The Houdan or Poule de Houdan is an old French breed of domestic chicken. It is named for its area of origin, the commune of Houdan, in the département of Yvelines to the west of Paris. It belongs to the crested chicken group, is muffed and bearded, has an unusual leaf-shaped comb, and has five toes on each foot rather than the usual four.
Houdan pair, historic illustration from the Geflügel-Album of Jean Bungartz, 1885Detail of the head of a cock, showing the characteristic butterfly comb
The Houdan is a traditional French breed; its origins are unknown. It was described in detail by Charles Jacque in 1856 and 1858.[4]: 128 [5] The Houdan combines a number of distinctive features, which in the nineteenth century gave rise to speculation about the breeds that might have contributed to its development;[6]: 11 the Crèvecœur, Dorking and Polish have been mentioned as possible "ancestors".[4]: 128
It was first imported into England in 1850,[7]: 121 and to North America in 1865, where it appeared in the first edition of the American Standard of Perfection in 1874.[8]: 121
Characteristicsedit
The Houdan is crested, muffed and bearded, has an unusual leaf-shaped comb, and has five toes on each foot rather than the usual four. The earlobes and wattles are small, and may be mostly or completely hidden by the feathering.[9]: 155 The comb is leaf- or butterfly-shaped in European and Australian standards;[9]: 155 in the United States it is v-shaped.[8]: 122
The most common colour variety, and the only one recognised in the United Kingdom, is mottled (or caillouté, "pebbled" in France), a pattern of black with white spotting. In the past there was a lighter variation of the mottled pattern; in the 1800s, it may have been more similar to the splashy mixture of white and black which today is called exchequer.[6] Three other colour varieties are recognised in France: black, pearl-grey, and white.[4]: 131 In the Poultry Standard for Europe of the Entente Européenne d'Aviculture et de Cuniculture the black mottled, cuckoo, pearl-grey and white are recognised; a black variety is listed but unrecognised.[2] The white variety was developed in the United States.[10]: 2 Other colours were known in the past, including blue mottled and red.[11]: 4
Although it is classified by the Poultry Club of Great Britain as heavy, the Houdan is a light breed:[12]: 42 cocks weigh 2.5–3 kg and hens 2–2.5 kg.[4]: 131 [13] A bantam Houdan was created in Britain shortly after the end of the Second World War,[10] and developed further in Germany and in France.[4]: 129
Useedit
The Houdan was formerly a dual-purpose fowl, kept for both eggs and meat: for part of the nineteenth century it was one of the principal meat breeds of France.[citation needed] In the twenty-first century it is an endangered breed, and is reared primarily for showing.[4]: 128
Hens may give some 140–160 eggs per year; they are white, and not large.[14]: 152
Referencesedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Houdan chicken.
^ ab. American Poultry Association. Archived 4 November 2017.
^ ab. Entente Européenne d’Aviculture et de Cuniculture. Archived 16 June 2013.
^. Poultry Club of Great Britain. Archived 12 June 2018.
^ abcdefJean-Claude Periquet (2015). Races de poules et de coqs de France (in French). Paris: France agricole. ISBN9782855573861.
^Charles Emile Jacque (1858). Le poulailler: monographie des poules indigènes et exotiques, aménagements, croisements élève, hygiène, maladies, etc. (in French). Paris: Librairie agricole de la maison rustique.
^ abCharles Lee (1874). A Practical Guide to the Breeding, Feeding, Rearing and General Management of the Houdan Fowl. London: W. Hawkins.
^Victoria Roberts (2008). British poultry standards: complete specifications and judging points of all standardized breeds and varieties of poultry as compiled by the specialist breed clubs and recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN9781405156424.
^ abCarol Ekarius (2007). Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds. North Adams, Massachusetts: Storey Publishing. ISBN9781580176675.
^ abJ. Ian H. Allonby, Philippe B. Wilson (editors) (2018). British Poultry Standards: complete specifications and judging points of all standardized breeds and varieties of poultry as compiled by the specialist breed clubs and recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain, seventh edition. Chichester; Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley Blackwell. ISBN9781119509141.
^ abLuuk Hans (February 2009). Vive La France. Aviculture Europe. 5 (1), article 9. Accessed May 2022.
^Craig Russell (2000). Old French Breeds: Houdans and Crevecoeurs. SPPA Bulletin. 5 (2):3–4. Society for Preservation of Poultry Antiquities.
^Jeremy Hobson, Celia Lewis (2007). Keeping Chickens. Newton Abbot, Devon; Cincinnati, Ohio: David and Charles. ISBN9780715325674.
^Standard de la Houdan (in French). Houdan–Faverolles Club de France. Accessed August 2014.
^Chris Graham (2006). Choosing and Keeping Chickens. London: Octopus Publishing. ISBN9780793806010.
April 27, 2024
houdan, chicken, houdan, poule, houdan, french, breed, domestic, chicken, named, area, origin, commune, houdan, département, yvelines, west, paris, belongs, crested, chicken, group, muffed, bearded, unusual, leaf, shaped, comb, five, toes, each, foot, rather, . The Houdan or Poule de Houdan is an old French breed of domestic chicken It is named for its area of origin the commune of Houdan in the departement of Yvelines to the west of Paris It belongs to the crested chicken group is muffed and bearded has an unusual leaf shaped comb and has five toes on each foot rather than the usual four HoudanA black mottled henOther namesFrench Poule de HoudanCountry of originFranceStandardStandard sized in French Bantam in French Usemeat eggs fancyTraitsWeightMale Standard 2 5 3 kgBantam 900 gFemale Standard 2 2 5 kgBantam 800 gEgg colourwhiteComb typeshaped like a butterfly or oak leafCanada USA v shapedClassificationAPAcontinental 1 ABAall other comb clean legged 1 EEyes 2 PCGBrare soft feather heavy 3 Notesfive toedChickenGallus gallus domesticus Houdan pair historic illustration from the Geflugel Album of Jean Bungartz 1885 Detail of the head of a cock showing the characteristic butterfly comb Contents 1 History 2 Characteristics 3 Use 4 ReferencesHistory editThe Houdan is a traditional French breed its origins are unknown It was described in detail by Charles Jacque in 1856 and 1858 4 128 5 The Houdan combines a number of distinctive features which in the nineteenth century gave rise to speculation about the breeds that might have contributed to its development 6 11 the Crevecœur Dorking and Polish have been mentioned as possible ancestors 4 128 It was first imported into England in 1850 7 121 and to North America in 1865 where it appeared in the first edition of the American Standard of Perfection in 1874 8 121 Characteristics editThe Houdan is crested muffed and bearded has an unusual leaf shaped comb and has five toes on each foot rather than the usual four The earlobes and wattles are small and may be mostly or completely hidden by the feathering 9 155 The comb is leaf or butterfly shaped in European and Australian standards 9 155 in the United States it is v shaped 8 122 The most common colour variety and the only one recognised in the United Kingdom is mottled or cailloute pebbled in France a pattern of black with white spotting In the past there was a lighter variation of the mottled pattern in the 1800s it may have been more similar to the splashy mixture of white and black which today is called exchequer 6 Three other colour varieties are recognised in France black pearl grey and white 4 131 In the Poultry Standard for Europe of the Entente Europeenne d Aviculture et de Cuniculture the black mottled cuckoo pearl grey and white are recognised a black variety is listed but unrecognised 2 The white variety was developed in the United States 10 2 Other colours were known in the past including blue mottled and red 11 4 Although it is classified by the Poultry Club of Great Britain as heavy the Houdan is a light breed 12 42 cocks weigh 2 5 3 kg and hens 2 2 5 kg 4 131 13 A bantam Houdan was created in Britain shortly after the end of the Second World War 10 and developed further in Germany and in France 4 129 Use editThe Houdan was formerly a dual purpose fowl kept for both eggs and meat for part of the nineteenth century it was one of the principal meat breeds of France citation needed In the twenty first century it is an endangered breed and is reared primarily for showing 4 128 Hens may give some 140 160 eggs per year they are white and not large 14 152 References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Houdan chicken a b APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties As of January 1 2012 American Poultry Association Archived 4 November 2017 a b Liste des races et varietes homologuee dans les pays EE 28 04 2013 Entente Europeenne d Aviculture et de Cuniculture Archived 16 June 2013 Breed Classification Poultry Club of Great Britain Archived 12 June 2018 a b c d e f Jean Claude Periquet 2015 Races de poules et de coqs de France in French Paris France agricole ISBN 9782855573861 Charles Emile Jacque 1858 Le poulailler monographie des poules indigenes et exotiques amenagements croisements eleve hygiene maladies etc in French Paris Librairie agricole de la maison rustique a b Charles Lee 1874 A Practical Guide to the Breeding Feeding Rearing and General Management of the Houdan Fowl London W Hawkins Victoria Roberts 2008 British poultry standards complete specifications and judging points of all standardized breeds and varieties of poultry as compiled by the specialist breed clubs and recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain Oxford Blackwell ISBN 9781405156424 a b Carol Ekarius 2007 Storey s Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds North Adams Massachusetts Storey Publishing ISBN 9781580176675 a b J Ian H Allonby Philippe B Wilson editors 2018 British Poultry Standards complete specifications and judging points of all standardized breeds and varieties of poultry as compiled by the specialist breed clubs and recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain seventh edition Chichester Hoboken New Jersey Wiley Blackwell ISBN 9781119509141 a b Luuk Hans February 2009 Vive La France Aviculture Europe 5 1 article 9 Accessed May 2022 Craig Russell 2000 Old French Breeds Houdans and Crevecoeurs SPPA Bulletin 5 2 3 4 Society for Preservation of Poultry Antiquities Jeremy Hobson Celia Lewis 2007 Keeping Chickens Newton Abbot Devon Cincinnati Ohio David and Charles ISBN 9780715325674 Standard de la Houdan in French Houdan Faverolles Club de France Accessed August 2014 Chris Graham 2006 Choosing and Keeping Chickens London Octopus Publishing ISBN 9780793806010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Houdan chicken amp oldid 1144460617, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
