Asturian Painted Hen
Encyclopedia
The Asturian Painted Hen (Asturian : Pita pinta Spanish: gallina pinta asturiana) is a breed
of chicken
originating in Asturias
.
, it is noticed that all the material corresponds to the Atlantic branch of the species and its origin is related to other chicken breeds in the north of Spain
. With industrial avicultural development in the 1950s and 1960s, and the creation of hybrids in order to produce egg
s, the number of Asturian Painted Hens fell dramatically to the point of extinction. Fortunately, the breed was saved from extinction in the 1980s by a few enthusiastic traditional hen breeders. At the moment, an Asturian Painted Hen Breeders' Association is in the process of being set up.
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
of chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
originating in Asturias
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
.
History
In reference to the origin of this breedBreed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
, it is noticed that all the material corresponds to the Atlantic branch of the species and its origin is related to other chicken breeds in the north of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. With industrial avicultural development in the 1950s and 1960s, and the creation of hybrids in order to produce egg
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
s, the number of Asturian Painted Hens fell dramatically to the point of extinction. Fortunately, the breed was saved from extinction in the 1980s by a few enthusiastic traditional hen breeders. At the moment, an Asturian Painted Hen Breeders' Association is in the process of being set up.
Appearance
Some characteristics of an Asturian Painted Hen are:- Regular sized crests, small on females.
- Ears are always red.
- Adults' feathers are black with a white edge, giving the charasteristic mottled look.
- Peak and legs are yellow with black spots.
- Eyes are orange.
- Weight is 4-4.5 kg by average for males and 2.7 kg for females.
Eggs
It is a good, regular layer, tough and responsive to the environment. Eggs are cream-coloured with a soft feel.External links
- Lapitapinta.galeon.com Site with pics of the Asturian Painted Hen (in Spanish)