Types of Poultry

 

Large Fowl: Includes turkeys, guineafowl, most waterfowl, and all chickens that are the larger-counterpart to bantam sized.

 

Bantam: Miniature versions of large-fowl chickens.  Some ducks are classified as bantams.  Ban

 

True Bantams: Bantams without a large-fowl counterpart are known as true bantams.  Some examples include Japanese Bantams, Silkies, Sebrights and Belgian Beardeds. 

 

Land-Race fowl: When a breed developes itself in an area naturally over time, without human interferance. A popular example is the Egyptian Fayoumi.

 

Guinea fowl: A pheasant-like spotted bird commonly used for guarding flocks.  They will fly up to 30feet to attack raptors.

 

Turkeys: Breeds developed from the wild turkey.  Gobble Gobble!

 

Layers: Layers are always large-fowl (however laying breeds can have bantam-counterparts).  They lay 250+ eggs per year and consume little feed.  Examples include Leghorns, and Plymouth Rocks.

 

X-Links:  These birds are a first-generation hybrid between two breeds which results in femaBles being one colour and males another at hatching. This allows hatcheries to sell the females as layer chicks and the males as meat birds.

 

Broilers: chicken hybrids specifically bred to maximize food-meat conversions.  The particular hybridizations are closely-guarded by the industry.  These birds are ready at 8 weeks, and will son die after that.  A popular example includes the white rock x.

 

Peafowl: A common misconception is to refer to peafowl as 'peacocks', however only the males are true peacocks.  The hens are known as peahens and the chicks as peachicks.  Genetically speaking, peacocks are cousins of the turkey.