Rhode Island Chicken

The 93 pure chicken breeds recognized by the British Poultry Standards are categorized according to size, feathering, provenance, and rarity. All of these can be found in our A-Z list of chicken breeds below.

The Red Junglefowl is the ancestor of our tamed breeds. Poultry enthusiasts and small-scale farmers are to thank for its many beautiful disguises nowadays.

After cockfighting was abolished in 1849, breeders of game birds began showcasing their birds in competitions held in local taverns across the nation. The prize money was rather considerable, which increased the breeders’ competitiveness.

In 1865, the first poultry standard was published; it had only a few breeds but was uniform throughout. Later that year, London Zoo hosted the first noteworthy poultry show. Around the turn of the century, a large number of breeds were imported and standardized from overseas because to the growing popularity of exhibiting.

In the meantime, farmers raised Indian Game crossed with Light Sussex for meat and Rhode Island Reds, Light Sussex, White Wyandottes, and White Leghorn breeds for egg production.

The Chicken Breeds

I have attempted to convey the rich history of our modern chicken breeds on the breed profile pages, where you can also view multiple images.

I have added hybrid chickens, which are popular among visitors who come here to view pictures of different chicken breeds but aren’t purebred. They are mostly sold for egg-laying.