Manx Rumpy
Encyclopedia
The Manx Rumpy, also called the Rumpless Game, is a breed
of chicken
which lacks a tail
and rump
. Unlike the Manx cat
and tailless poultry that were common on the Isle of Man
in 1871, the Manx Rumpy did not actually originate on the island, but was so named because of its resemblance to the Manx cat
, which also lacks a tail. Manx Rumpies are a very old breed from the Persian Gulf
– their first name in English was the Persian Rumpless – but they are rare in the West.
Manx Rumpies are among only a few other tailless breeds, most notably the Araucana
and the Belgian d'Everberg
. They do not grow a tail because they lack the vertebrae that most chickens have. Most have single combs
, and red earlobes. Appearing in a wide variety of colors, the breed is recognized officially in British poultry standards. On realizing that that these bantams
live without tail feathers
to escape foxes, Kent
Poultry Club chairman Dudley Mallett gave the tiny chickens the name Rumpless Game Bantams. UK standards call the birds Rumpless Games, and they more closely resemble an Old English Game
in that nation. The breed has never been accepted in to the American Poultry Association
's American Standard of Perfection
.
A relatively light-weight fowl, males weigh 5.5 pounds (2.5 kilos) and hens weigh 4.5 pounds (2 kilos). Manx Rumpy hens are good layers of brown eggs, and may also occasionally lay white, blue, or green eggs. They do have a tendency toward broodiness
, but the breed's fertility is generally low.
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...
which lacks a tail
Tail
The tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds...
and rump
Rump (animal)
The rump or croup, in the external morphology of an animal, is the portion of the posterior dorsum that is posterior to the loins and anterior to the tail. Anatomically, the rump corresponds to the sacrum....
. Unlike the Manx cat
Manx (cat)
The Manx cat , formerly often spelled Manks, is a breed of domestic cat originating on the Isle of Man, with a naturally occurring mutation that shortens the tail...
and tailless poultry that were common on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
in 1871, the Manx Rumpy did not actually originate on the island, but was so named because of its resemblance to the Manx cat
Manx (cat)
The Manx cat , formerly often spelled Manks, is a breed of domestic cat originating on the Isle of Man, with a naturally occurring mutation that shortens the tail...
, which also lacks a tail. Manx Rumpies are a very old breed from the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
– their first name in English was the Persian Rumpless – but they are rare in the West.
Manx Rumpies are among only a few other tailless breeds, most notably the Araucana
Araucana
The Araucana, also known in the USA as a South American Rumpless, is a breed of chicken originating in Chile. The Araucana is often confused with other fowl, especially the Ameraucana and Easter Egger chickens, but has several unusual characteristics which distinguish it. They lay blue eggs, have...
and the Belgian d'Everberg
Belgian d'Everberg
The Belgian d'Everberg is a breed of bantam chicken from the Belgian village of Everberg in the Kortenberg municipality. Called the Barbu d'Everberg in the original French, it is a tailless variant of the Belgian Bearded d'Uccle. It is a rare breed even in its home country, and was developed in 1906...
. They do not grow a tail because they lack the vertebrae that most chickens have. Most have single 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...
, and red earlobes. Appearing in a wide variety of colors, the breed is recognized officially in British poultry standards. On realizing that that these bantams
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...
live without tail feathers
Rumpless
Rumpless is a term used for the mutation which causes the tail of an animal to be absent. Usage and examples can be found in Manx cats, Manx Rumpy, Belgian d'Everberg and Araucana chickens....
to escape foxes, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
Poultry Club chairman Dudley Mallett gave the tiny chickens the name Rumpless Game Bantams. UK standards call the birds Rumpless Games, and they more closely resemble an Old English Game
Old English Game
The Old English Game Fowl is a breed of chicken. Pure English Game Fowls are prized among Poultry breeders and thus fetch a high sale price. One of the types called standard Old Englishes are larger than the bantams and were originally bred for cockfighting...
in that nation. The breed has never been accepted in to the American Poultry Association
American Poultry Association
The American Poultry Association is the oldest poultry organization in the North America. Founded in 1873, and incorporated in Indiana in 1932 The first American poultry show was held in 1849, and the APA was later formed in response to the burgeoning need for an overseeing body to set standards...
's American Standard of Perfection
American 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...
.
A relatively light-weight fowl, males weigh 5.5 pounds (2.5 kilos) and hens weigh 4.5 pounds (2 kilos). Manx Rumpy hens are good layers of brown eggs, and may also occasionally lay white, blue, or green eggs. They do have a tendency toward broodiness
Avian incubation
Incubation refers to the process by which certain oviparous animals hatch their eggs, and to the development of the embryo within the egg. The most vital factor of incubation is the constant temperature required for its development over a specific period. Especially in domestic fowl, the act of...
, but the breed's fertility is generally low.
External links
- Rumpless Fowl at feathersite
- Manx Rumpies at feathersite