Onagadori is a breed of chicken originating Kōchi Prefecture

Kochi Prefecture

is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku. The capital is the city of Kōchi.- History :Prior to the Meiji Restoration, Kōchi was known as Tosa Province and was controlled by the Chosokabe clan in the Sengoku period and the Yamauchi family during the Edo period.- Geography...

 of Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. The Japanese government designates the breed in Kōchi as a Special Natural Monument.

Colours are Black Breasted Red, Black Breasted Silver, Black Breasted Golden, and White. The leg colour is willow in the Black-breasted variations and yellow in the Whites. and Tail of Onagadori is the non-molting tail feathers.

Poultry Science Pioneer Frank X. Ogasawara received a National Geographic Society grant to visit Japan and study varieties of Japanese Onagadori. He wrote about this in an article published in a 1970 issue of National Geographic.

The Japanese Onagadori evolved from the common domestic chicken. It takes them three or more years to molt. They achieve tail lengths from 12 to 27 feet.

Japanese breeders through the centuries have gone to great pains in the creation and perpetuation of the species. Breeders provide special hutches

Hutch (animal cage)

A hutch is a type of cage used typically for housing domestic rabbits. Other small animals can also be housed in hutches.Most hutches have a frame constructed of wood, including legs to keep the unit off the ground. The floor may be wood, wire mesh, or some combination of the two. One or more...

with perches well above the ground where the tails are kept clean and in good condition.