For exhibition functions, massive rooster breeds acknowledged by the American Poultry Affiliation (APA) are organized into six lessons. Many of the lessons signify the geographic area the place the breeds originated or had been developed. Figuring out a rooster’s APA class permits you to infer various issues concerning the breed, together with temperament, laying capability, local weather tolerance, and extra.
American Class
The 13 breeds within the American class originate inside the USA or Canada. Chickens on this class are heavy to mid weight, and the hens are good layers of eggs with brown shells. Their hefty weight plus good laying capability make these chickens dual-purpose egg-and-meat breeds.
As a gaggle they tolerate chilly climate higher than heat climate. Their chilly hardiness leads to half from the truth that they placed on fats extra simply than breeds in most different lessons.
Usually these breeds are usually comparatively calm in temperament. And they’re all good foragers.
Standard breeds within the American class embody Buckeye, Chantecler, Delaware, Dominique, Jersey Big, New Hampshire, Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Crimson, Rhode Island White, and Wyandotte.
Asiatic Class
The three breeds within the Asiatic class originate primarily from China. They’re feather-legged. They are usually massive, meaty birds. They usually favor cool climates over hotter areas.
Just like the American breeds, the Asiatic breeds are sometimes docile. They, too, lay eggs with brown shells, though basically they don’t lay fairly in addition to the American breeds. The most typical members of the Asiatic class are Brahma and Cochin.
Continental Class
The 11 breeds on this class originate from European international locations apart from these comprising Nice Britain. This class is additional subdivided into three regional teams.
Breeds within the Northern European subgroup hail from Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands. They’re mid to light-weight breeds, good layers of eggs with brown or tinted shells, and distinctive foragers. Some are flightier than others, and a few are much less tolerant of heat climate. This group consists of Lakenvelder, Barnevelder, Hamburg, and Welsumer.
The Polish subgroup consists of one breed: Polish. Oddly sufficient, the Polish rooster shouldn’t be from Poland, however from the Netherlands. This crested breed is available in quite a few shade varieties, in addition to bearded and non-bearded. Polish chickens are good layers of eggs with white shells. They’re a docile breed that does greatest in a temperate local weather.
Standard breeds within the French subgroup embody Crevecoeur, Faverolle, Houdan, and Marans. Hailing from France, they’re all heavy breeds. In any other case they’re a combined bag as to laying capability, egg shell shade, temperament, and local weather tolerance. That is one case the place a rooster’s APA class doesn’t inform you a lot concerning the breed.
English Class
The 6 breeds within the English class originate from Nice Britain and Australia. They’re heavy breeds that are usually extra chilly hardy than warmth tolerant. Most English breeds are basically dual-purpose chickens, being good layers of eggs with brown or tinted shells. Among the many hottest English breeds are Australorp, Orpington, and Sussex — all docile.
The stand-out on this group is the Cornish breed, which might typically be aggressive. The hens are moderately poor layers, though each genders make wonderful meat birds. The Cornish breed is the idea for Cornish-cross meat hybrids.
Mediterranean Class
The 7 breeds within the Mediterranean class originate from Italy and Spain. They lay eggs with white or frivolously tinted shells and vary in laying capability from wonderful to poor. Additionally they vary in measurement from light-weight to heavy.
As a gaggle the Mediterranean breeds are extra warmth tolerant than chilly hardy. They are usually fairly excessive strung and fewer prone to brood than most different breeds.
Then again, they’re wonderful foragers which, mixed with their excellent capability to evade predators, makes them significantly appropriate at no cost ranging. Standard Mediterranean breeds embody Leghorn, Sicilian Buttercup, and Spanish.
All Different Commonplace Breeds
A ultimate catch-all class is All Different Commonplace Breeds (AOSB), which incorporates those who don’t handily match into any of the opposite 5 lessons. These 13 breeds are additional divided into three subgroups.
The primary subgroup is Video games, consisting of non-Oriental recreation fowl from Nice Britain. Biggest in recognition is the Outdated English breed. Initially developed for cockfighting, this light-weight breed might be flighty and typically aggressive. The hens are moderately poor layers, however are excellent broodies. The Outdated English breed is lively, hardy, and an distinctive forager with outstanding survivability abilities.
The second subgroup is Orientals, though the breeds on this group don’t all come from japanese Asia. Standard amongst them are the Aseel from India, Cubalaya from Cuba, Phoenix developed in Germany, Sumatra from Indonesia, and Yokohama from Japan. These breeds usually are not particularly good layers, however are likely to make good or wonderful broodies. Due to their various origins, they vary broadly in egg shell shade, temperament, measurement, and local weather hardiness, making them troublesome to characterize as a gaggle.
The third subgroup is Miscellaneous, consisting of those disparate breeds: Ameraucana from the USA, Araucana from Chile, Bare Neck from Romania, and Sultan from Turkey. Laying capability varies, and shell shade ranges from blue to white to brown. Broodiness ranges from honest to unlikely. Measurement, temperament, and foraging capability additionally fluctuate. Nonetheless, all breeds on this group are mild and docile.
A Rooster’s APA Class
A rooster’s APA class can present hints about a few of the traits you may anticipate of the breed. Nonetheless, it’s vital to notice that not all breeds, and never all strains or people inside a breed, will match the breed’s important class profile. Nonetheless, by figuring out the rooster’s APA class as listed within the American Commonplace of Perfection, you may usually infer various issues concerning the breed that will assist you to select essentially the most applicable chickens in your yard flock.
And that’s at the moment’s information from the Cackle Coop.
Gail Damerow has written various poultry-keeping books, together with The Rooster Encyclopedia.
