Detailed Introduction to Chicken Breed Classification and Characteristics

Chickens are the most commonly raised poultry by humans. The domestic chicken originates from the wild red junglefowl, and its domestication history spans at least about 4000 years, but it was not until around 1800 that chicken meat and eggs became commodities produced on a large scale. Chicken types include turkeys, silkie chickens, pheasants, etc. According to their different purposes, they are divided into three breed types: egg-type breeds, meat-type breeds, and dual-purpose breeds.

Egg-type Breeds

Egg-type breed chickens are smaller in body size, with a longer body, tail feathers that point upward, and particularly well-developed combs and wattles. Their constitution is fine and compact, they are lively in temperament, agile in movement, and mature early, beginning to lay eggs at 5-6 months after birth. Egg production is high, and hens do not go broody.

Meat-type Breeds

Meat-type breed chickens have a large body size, short body, and combs that are less developed than those of egg-type chickens. The chest is broad and deep, the leg muscles are well-fleshed, and meat yield is high. The chickens are heavy-bodied, dislike activity, are docile in temperament, and easy to manage. Hens are prone to broodiness, but because their large bodies easily crush hatching eggs, such hens are generally not used for incubating chicks. Meat-type breeds can be divided into two categories: specialized broiler breeds and general meat-type breeds. Broilers are characterized by rapid early growth and development, reaching over 1.25 ? 1.5 kg at 56-70 days after birth, such as Cornish and White Rock. General meat-type chickens, such as the Jiujin Yellow chicken and the Langshan chicken, mainly refer to adult chickens with high meat yield.

Dual-purpose Breeds

The characteristic of dual-purpose chickens is that their egg production and meat production fall between those of egg-type breeds and meat-type breeds.