Old English Pheasant Fowl

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Old English Pheasant Fowl
Conservation status
  • FAO (2007): critical-maintained[1]: 123 
  • RBST (2014): at risk[2]
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    2.7–3.2 kg[3]: 225 
  • Female:
    2.25–2.7 kg[3]: 225 
Egg colourwhite
Classification
EEnot recognised[4]
PCGBrare soft feather: light[5]

The Old English Pheasant Fowl is a British breed of small utility chicken. It derives from traditional breeds of rural Lancashire and Yorkshire and of the former counties of Cumberland and Westmorland.[6] Its name is due to a perceived similarity of the plumage to that of the wild pheasant.[7] It is a rare breed, and in 2014 was listed as "at risk" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.[2]

History

Mostly concentrated around Yorkshire and Lancashire, it was named and a breed club was formed in 1914. They are thought by some to be one of the precursors of the Hamburgh breed. In the twenty-first century, the Old English Pheasant Fowl is rare. It is listed as "at risk" in the 2014 watch list of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.[2]

Characteristics

They have rose-type combs and white earlobes. Their plumage is a mahogany hue with darker lacing around the edges.

Use

It is a hardy bird that does well in free range conditions as a table bird and a layer of white eggs.

References

  1. Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
  2. Native Poultry Breeds at Risk. Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Archived 1 July 2014.
  3. Victoria Roberts (2008). British Poultry Standards: Complete specifications and judging points of all standardized breeds and varieties of poultry as compiled by the specialist breed clubs and recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 9781405156424.
  4. Liste des races et variétés homologuée dans les pays EE (28.04.2013). Entente Européenne d'Aviculture et de Cuniculture. Archived 16 June 2013.
  5. Breed Classification. Poultry Club of Great Britain. Archived 12 June 2018.
  6. Poultry: Old English Pheasant Fowl: 2008 Watchlist; Category 2, Endangered. Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Archived 23 June 2008.
  7. Old English Pheasant Fowl. Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Archived 7 February 2019.