Faverolles

Rooster and Hen

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me... three French Hens...

Faverolles are one of the many breeds of Chicken out there that originated in France. They are named after one of the cities in which they were developed, back in the 1850s. The breed is a great all purpose chicken, good for both meat and eggs, and they are excellent egg layers even in the winter months.

I chose Faverolles as the "French Hen" today because I think they look delightfully awesome. They have feathered feet, muffs, and beards. That's a lot of fluff on a Chicken! They come in three recognized color varieties, white, salmon, and mahogany.

One really neat thing about Faverolles roosters is that they aren't as aggressive as roosters of other breeds. Both males and females are calm and good natured, and they do well in colder weather.

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Status : Domesticated, listed as Threatened by the ALBC
Location : France
Size : Weight up to 8lbs (3.6kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves --   Order : Galliformes
Family : Phasianidae -- Genus : Gallus -- Species : Gallus gallus

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Indian Runner Duck

I did my yearly venture to the Wisconsin State Fair this past weekend, and through the masses of Beef Cattle, Dairy Goats, and Pigs, I stumbled upon an unusual breed of Duck that I hadn’t encountered before- Indian Runner Ducks! (Unfortunately they were roped off while I was there and could not get any good pictures. Alas.)

Indian Runner Ducks

These strange looking birds resemble bowling pins more than regular ducks. They stand upright, like Penguins do, and they conveniently were once referred to as “Penguin Ducks!” They are a hardy, but high-strung breed, and are excellent foragers.

The name “Indian Runner Duck” is a bit confusing, as there is no evidence that these birds actually came from India itself. Rather, it is believed that they originated in the East Indies, on the islands of Bali, Java, and Lombok. “Penguin Ducks” were brought to England by the 1830’s, and may have been in the Netherlands even earlier, due to the trade conducted by the Dutch East India Company.

The first standards for the breed were developed at the turn of the 20^th century, and have been changed and added to over the years. There are now nearly a dozen recognized color varieties, including Silver, Trout, Fawn & White, and Apricot. They are notable not only for their uprights posture and running movement style, but also because they are amazing egg layers. A single Duck can lay 200 eggs per year!

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Status : Domesticated

Location : Originated in the East Indies

Size : Diameter up to 20in (50cm)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class: Aves -- Order : Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae -- Genus: Anas -- Species: A. platyrhynchos -- Subspecies: A. p. domestica

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Rhode Island Red

Rhode Island Red

The Rhode Island Red, developed in Rhode Island of all places, is a domesticated breed of chicken. Though once a quite popular variety, Rhode Island Reds have declined in number during the course of the 20th century,. They are now making a comeback with small farmers, and are listed as "Recovering" by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

Rhode Island Reds are considered a "daul-purpose" bird. That means that they can be raised for both meat and eggs. As a breed, they are pretty great all around. They provide good meat, they lay amazingly well, and they are quite hardy to boot. One downside, however, is that they can become quite aggressive.

Since 1954, Rhode Island Reds have been listed as the state bird of Rhode Island. Interestingly, they are one of the only state birds not found in Audubons' Birds of America. This is because his masterful volume only covers wild species of bird. And even if it covered domestic fowl, the breed was only first worked on in 1830, which was at the tail end of Audubon's publication.

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Status : Domesticated, listed as Recovering by the ALBC

Location : Developed in the United States

Size : Weight up to 8lbs (3.6kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Galliformes
Family : Phasianidae -- Genus : Gallus -- Species : G. gallus -- Subspecies : G. g. domesticus

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Sultan Chicken

Female Sultan Chicken

I've had chickens on the brain lately thanks to a new ordinance in town that's allowing backyard coops (and I've been interesting in keeping some of these guys for a while). So in the course of my readings I've come across the really strange and unusual breeds, like the Sultan.

Sultan Chickens originated in Turkey, where their name Serai Taook means "Sultan's Fowl." The translated name stuck when this curious looking breed made its way to England in 1854. They would arrive in the United States thirteen years later.

Sultan Chickens are covered head to toe in feathers, including a crest, feet, and beard. While white is the most accepted color variation, other types are sometimes seen.

Members of the breed are docile, and survive best in warmer climates... which means I probably won't be getting any for my potential flock. Curse you winter!

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Status :  Critical by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

Location : Domesticated, originally from Turkey

Size : Weight up to 5lbs (2.2kg)

Classification : Phylum : Chordata -- Class : Aves -- Order : Galliformes
Family : Phasianidae -- Genus : Gallus -- Species : G. gallus 
Subspecies: G. g. domesticus

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Muscovy Duck

So ugly its cute? Or just plain ugly? Moscovy ducks (not actually from Moscow) are recognized by their signature bald faces and protruding caruncles (the bumpy looking things). The baldness and caruncle coverage is more pronounced in the males than in the females. Overall, Muscovy Ducks with smooth heads are frowned upon by the Standard of Perfection set forth by the American Poultry Association. Bumpy (well, uniform bumpiness) = Better.

No one is really sure why the Muscovy Duck was given its name, as its origins come from no where near Russia. It is also interestingly known as Barbary Duck... and it isn't from the Barbary Coast either. One thought on the name origin comes from the Muscovy Trading Company, which traded the birds, but even that is just a theory. Wild Muscovys actually come from South and Central America, and had already been domesticated for hundreds of years when first European contact was made. There are remaining wild flocks in their native habitat, but in their domesticated form, Muscovy ducks can be found all over the world. They have a strangely high tolerance to both heat and cold, despite coming from tropical climates. Unfortunately, feral populations can cause problems for the native species. In Florida for example, the ducks produce large quantities of dropping that damage the water supply, aggressively pester humans and other species, pass diseases on to the native, wild ducks, and interbreed with the other duck species, damaging the gene pool. In short, don't set your non-native ducks free in the wild!

From a farming and culinary standpoint Muscovy duck are popular because of their large size, beef-like tasting meat, and the fact that they are one of the few types of duck that don't quack. The males make a sort of hissing sound, while the females coo. Muscovy Ducks are also the only domesticated duck not descended from mallards! While we're on the topic of descendants, they are a really interesting example of how evolution is driving by reproductive habits. In short, females are able to select their mates, but if a male is rejected, they can basically force copulation with a female anyway, which is why the female duck anatomy has evolved to become a barrier against male advances... and why the males have subsequently evolved to get at the females, and back and forth.. I'll just let you read this article....

Thanks Hannah for the suggestion and the excellent pictures!

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