located northeast of Rome, on the Adriatic ...
*
Andalusian
*
Catalana
*
Leghorn
*
Minorca
Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capit ...
*
Sicilian Buttercup
*
White-faced Black Spanish
The Spanish or White-faced Black Spanish, es, Cara Blanca, italic=no or , is a breed of domestic chicken which originated in Spain, but was largely bred to its present type in Great Britain in the eighteenth century. It is an older breed th ...
All Other Standard Breeds

Other breeds are grouped in this class, which has three subclasses: Game, Oriental, and Miscellaneous. The Game subclass includes the non-oriental game birds, the Oriental subclass includes mainly birds from
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an ...
; the Cubalaya, however, is from
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
. The Miscellaneous subclass holds the remaining breeds.
Game
*
Modern Game
The Modern Game is a breed of ornamental chicken which originated in England between 1850 and 1900. Purely an exhibition bird, Modern Game were developed to be most aesthetically pleasing and to epitomize the visual appeal of the gamecock or ...
*
Old English Game
*
American Game
Oriental
*
Aseel
*
Cubalaya
The Cubalaya is a Cuban breed of domestic chicken. It is the only chicken breed with official recognition from the Asociación Nacional de Avicultura, the Cuban national poultry association. It derives from Sumatra and Malay birds brought to Cuba ...
*
Malay
*
Phoenix
*
Shamo Shamo may refer to:
;People
* Shamo Abbey (born 1980), Ghanaian football forward
* Shamo Quaye (1971–1997), Ghanaian football player
* Ihor Shamo, (1925–1982), Ukrainian composer
;Other
* Shāmò, a generic Chinese term for deserts.
* Sham ...
*
Sumatra
*
Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of ...
Miscellaneous
*
Ameraucana
*
Araucana
The Araucana ( es, Gallina Mapuche, italic=no) is a breed of domestic chicken from Chile. Its name derives from the Araucanía region of Chile where it is believed to have originated. It lays blue-shelled eggs, one of very few breeds that do so. ...
*
Naked-neck
*
Sultan
Bantam breeds
Bantams are grouped according to type or physical appearance into six classes: Modern Game; Game; Single Comb Clean Legged; Rose Comb Clean Legged; Feather Legged; and All Other Comb Clean Legged. 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 � ...
classifications may be different.
Modern Game

This class consists solely of the
Modern Game
The Modern Game is a breed of ornamental chicken which originated in England between 1850 and 1900. Purely an exhibition bird, Modern Game were developed to be most aesthetically pleasing and to epitomize the visual appeal of the gamecock or ...
bantam.
Game

The Game class includes the remaining game bantams:
*
American Game
*
Old English Game
Single Comb Clean Legged

This class contains all the bantam breeds with a single
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 Prehistory, prehistoric times, having been discovered in very refined forms from settlemen ...
, excluding the game bantams:
*
Ancona
Ancona (, also , ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region in central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region. The city is located northeast of Rome, on the Adriatic ...
(single comb)
*
Andalusian
*
Australorp
*
Campine
The Campine (French ) or De Kempen ( Dutch ) is a natural region situated chiefly in north-eastern Belgium and parts of the south-eastern Netherlands which once consisted mainly of extensive moors, tracts of sandy heath, and wetlands. It encom ...
*
Catalana
*
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacen ...
*
Dorking
Dorking () is a market town in Surrey in South East England, about south of London. It is in Mole Valley District and the council headquarters are to the east of the centre. The High Street runs roughly east–west, parallel to the Pipp ...
(single comb)
*
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
*
Holland
Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...
*
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
*
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...
*
Jersey Giant
*
Lakenvelder
*
Lamona
The Lamona is an American breed of chicken. It was developed from 1912 by Harry S. Lamon, who was the senior poultry expert of the Bureau of Animal Industry, at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center of the U.S. Department of Agriculture i ...
*
Leghorn (single comb)
*
Minorca
Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capit ...
(single comb)
*
Naked-neck chicken
The Naked Neck is a breed of chicken that is naturally devoid of feathers on its neck and vent. The breed is also called the Transylvanian Naked Neck, as well as the Turken. The name "Turken" arose from the mistaken idea that the bird was a hybri ...
*
Nankin (single comb)
*
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...
*
Orpington
Orpington is a town and area in south east London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is 13.4 miles (21.6 km) south east of Charing Cross.
On the south-eastern edge of the Greater London Built-up Area, it is south of St Mary ...
*
Phoenix
*
Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock is the traditional site of disembarkation of William Bradford and the ''Mayflower'' Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony in December 1620. The Pilgrims did not refer to Plymouth Rock in any of their writings; the first known writt ...
*
Rhode Island Red
*
Serama
The Serama ( ms, Ayam Serama, italic=no), also called the Malaysian Serama, is a bantam breed of chicken originating in Malaysia within the last 50 years.
History
Serama originate in the Malaysian state of Kelantan, apparently through the cros ...
*
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
** Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Ca ...
*
Sussex
*
Welsummer
Rose Comb Clean Legged

This class groups breeds with both a rose comb and featherless legs:
*
Ancona
Ancona (, also , ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region in central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona and of the region. The city is located northeast of Rome, on the Adriatic ...
(rose comb)
*
Bearded d'Anvers
The Barbu d'Anvers, nl, Antwerpse baardkriel, italic=no, is a breed of bantam chicken from Belgium. It is a true bantam, and has no full-sized counterpart; males weigh about 700 grams and hens about 600 g. The Barbu d'Anvers is one of the olde ...
*
Dominique
"Dominique" is a 1963 French language popular song, written and performed by the Belgian female singer Jeannine Deckers, better known as Sœur Sourire ("Sister Smile" in French) or The Singing Nun. The song is about Saint Dominic, a Spanish-bor ...
*
Dorking
Dorking () is a market town in Surrey in South East England, about south of London. It is in Mole Valley District and the council headquarters are to the east of the centre. The High Street runs roughly east–west, parallel to the Pipp ...
(rose comb)
*
Hamburg
Hamburg (, ; nds, label=Hamburg German, Low Saxon, Hamborg ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (german: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg; nds, label=Low Saxon, Friee un Hansestadt Hamborg),. is the List of cities in Germany by popul ...
*
Leghorn (rose comb)
*
Minorca
Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capit ...
(rose comb)
*
Nankin (rose comb)
*
Redcap
The redcap (or powrie) is a type of malevolent, murderous goblin found in Border folklore. He is said to inhabit ruined castles along the Anglo-Scottish border, especially those that were the scenes of tyranny or wicked deeds and is known for soa ...
*
Rhode Island Red
*
Rhode Island White
The Rhode Island White is a breed of chicken originating in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Despite their very similar names and shared place of origin, the Rhode Island White is a distinct breed from the Rhode Island Red. However, Rhode Isla ...
*
Rosecomb
The Rosecomb is a breed of chicken named for its distinctive comb. Rosecombs are bantam chickens, and are among those known as true bantams, meaning they are not a miniaturised version of a large fowl. Rosecombs are one of the oldest and most ...
*
Sebright
The Sebright (IPA: ) is a British breed of bantam chicken. It is a true bantam – a miniature bird with no corresponding large version – and is one of the oldest recorded British bantam breeds. It is named after Sir John Saunders Sebrig ...
*
Wyandotte
Feather Legged

The breeds of this class have feathering on their legs and feet:
*
Belgian Bearded d'Uccle
The or Belgian d'Uccle, nl, Ukkelse Baardkriel, italic=no, is a Belgian breed of bearded bantam chicken. It was first bred in the town of Uccle on the outskirts of Brussels, in central Belgium, in the early years of the twentieth century. It ...
*
Booted
*
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp ...
*
Cochin
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) (List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part ...
*
Faverolles
*
Langshan (Croad Langshan)
*
Silkie
The Silkie (also known as the Silky or Chinese silk chicken) is a breed of chicken named for its atypically fluffy plumage, which is said to feel like silk and satin. The breed has several other unusual qualities, such as black skin and bones ...
*
Sultan
All Other Comb Clean Legged

This class includes all of the breeds that do not fall into any of the other classes:
*
Ameraucana
*
Araucana
The Araucana ( es, Gallina Mapuche, italic=no) is a breed of domestic chicken from Chile. Its name derives from the Araucanía region of Chile where it is believed to have originated. It lays blue-shelled eggs, one of very few breeds that do so. ...
*
Buckeye
*
Chantecler
*
Cornish
*
Crevecoeur
*
Cubalaya
The Cubalaya is a Cuban breed of domestic chicken. It is the only chicken breed with official recognition from the Asociación Nacional de Avicultura, the Cuban national poultry association. It derives from Sumatra and Malay birds brought to Cuba ...
*
Houdan
*
La Fleche
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
* "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
*
Malay
*
Polish
Polish may refer to:
* Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe
* Polish language
* Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent
* Polish chicken
*Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
*
Shamo Shamo may refer to:
;People
* Shamo Abbey (born 1980), Ghanaian football forward
* Shamo Quaye (1971–1997), Ghanaian football player
* Ihor Shamo, (1925–1982), Ukrainian composer
;Other
* Shāmò, a generic Chinese term for deserts.
* Sham ...
*
Sicilian Buttercup
*
Sumatra
*
Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of ...
See also
*
American Standard of Perfection
The ''American Standard of Perfection'' is the official breed standard for the poultry fancy in North America. First published in 1874 by the American Poultry Association, the ''Standard of Perfection'' (commonly referred to as "the ''Standard'' ...
*
List of chicken breeds
There are hundreds of chicken breeds in existence. Domesticated for thousands of years, distinguishable breeds of chicken have been present since the combined factors of geographical isolation and selection for desired characteristics created reg ...
References
{{reflist, 45em, refs=
[APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties: As of January 1, 2012]
American Poultry Association. Archived 4 November 2017.
[Gail Damerow (2012)]
''The Chicken Encyclopedia''
North Adams, Massachusetts: Storey Publishing. {{ISBN, 9781603425612.
Poultry farming in the United States