Houdan (chicken)
Encyclopedia
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...
native to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Named after the city of Houdan
Houdan
Houdan is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-Geography:Houdan is west of Paris in the Yvelines département. It is linked by SNCF Alençon and Paris .-History:...
, near Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, it is an old breed.
Overview
It was first exported to England in 1850, and to North America in 1865, where it appeared in the first edition of the American Standard of PerfectionAmerican Standard of Perfection
The American Standard of Perfection is the official breed standard for the poultry fancy in North America. First published in 1874 by the American Poultry Association, the Standard of Perfection classifies and describes the standard physical appearance, coloring and temperament for all recognized...
in 1874. With an attractive appearance, the Houdan combines a number of distinctive features, giving rise to speculation about the breeds that contributed to its development. The Crèvecœur
Crèvecœur (chicken)
The Crèvecœur is a rare breed of chicken originating in France. Named after the town of Crèvecœur in Normandy, it is one of the oldest French chicken breeds, and may be the progenitor of the La Flèche, Houdan, and Faverolles....
or perhaps the Polish is suspected to have given the Houdan its crest, and either the Dorking
Dorking
Dorking is a historic market town at the foot of the North Downs approximately south of London, in Surrey, England.- History and development :...
or the native five-toed fowl of France is thought have to resulted in the Houdan's five toes (most chickens have only four). As the actual origins of the Houdan predate modern agricultural writing, little can be said with certainty. Houdans have small earlobes and wattles hidden by the crest and feather bearding. Their combs
Comb (anatomy)
Anatomically, a comb is a fleshy growth, caruncle, or crest on the top of the head of gallinaceous birds, most notably turkeys, pheasants, and domestic chickens...
are V–shaped in the American standard, and butterfly-shaped in the British, Australian and French standards.
In terms of plumage, the Houdan comes in two common color varieties: White and Mottled (black with white spotting). The white color was a later development. Originally a dual–purpose fowl kept for both eggs and meat, and for part of the 1800s one of France's main meat breeds, the Houdan today is primarily a rare show bird. However, with a fairly quick rate of maturation and the ability to lay a respectable number of white eggs, it is still occasionally kept in backyard flocks. Classified as a light breed, males are ideally supposed to reach 8 lb. (3.6 kg), and females 6.5 lb. (3 kg). It also comes as a bantam
Bantam (chicken)
A bantam is a small variety of poultry, especially chickens. Etymologically, the name bantam is derived from the city of Bantam - currently known as "Banten Province" or previously "Banten Residency" - once a major seaport, in Indonesia...
.
Weight
| Cock | 3.2–3.6 kg (7.1–7.9 lb) |
| Hen | 2.7–3.3 kg (6–7.3 lb) |
| Rooster | 670g - 690g |
| Hen | 620 - 740g |
See also
External links
- Houdan enthusiasts site (Dutch)
- Houdan at mypetchicken.com
- Houdan at the University of Oklahoma's Dept. of Animal Science breeds list
- PoultyHub Fancy Chicken Breeds - Houdan