What types and common breeds of broiler chickens are there?

We have certainly eaten plenty of broiler chicken in our daily lives, it is just that sometimes when eating at a restaurant we cannot tell one type from another for the moment. Friends in rural areas usually raise chickens themselves; some choose to keep them for their own family to eat, and some sell them for money. So what are the main categories of broiler chickens? What common breeds are there? Now let us introduce them to you!

I. What categories are broiler chickens divided into?

1. Fast-growing broiler chickens

The outstanding feature of this type of broiler chicken is fast early growth and heavy body weight. Generally, commercial broilers at 6 weeks of age have an average body weight of more than 2 kg, and the feed consumed per kilogram of weight gain is about 2 kg. Fast-growing broiler chickens are all produced by four-line crossbreeding for seed production; most breeds have white feathers, and a few have yellow (or red) feathers. This type of broiler chicken is more favored by consumers in the West and the Middle East. Because it is easier to process and cook, it is one of the main fast foods.

2. High-quality broiler chickens

This type of broiler chicken is generally produced by purebred selection of excellent local chicken breeds of our country (yellow-feathered or partridge-feathered), or by strain selection and crossbreeding for production; many are also bred by crossbreeding local improved breeds of our country with introduced chicken breeds (such as Redbro, Anak, Hypeco, etc.). Most of those used in production are two-line crosses and three-line crosses.

Compared with fast-growing broiler chickens, high-quality broiler chickens grow more slowly, have a longer raising cycle, and also have higher raising costs. However, high-quality broiler chicken meat is smooth and tender with good flavor, is favored by consumers in most regions, and its price is higher than that of fast-growing broiler chickens. The flavor of broiler chicken and growth speed may be a pair of negatively correlated traits; fast growth often means poor flavor, so some companies have also launched three types of broiler chickens: extra-premium, ordinary premium, and fast-growing, to meet the needs of different consumer groups, and their growth speed also goes from slow to fast in that order.

II. What common breeds of broiler chickens are there in our country?

The common breeds of broiler chickens mainly include Beijing You chicken, Chahua chicken, Gushi chicken, white-feathered broiler chicken, yellow-feathered broiler chicken, Wuding chicken, Sanhuang chicken, Chengdu White chicken and Zhengzhou Red chicken.

1. Gushi chicken

This breed is medium in size, with a delicate and lively appearance, a fine and compact body type, a well-proportioned structure, and full feathers. Feather colors are divided into light yellow and yellow, with a few black-feathered and white-feathered birds. Comb types are divided into single comb and crown comb. At 90 days of age, roosters weigh 487 8 grams and hens weigh 355.1 grams; at 180 days of age, roosters and hens weigh 1270 grams and 966.7 grams respectively; at 5 months of age, the half-eviscerated dressing percentages of roosters and hens are 81.76% and 80.16% respectively.

2. White-feathered broiler chicken

Our country is the world's largest raiser of white-feathered broiler chickens, and the chicken meat that Chinese people eat is mainly white-feathered broiler chicken as well. Usually, the chicken legs and chicken breasts we buy in supermarkets are mostly from white-feathered broiler chickens, and the chicken pieces in burgers and fried chicken eaten at fast-food restaurants such as KFC and McDonald's are all white-feathered broiler chicken. Previously, because white-feathered broiler chickens were questioned, KFC even made a special commercial to promote the safety of white-feathered broiler chickens, thereby dispelling consumers' doubts.

3. Chahua chicken

The Chahua chicken has a short and small body type, a single comb, red feathers or red partridge feather color, tightly fitting feathers, firm muscles, fine and tender bones, and a well-proportioned body. It is lively in temperament. It is clever and timid, highly combative, and good at flying and running. At 150 days of age, the body weights of roosters and hens are 750 grams and 760 grams respectively, and the half-eviscerated dressing percentages of roosters and hens are 77, 64% and 80·56% respectively.

4. Beijing You chicken

The Beijing You chicken has crest feathers (a crest) and shank feathers, a few have toe feathers, and some have a beard; it is often called three-feathered (crest, feathered feet and beard), and has an "S"-shaped comb. Its feathers are fluffy and its tail feathers are raised high, making it very lovable. The average live weight is 959.7 grams at 12 weeks of age, and at 20 weeks of age roosters weigh 1500 grams and hens 1200 grams. The meat is tender and the flavor is delicious, suitable for many traditional cooking methods.

5. Yellow-feathered broiler chicken

White-feathered broiler chicken is a foreign breed, but yellow-feathered broiler chicken is a broiler chicken breed with a long history in our country. The growth cycle of yellow-feathered broiler chickens is relatively long, generally requiring 3 months or even half a year, and they are mostly raised free-range. Because its raising cycle is long and it has no advantage over white-feathered chickens in terms of feed-to-meat ratio, this kind of chicken has high costs and therefore a higher selling price, so its positioning is generally rather high-end. After all, the meat quality and taste of this kind of chicken are somewhat better. 

6. Sanhuang chicken

Sanhuang chicken, the Xianghuang chicken is produced in the Hunan region, with yellow feathers, a yellow beak and yellow feet, and adult chickens weigh 1.6 kg; Sanhuang chicken meat is delicate, fragrant in taste, and high in economic value. Sanhuang chicken is also very popular on the market, because its health benefits are obvious; those who are weak after a long illness stew Sanhuang chicken to help their bodies recover.

7. Zhengzhou Red chicken

Zhengzhou Red chicken, the Zhengzhou Red chicken is distributed in Henan, Guangdong, Shanxi, Shandong and other places; its body type is larger than that of the Gushi chicken, its whole body feathers are reddish brown, its constitution is sturdy and robust, its temperament is docile, and its adaptability is strong, so it is raised all over the country.

From the above we can also know that broiler chickens are mainly divided into fast-growing broiler chickens and high-quality broiler chickens. Above, we also introduced several common broiler chicken breeds of our country; each has its own characteristics. I wonder which one you prefer to eat?

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