The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy's

Guide to Rare Breeds of Chickens

Breed

ALBC
Conservation
Priority Ranking

APA Class

Use

Ameraucana

Not Listed

All Other
Standard Breed Meat, Eggs

Ancona

Watch

English

Araucana

Study

All Other
Standard Breed Eggs

Aseel

Watch

All Other
Standard Breed Meat

Eggs

Australorp

Recovering

English

Eggs, Meat

Barnvelder

Not Listed

Continental

Eggs, Meat

Blue Andalusian Threatened

Mediterranean

Eggs

Egg Shell
Color Egg Size

Rate of Lay

Green,
Blue

Large

White

Medium to
Large
120-180

good, ~200

Medium to
Blue
Large
good, ~200
White or
tinted light
brown
Small
Poor, 6-40

Brown
Deep
Terra
Cotta

ChalkWhite

Large

Very Good, ~160

Standard
Market
Weight

Rate of
Growth

Early
Maturity

Temperament

Special
Special
Characteristics Markets

occassionally
broody

White to
Yellow

4.5 - 5.5 lbs

Non-Setters

Yellow

4 - 5 lbs

Yes

Very Active

Blue tinted egg

Color, productive
laying breed
colored eggs
Noted for
Hardiness and early maturing
Vigor
egg layer

setters

White to
Yellow

3.5 - 4 lbs

relatively
yes

Calm, nonaggressive

Blue egg color

colored eggs

Setters

Yellow

4 - 5.5 lbs

Active, yet gentle

Productive and
Fast Growing

good for both

meat and egg
production

Docile, yet Active

Egg Color

colored eggs

Active, yet gentle

very rugged and

robust, excel in
free-range
conditions,
typically not good
in confinement

Excellent, 250-250 setters

Medium to
Large
150 to 200

Large

Broodiness

Skin
Color

Rarely go
broody

Non-Setters

White

5.5 - 7.5 lbs

Yellow

5 - 6 lbs

White

4.5 - 6 lbs

Medium: 1620 Weeks

Calm to Gentle

Highly aggressive

Medium: 1620 Weeks Yes

MediumSlow: 2024 Weeks

Good

yes

Brahma

Watch

Asiatic

Meat, Eggs

Brown

Medium to
Large
140+/-

Setters

Yellow

8-10 lbs

Slow

Calm, docile

one of the largest

breeds, good
layers of winter
eggs, good in
cold climates

Buckeye

Threatened

American

Meat, Eggs

Brown

Large

Variable

Yellow

5.5 - 8 lbs

Medium: 1620 Weeks

Active, yet gentle

Winter Hardy,
Extra Meaty

Copyright 2009

120-150

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

919-542-5704
www.albc-usa.org albc@albc-usa.org

Large
roasting fowl,
capon, or
early broiler
RAFT, Slow
Food Ark of
Taste

Page 1
8/18/2011

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy's

Guide to Rare Breeds of Chickens

Breed

ALBC
Conservation
Priority Ranking

APA Class

Use

Egg Shell
Color Egg Size

Buttercup

Threatened

English

Eggs

White

Campine

Critical

Continental

Eggs

White

Rate of Lay

Small to
Medium Good, 140-180
Medium to
Large
Good, 150+

Catalana

Watch

English

Eggs, Meat

White to
Tinted

Chantecler

Critical

American

Eggs, Meat

Brown

Brown

Large

Tinted

Medium to
Large
poor, 50-80

Cochin

Watch

Asiatic

Meat,
Ornamental

Cornish

Watch

English

Meat

Crevecour

Cubalaya

Critical

Threatened

Copyright 2009

Continental

Meat, Eggs

All Other
Standard Breed Eggs, Meat

White

White

Medium

Large

Standard
Market
Weight

Non-Setters

Yellow

4 - 5.5 lbs

Non-Setters

White

3.5 - 5 lbs

Rate of
Growth

Good

Early
Maturity

yes

Active, flighty

Special
Special
Characteristics Markets
Unique
Good forager and appearance
does well on free with
range in warm
interesting
climates
comb

Yes

Very Active

Vigorous Forager

Temperament

Good, 150+

Hens rarely go
broody
White

5 - 6.5 lbs

Good

120-180

variable

5.5 - 7.5 lbs

Medium: 1620 Weeks

up to 140/yr

Excellent
setters

Yellow

7 - 9 lbs

Slow to
mature

Friendly, docile

Non-Setters

Yellow

6.5 - 8.5 lbs

Slow: 24+
Weeks

Calm

5.5 - 7 lbs

MediumSlow: 2024 Weeks

Medium to
Large
Good, ~150

Small

Broodiness

Skin
Color

125-175

Non-Setters

Setters

Yellow

White

White

3-4.5 lbs

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

919-542-5704
www.albc-usa.org albc@albc-usa.org

yes

Active

Gentle

Good foraging
ability, hardiness
especially in
extreme heat
conditions
Winter Hardy,
Can be Eaten at
Any Age, Winter
Layer
One of the best
broody breeds,
especially for
turkey and ducks,
good in cold
climates
Cornish Hen,
Superb Table
Qualities

very popular
in South
America

RAFT

Excellent
capon at 12
months of age
Famous for
Flavor

active

A French
Favorite with
a unique horn
like comb

Can be aggressive
to other birds, noisy,
mild-mannered
tolerant of high
compared to other heat and
game birds
humidity

stunning birds
for backyard
flocks

Page 2
8/18/2011

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy's

Guide to Rare Breeds of Chickens

Breed

ALBC
Conservation
Priority Ranking

APA Class

Use

Egg Shell
Color Egg Size

Delaware

Critical

American

Eggs, Meat

Brown

Large to
Jumbo

Dominique

Watch

American

Eggs, Meat

Brown

Dorking

Threatened

English

Eggs, Meat

Egyptian
Fayoumis

Not Listed

African

Rate of Lay
Very Good 150200

Broodiness

Skin
Color

Standard
Market
Weight

Rate of
Growth

Fast: 12-16
Weeks
Yes

Setters

Yellow

5.5 - 7.5 lbs

Medium to
Large
230-275

Variable

Yellow

4 - 6 lbs

White

Medium to
Large
Good, ~150

Setters

White

6 - 8 lbs

Medium: 1620 Weeks

MediumSlow: 2024 Weeks

Eggs

Tinted

small

Setters when
mature

White

2-3 lbs

Fast: 12-16
Weeks
yes

Medium to
Large
Excellent, 180-200 May go broody White

5.5 - 7 lbs

Medium: 1620 Weeks yes

Excellent, 200+

Faverolle

Threatened

Continental

Meat, Eggs

Tinted to
Light
Brown

Hamburg

Watch

Continental

Eggs

White

Medium

Excellent, 200-225 Non-Setters

White

3.5 - 4 lbs

Holland

Critical

American

Eggs, Meat

White

Large

Good

Yellow

5.5 - 7.5 lbs

Houdans

Watch

Continental

Meat, Eggs

White

Small to
Medium

Fair

White

5.5 - 7 lbs

Medium: 1620 Weeks

MediumSlow: 2024 Weeks

Brown

Large

Good, 150+

Yellow

6.5 - 8 lbs

MediumSlow: 2024 Weeks

175-185

Yellow

8 - 11 lbs

Medium: 1620 Weeks

White

5.5 - 7 lbs

Slow: 24+
Weeks

Java

Threatened

American

Meat, Some
Eggs

Jersey Giant

Watch

American

Meat, Eggs

Brown

Extra
Large

La Fleche

Watch

Continental

Meat, Eggs

White

Medium to
Large

Copyright 2009

Early
Maturity

Setters
Setters, but
tend to break
eggs

Setters

Rarely go
broody

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

919-542-5704
www.albc-usa.org albc@albc-usa.org

Temperament

Gentle

Special
Characteristics
Fast Growth,
Can be Eaten at
Any Age

Likes to Range, calm

and genial
Good Forager

Special
Markets
RAFT, Slow
Food Ark of
Taste
RAFT, Slow
Food Ark of
Taste

Famous for
Flavor
Extremely
Excellent
hardy,
Forager, disease excellent in
very active and vocal resistant
hot climates
Dish - Petite
Very Productive Poussin
when in contact (Small
Active, yet gentle
with the ground Breast)
Good at
avoiding
Flighty, Roosts in predators,
Very Active
Trees
cold hardy
Likes to Range

Winter Layers,
Good Forager

Likes to Range,
Calm,

Cold hardy,
Good Forager
RAFT
beatiful addition
Calm, exceptionally for small flock
A French
gentle disposition
owners
Favorite
RAFT, in
1800s
Considered
Likes to Range,
Excellent
Finest Table
hardy, Calm
Forager
Fowl
RAFT, Slow
Food Ark of
Calm
Large Size
Taste
Good Forager,
LargeBreast for A French
Active
Size
Favorite

Page 3
8/18/2011

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy's

Guide to Rare Breeds of Chickens

Breed
Lakenvelder
Lamona

ALBC
Conservation
Priority Ranking
Threatened
Study

Eggs, Meat

Egg Shell
Color Egg Size
Rate of Lay
White to
Tinted
Medium 150-200
Medium to
White
Large
200+

APA Class
Continental
American

Use
Eggs

Langshan

Threatened

Asiatic

Eggs, Meat

Very Dark
Brown
Large

Leghorn

Recovering

Mediterranean

Eggs

White

Medium to
Large
250-300 +/-

Malay

Threatened

All Other
Standard Breed Meat

Brown

Medium

Lay infrequently

Iran

Eggs, Meat

Tinted to
Brown

Medium

Manx Rumpy or
Persian
Rumpless
Study

Maran

Not Listed

France

Eggs, Meat

Deep
Terra
Cotta

Minorca

Watch

Mediterranean

Eggs

ChalkWhite

Modern Game

Critical

Nankin

Critical

New Hampshire Watch

Copyright 2009

All Other
Standard Breed Show
eggs, broody
English
hens

American

Eggs, Meat

Brown

Non-Setters
Non-Setters

White
yellow

Standard
Market
Weight

Rate of
Growth

3.5 - 4 lbs

Early
Maturity
yes

5.5 - 7 lbs

Fast Medium

Temperament
Active

Setters

Yellow

6.5 - 8 lbs

Slow: 24+
Weeks

Non-Setters

Yellow

4 - 5 lbs

Medium

5 - 7 lbs

Slow to
mature

Active

Good

Setters
Yellow
Hens will go
broody, but
fertility in breed
tends to be low White

4-4.5 lbs

Medium

Active

Large

150 to 200

Hens
occasionally go
broody
white

7-8.5 lbs

Very
Large

Excellent

Hens seldom go
broody
White

6.5 - 7.5 lbs

White to
tinted light
brown
Small
Creamy
white
Small
Extra
Large

Good, historically
up to 200

Broodiness

Skin
Color

Very Calm

Yes

Medium: 1620 Weeks

MediumSlow: 2024 Weeks

Very Active

Special
Special
Characteristics Markets
Good foragers,
can be flighty

produces large
amount of very
white meat
Noted for
Hardiness and
Vigor, Excellent
Layer

does well on
well drained
land

tallest of all
very heat
chickens,
tolerant
Exceptional freerange bird with
little supplement
needed.

Egg Color, Good

Active, yet adapt
Meat Qualities in
well to confinement Some Lines
Very Active, Likes to Great Foragers,
range
Large Frame

100+/-

Setters

yellow

4 - 5 lbs

Slow to
mature

Active, noisy,
curious

90-100

Setters

white

22-24 oz.

medium

Calm

dont tolerate
close confinment,
can be
aggressive at
times, not very
winter hardy
Exceptionally
good setters

5.5 - 7.5 lbs

Fast: 12-16
Weeks
Yes

Calm

RAFT, Slow
Rate of Growth, Food Ark of
Early Feathering Taste

Fair

Variable

Yellow

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

919-542-5704
www.albc-usa.org albc@albc-usa.org

Page 4
8/18/2011

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy's

Guide to Rare Breeds of Chickens

ALBC
Conservation
Priority Ranking

English

Meat, Eggs

Egg Shell
Color Egg Size
Rate of Lay
Broodiness
White to
tinted light
brown
Small
120+/Setters
Large to
Extra
Brown
Large
Very good 175-200 Setters

Penedesencas Not Listed

Spanish

Eggs, Meat

Deep Dark
Brown
Medium

160+/-

Setters

Phoenix

All Other
exhibition,
Standard Breed feathers

White to
tinted
brown

Poor

Setters

Breed
Old English
Game

Orpington

Watch

Recovering

Threatened

APA Class

Use

All Other
Standard Breed Show

Plymouth Rock Recovering

American

Eggs, Meat

Brown

Polish

Continental

Eggs

White

Redcap

Watch

Critical

English

Eggs

white

Large
Very good, ~200
Medium to
Large
200+

Medium to
Large
180-220

White

White

Standard
Market
Weight

3.5 - 4 lbs

7 - 8.5 lbs

4.5-5.5 lbs

Yellow

Yellow

6 - 8 lbs

Non-Setters

White

4 - 5 lbs

white

Early
Maturity

Fast: 12-16
Weeks
Yes

6-7.5 lbs

Temperament

yes

Calm, friendly
disposition

Excellent Rate of
Growth in Some
Lines

docile

Egg Color, Fair

Meat Qualities
highly
ornamental with
extraordinarily
ornamental
long tail
feathers

Calm
Calm, but Flighty
when Disturbed

Active, alert

Very good, 250+

Brown

Large
Large to
Extra
Large

Good

Rarely go
broody

Yellow

5.5 - 7.5 lbs

All Other
Standard Breed meat

light
brown

small

variable

Non-Setters

Yellow

6.5-8.5 lbs

calm but not docile

English

White or
creamy

Tiny

Poor

Non-Setters

White

18 - 20 oz

calm and docile

Recovering

American

Eggs, Meat

Brown

Rhode Island
White

Watch

American

Eggs, Meat

Russian Orloff

Critical

Sebright

Watch

eggs, show

5.5 - 7.5 lbs

Medium: 1620 Weeks

Calm, but Likes to

Range

Medium: 1620 Weeks

Calm, but Likes to

Range

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

919-542-5704
www.albc-usa.org albc@albc-usa.org

Special
Special
Characteristics Markets

Extremely active,
flighty

Medium
MediumSlow: 2024 Weeks
MediumSlow: 2024 Weeks

3.5 - 4.5 lbs

Setters

Non-Setters

Rate of
Growth

Rarely go
broody, but
those that do
are great moms Yellow

Rhode Island
Red

Copyright 2009

Small

Skin
Color

Meat Qualities, RAFT, Slow

Early Feathering, Food Ark of
Cold-Hardy
Taste

great egg
layers for
warm
huge rose comb climates

Flavor - Once
Considered
Finest Flavored
Used in
Producing
Hybrids

RAFT, Slow
Food Ark of
Taste

RAFT

very hardy breed cold tolerant

excellent
backyard or
exhibition
breed

Page 5
8/18/2011

The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy's

Guide to Rare Breeds of Chickens

Breed

ALBC
Conservation
Priority Ranking

APA Class

Use

Shamo

Watch

All Other
Meat,
Standard Breed Ornamental

Spanish

Critical

Mediterranean

Eggs

Pale
brown
ChalkWhite

Sultan

Critical

Istanbul

Sumatra

Critical

All Other
Standard Breed Ornamental

Sussex

Recovering

English

Meat, Eggs

Welsumer

Not Listed

Continental

Eggs, Meat

Tan to
Brown
Deep
Terra
Cotta

Wyandotte

Recovering

American

Eggs, Meat

Brown

Critical

All Other
Standard Breed Ornamental

Tinted
light
brown

Yokohama

Copyright 2009

Ornamental

Egg Shell
Color Egg Size

Rate of Lay

Broodiness

Skin
Color

Standard
Market
Weight

medium

Poor, 60-100

Setters

Yellow

6 - 9 lbs

Large

Good

Non-Setters

White

5.5 - 6.5 lbs

Rate of
Growth

Good

White

Small

Good 150-200

Variable

White

3.5 - 5 lbs

White to
tinted

Tiny

Fair

Setters

Yellow

3.5 - 4 lbs

Large

Very good, ~200

Setters

White

6 - 7.5 lbs

Non-Setters

Yellow

5 - 6 lbs

Medium: 1620 Weeks

MediumSlow: 2024 Weeks

Medium to
Large
up to 200

Slow

Early
Maturity

Temperament

Can be aggressive
Active, noisy,
curious

Good Layer
Great urban
chicken that
does little
damage to
grass or
plantings

Active

Flighty and jumpy

lustrous plumage

Calm and curious

Good All Around Famous for

Table Bird
Flavor

Calm, Likes to
Range

Large

Very Good 180200

Variable

Yellow

5.5 - 7.5 lbs

Medium: 1620 Weeks

Calm

Small

80, known to go
broody after laying
only 12-14 eggs
Variable

Yellow

3.5-4.5 lbs

Slow to
mature

active and alert

American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

919-542-5704
www.albc-usa.org albc@albc-usa.org

Special
Special
Characteristics Markets
aggressive to
birds but can
make great
pets

Egg Color, Good

Foragers
Good Cross with
Plymouth Rock, RAFT, Slow
extremely cold- Food Ark of
hardy
Taste
Tail of
roosters can
grow 3
long tail feathers feet/year

Page 6
8/18/2011