Breeds of roosters: description and photo

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 20:55

Breeds of hens, roosters in all their diversity differ in the main features: exterior, size, temperament, productive and decorative qualities. Breeding work in this direction has been carried out since the time of Ancient Egypt and today has stepped far ahead. The best achievements in breeding new breeds are the work of specialists from the countries of the East, the impetus for which was the emergence of the cult of cockfights.

Description of fighting breeds of roosters

Fighting roosters are the most ancient breeds in existence. With different sizes (from 500 grams to 7 kg), the bird looks impressive and is characterized by:

• muscular strong chest;
• strong long legs;
• powerful head on a long neck;
• solid hard beak;
• aggressive character, allowing you to quickly attack the enemy in the fight for your own life.

Types of cocks by fighting style

According to the style of fighting, the breeds of fighting cocks are conventionally divided into 4 types:

• Straight. Upon meeting, he immediately rushes at the opponent and hits him in the chest or head with a strong blow.



• Round. It exchanges with an opponent with a couple of blows, then turns around, begins to “circle” (run in a circle), after which it suddenly attacks the enemy again, and, preventing the latter from recovering, runs away again. Thus exhausting the opponent, due to which he often wins.
• Messy. Doesn't run in a circle, but intercepts the opponent in a straight line and hits him right in the back of the head.
• Thievish. It is highly valued, as it competently conducts battle tactics: it tries to remove its head from under the blow, goes to the feet, hides under the wing of the enemy, which knocks the latter off the pace. He himself catches the right moment and strikes.

Roosters of different breeds can be fighters from birth and fight with all tactics. Sometimes it seems that these versatile warriors, depending on the style of the opponent, decide which one to use in order to win.

A characteristic feature of the fighting breed of roosters is poor plumage, which causes poor retention of heat by the body. Therefore, it is recommended to keep such birds in a heated room. The key to caring for fighting cocks is a high protein diet.

Description of popular fighting breeds

Popular breeds of roosters (photo and description):

• Azil. With this word, the inhabitants of India called almost all purebred breeds of roosters intended for fighting.



Introduced to Germany in 1860, it is characterized by the following features:strong muscles, squat, bony, angular forms, short legs, hard plumage and a pronounced character of a real fighter. Such a bird is considered to be fully formed and sexually mature at the 2nd year of life.

• Araucan. It is characterized by brown-red plumage with a black stripe along the feather shaft. The chest, lower legs and belly are black. A feature of the breed is taillessness - the dominant trait, inherited and due to the absence of tail vertebrae.



Among experts it is believed that the tail interferes with the fight. Araucan roosters are very pugnacious. They reach 1.8 kg in size. A feature of the breed is the greenish-blue eggs that the hens lay.

• Belgian fighting. A rather old breed of roosters (photo), bred approximately in the 17th century specifically for fighting.



Flanders is the birthplace of such a large, courageous bird with an aggressive posture. The back is horizontal, the tail is moderately developed. Weight from 4.5 to 5.6 kg, weight less than 4 kg is considered unacceptable.

• Madagascar. They got their name from the island where they were bred by the natives. The bird is strong and hardy, widespread in Europe. Despite their formidable appearance, roosters are very friendly to representatives of other breeds and are even able to lead chickens instead of a hen. Rooster weight 2-5, 5 kg. A characteristic feature of the breed is a bare neck and legs. Color black, red, white, brown.
• Lutticher. A strong muscular bird with a broad-shouldered elongated body and coarse plumage. The head is powerful, with strongly arched eyebrows. The beak is curved, strong, the color of a dark horn. The chest is wide, somewhat convex. Wings adjacent, long. The legs are long, bony, straight set. The belly is barely covered by wings, tucked up. The tail is slightly open, with good braids. The live weight of a rooster is 4-5 kg. The lütticher bird has a very grumpy personality and a grim expression.
• Old English fighting. Representatives of this breed of roosters are characterized by strong muscles, a dense body, broad shoulders, covered with neck plumage. The chest protrudes noticeably forward, rounded on the sides. The neck is long, strong, widening towards the back of the head. The legs are long, with muscular ankles. Set not very wide, well bent at the joints. The spurs are firm, deep-set, and the rear toe lies optimally on the ground. Outwardly, males and females practically do not differ, except that the hens have a better design of the back and a fan-shaped tail. Breed Old English fighting temperamental, mobile, cocky. Easily adapts to any conditions of existence. Roosters are friendly to their owners, have a negative attitude towards rivals.
• Kulangi. The breed of roosters (photo) is widespread in the countries of Central Asia. Such a bird is characterized by an even vertical delivery of the body, a strong physique, a small, well-sharpened beak.



The neck is long, sinewy, slightly arched forward. small head,strong, slightly flattened laterally. The scallop is small, ridge-like. The wings are small and close to the body. The color of the plumage is salmon, light brown and black tones. The legs are high, powerful, constantly in a widely separated position. Behind there are sharp and very strong spurs. The color of the paws is light yellow, often with fine black pigmentation. The live weight of roosters is 4-7 kg. Due to their natural characteristics, the roosters of this breed are very conflicted, they do not tolerate the neighborhood of other breeds. The bird is adapted to training and lends itself to the development of the necessary fighting qualities.

• New England Fighting Modern. Bred in England in 1850. During the last century, after the cockfight was vetoed, it has been a decorative type of graceful structure. Roosters of the breed New England Fighting Modern are small. Weight - 2.0-3.5 kg. The body is wide, tapering towards the waist. The plumage is short, angular, well-defined and set back shoulders. The back is flat, strongly lowered, the neck is long. The wings are placed high, close to the body. The tail is narrow, small.

Fighters from the East

• Vietnamese fighting. An extremely rare breed, numbering several hundred specimens. Distributed only in Vietnam. The bird is broad-bodied, rather compact (weighing 3-4 kg), with a small tail and short wings. A characteristic feature of the Vietnamese Fighting breed is a hypertrophied crest and unrealistically short legs with shortened toes. The specific structure of the paws is due to the purpose of the bird,used not only for fighting, but also for the production of meat. Currently, the breed is bred for meat and ornamental.
• Tuzo. An ancient Japanese breed, quite rare. Bred exclusively for cockfighting. Bettas are small, elegant, have a straight posture and a well-developed tail with poor plumage. Males have an average weight of 1.2 kg. Plumage color - black, with a tint of green.
• Shamo. Translated from Japanese "fighter". One of the best representatives of the fighting breed of roosters, photos and descriptions of which are of considerable interest to fans of cockfights. It is divided into 3 types: dwarf, medium, large. A tall, muscular breed with close-fitting scanty plumage, an almost upright posture, a small, stubby head, and a predatory gloomy gaze from deep-set eyes. Chest with protruding bare bone, convex, wide. There is sparse plumage on a long broad back. The short wings are slightly raised in front, with clearly visible bare bones. The tail is not wide, with curved feathers of braids. Legs with sharp spurs, strong. The advantages of the breed are endurance, strength, muscularity. Shamo roosters are very aggressive, constantly rushing into battle, in which they act thoughtfully, persistently, stubbornly, fighting to the last. Never step back. Amenable to training, in need of training.

Malay. This breed is very ancient, with more than 3000 years of history. There is a version that her ancestors are long-extinct wild giant chickens. Roosters are characterized by a rough, dense constitution, a vertically set body, a small, laterally flattened head, and well-developed brow ridges, which gives a stern look. The neck is long, the wings protrude at the shoulders. The crest is small, the wattles are almost undeveloped, the beak is thick, short, and curved. The back is long, wide, sloping towards the tail. Dense plumage in hazel and brown

Domestic wrestlers

• Orlovskaya. A unique domestic breed, which is currently bred for the most part for exhibitions. Roosters are aggressive, very strong. Advantages: high vitality, hardiness and unpretentiousness in cultivation.



Distinctive features of the Oryol roosters are high strong legs, a peculiarly curved long neck with rich plumage, a spherical scruff, overhanging brow ridges, a yellow short beak, giving the bird a predatory look. The crest is small, low-lying, sprouted with bristly small feathers. There is a light brown beard and sideburns. The tail is well feathered. The plumage of various tones: scarlet, white, mahogany, chintz, which is considered the most attractive. The average weight of roosters is 3.1 kg; the best specimens reach 4.5 kg and above.

About representatives of the meat breed of roosters

Roosters of meat breed in relation to representatives of other areas of cultivation are characterized by rather large sizes, horizontally set, stocky body, thick short legs, loose plumage and calmcharacter.

• Adlerskaya. A productive hardy breed that adapts well to any conditions and is characterized by a medium build and meaty forms.



Roosters of the Adler breed are characterized by a slightly curved beak, medium length neck, long body, small tail, wings pressed to the body. Friendly. Trusting. They will approach the feeder only after the “ladies” are satisfied. The live weight of roosters is up to 4 kg.

• Langshtan. The breed is quite unusual, bred in China, has become widespread throughout the planet. The langshtan bird has an attractive appearance, is characterized by good endurance, which allows it to adapt to any, even adverse conditions.



The main features of the breed: high large torso, dense muscle mass, narrow small head, cone-shaped tail, well-feathered lower leg. Lanyards are found in three types: blue, white and black. White representatives of the breed do not contain impurities of other colors and shades. Roosters of this color may have yellowish feathers. Black lanyards have a completely black plumage with a green tint. Blue roosters have blue plumage, brown-black eyes and a black beak.

• Magyar. This breed of roosters is bred in Hungary and is one of the best. Fast growing bird with good muscle mass. The live weight of roosters is 2.5-3.0 kg. Domestic birds need to be well fed, otherwise weight gain canslow down significantly. The bird of the Magyar breed is characterized by lush plumage, visually increasing its size. The back is wide, large, smoothly turns into a magnificent tail with long braids, located at an acute angle in relation to the body. The belly is wide, rounded, the chest is full. The wings, which are close to the body, are placed horizontally in relation to the back. The head is small, unfeathered.
• Brahma. An amazing large breed, which is the result of a long selection of poultry farmers from different countries. Related to the meat direction, such a bird, due to its chic appearance, is more grown for decorative purposes.



The Brahma rooster is characterized by majestic posture, high-set body, large fleshy constitution, powerful rounded wings, red-orange eyes, strong yellow beak. Rich plumage of light and dark tones with a contrasting collar, paws are densely covered with feathers. The weight of the roosters is about 4.5 kg. The meat is rough, with high marketability and taste.

• Plymouth rock striped. The breed was bred in the state of Plymouthrock (USA) in the second half of the 19th century. With the existence of several varieties (gray, partridge, black, fawn, etc.), the white variety is mainly used in industrial production. The striped species is grown for its ornamental appearance. Plymouthrock is characterized by a calm character, strong massive physique, very viable and unpretentious to the conditions of detention. The average weight of roosters is 3.5-4.6 kg.
• Jersey giant. Roostersof this relatively young breed, which is not yet hundreds of years old, are classified as rare and are the largest in the world. The bird is hardy and strong. Calm in nature. The weight of roosters is up to 5.5-6.0 kg. The head is large, wide, with a vertical crest. The beak is not very long, but strong. The eyes are bulging, dark brown. Earrings, earlobes, comb bright red. The body is dense, the chest protrudes forward. The wings are medium, fit tightly to the body. The tail is considered to be an ornament of the Jersey Giant roosters. Rich and lush, in relation to the back, it is located at an angle of 45o.

Broilers - poultry for home rearing

• Broiler. It is the result of crossing such a breed of roosters as a white Cornish (meat) and a white Plymouthrock (meat). Roosters are characterized by a wide chest, powerful strong legs and snow-white plumage. Above a strong massive beak is a bright red small crest. The earlobes are the same color. They have a high ability to quickly gain weight, at the age of 40 days, the average weight is about 2.5 kg.
• Foxy Chick (or red broiler). Roosters of this breed are distinguished by an unusual color of plumage, reminiscent of fox fur (from reddish brown to fiery red). Outwardly, the bird is squat, dense in physique, undersized. The average weight of roosters reaches 6 kg, which is a fairly high figure. The meat is tender and juicy, with a minimum percentage of fat. The breed is undemanding in care and easily adapts to various conditions of detention.

About French cockerels

• Faverol. Attractive look with lush leg plumage and sideburns on the head, bred in France. The meat is very tasty. The average weight of roosters is 3.2-3.8 kg.
• Barbezier. Breed of ancient French origin. Large roosters of the barbeze breed are characterized by black plumage with a greenish tint, gray legs, and a highly developed crest. Average weight from 4.5 kg.
• Bress Gallic. Snow-white meat roosters with blue legs and a bright red comb are a national treasure of France and are considered the most delicious on the planet. The image of the Gallic rooster is even minted on the coins of this country, whose inhabitants are kind to a bird of this breed and grow it according to strictly defined rules. Bress Gallic roosters are subject to castration, after which they do not trample chickens, do not sing, have a good appetite, and therefore gain a lot of weight. With good care, a white rooster (Bress Gallic breed) can grow up to 5 kg. An excellent replacement for well-known broilers, however, it is several times more expensive.

About the Kuchin breed

• Kuchinskaya. A widespread breed of meat direction. Strongly rounded wide chest, medium wings, neck with a voluminous collar that almost covers the bird's shoulders.



Legs of medium length, stable. The roosters of the Kuchin breed are characterized by a moderately long, well-curved beak and crest, thick at the base and clearly divided into 5 teeth. According to the color of the plumage, it is divided intobordered and double outlined. Birds are optimal for keeping in small backyards and huge factories. They quickly gain weight, giving a high rate of meat yield. The average weight of a cockerel is about 3.8 kg.