|
A large number of fowls of different sizes, shapes and colours, resembling the jungle fowls, are found all over India. Those with Chittagong, Aseel, Langshan or Brahma blood, are bigger in size and better in meat quality than the common fowls. Some Indian fowls resemble the Leghorn in size and shape, but are poor layers. One variety resembles the Sussex or Plymouth Rock in shape, but is smaller, lays fairly well and is more common in the eastern parts of the country .The common country hen, the desi is the best mother for hatching, a good forager but a poor layer. There are only 4 pure breeds of fowls indigenous to India. They are Aseel, Chittagong, Busra and Kadaknath.
Aseel
-
Aseel is noted for its pugnacity, high stamina, majestic gait and dogged fighting qualities. The best specimens of the breed, although rare, are encountered in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The most popular varieties are Peela (golden red), Yakub (black and red), Nurie (white), Kagar (black), Chitta (black and white spotted), Java (black), Sabja (white and golden or black with yellow or silver), Teekar (brown) and Reza (light red). Although poor in productivity, they are known for their meat qualities. Broodiness is very common; the hen is a good sitter and efficient mother. They possess small and firmly set pea combs. Wattles and ear lobes are bright red. The beak is short. The face is long and slender, and not covered with feathers. The eyes are compact and well set. The neck is long, uniformly thick but not fleshy. The body is round and short with a broad breast, straight back and close-set strong tail root. The general feathering is close, scanty and almost absent on the breast. The plumage has practically no fluff and the feathers are tough. The tail is small and drooping. The legs are strong, straight, and set well apart. Standard weights (kg): Cock, 4 to 5; hen, 3 to 4; cockerel, 3.5 to 4.5; pullet, 2.5 to 3.5.
Kadaknath
-
The original name of the breed seems to be "Kalamasi", meaning a fowl with black flesh. These are bred by tribals in Jhabua and Dhar districts in western Madhya Pradesh. The eggs are light brown. The adult plumage varies from silver and gold-spangled to bluish-black without any spangling. The skin, beak, shanks, toes and soles of feet are slate-like in colour. The comb, wattles and tongue are purple.
-
Most of the internal organs also show intense black colouration which is pronounced in trachea, thoracic and abdominal air-sacs, gonads and at the base of the heart and mesentry. Varying degrees of black colouration are also seen in the skeletal muscles, tendons, nerves, meninges, brain, etc. The blood is darker than normal blood. The black pigment is due to the deposition of melanin.
-
This is a rather small-bodied bird with cocks weighing about 1.5 kg and hens 1.0 kg. The flesh, although repulsive to look at, is delicious. It lays about 80 eggs per year. It is resistant to diseases in its natural habitat in free range but is susceptible to Marek's disease under intensive rearing conditions.
Chittagong
-
It is also known as the Malay. It is found mostly in eastern India. It is a large bird. The cock measures sometimes 75 cm from beak to toe. It is a dual-purpose breed with poor mothering ability .The adult birds are very strong, hardy and quarrelsome. They have a small pea comb resembling a small lump of tiny warts. The head is long. Beak is long and yellow. The wattles are red and hardly visible in the hen. The ear lobes are small, usually red and at times admixture with a little white. The eyebrows are prominent and over-hanging. The breast is broad, deep and fleshy; the shoulder is broad with slight narrow loins. The wings project at the shoulders and are carried high. The legs are yellow and feather-less. The plumage is close to the body, firm, short and glossy. Standard plumage colour is lacking, but the buff, white, black, dark brown and grey varieties are recognized.
-
Standard weights (kg): Cock, 3.5 to 4.5; hen, 3 to 4.
Busra
-
This is a small to medium-sized bird and is found in small numbers in some parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra. The body conformation is typical of layers. It is deep bodied, light feathered and alert. There is wide variation in body colour. It is a poor layer and is not much resistant to parasitic and other diseases.
|
Participants