Altairsky
Songster
I thought it would be interesting to show some rare breeds that are local to my land, the Veneto region of Italy. Some are pretty popular like the Padovana, others are extinct like the Boffa, others are being brought back to life with some issues sadly, like the Polverara.
Here are a few breeds, with their wikipedia page when available.
Robusta Lionata
The name means "rugged-lion-colored"
This is a quite modern breed derived from the buff Orpington. After WWII it was necessary to create an all-purpose breed for the poor families that couldn't keep many chickens. This breeed is a good layer, large enough to be also a good, fast growing meat chicken, and it's also a great broody. Perfect to make many families self-sufficient.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robusta_Lionata
Robusta Maculata
The name means "Rugged spotted"
Similar to Robusta Lionata, good layer, heavy and medium-fast growing, it's however not a good mother.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robusta_Maculata
Padovana Gran Ciuffo
The name means "Big Crested Padovana"
The most popular one, similar to a polish with a beard.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padovana_chicken
Ermellinata di Rovigo
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ermellinata_di_Rovigo
Millefiori di Lonigo
The ancient breed is extinct. Currently a breeder from Vicenza is selecting a new strain with strong similarities to the historical breed, starting from multi-flower colored chickens found in a town on the border between the territories of Padua and Vicenza. The current strain is heavier than the ancient Millefiori di Lonigo and seems to have the characteristics of a dual-purpose breed, which lays eggs between cream white and pink (the ancient breed laid pure white eggs), and which reaches 3 kg in weight.
Polverara
Ancient chicken breed from the town "Polverara". The first written references to this breed is dated around 1400 a.d.
It went officially extinct in year 2000. Now the breed is back and pretty popular, too popular I'd say, and many birds that do not meet the standard are sold. Hard to find good ones. Many birds have the wrong comb type, eggs cream instead of pure white, small size, wrong crest shape. Inbreeding is a problem so big that the association changed the breed standard to smaller sizes. There is a lot of work to do with this breed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polverara_chicken
Pepoi
It's the only bantam breed typical to Veneto. It was used as broody, and also as a meat bird. The venetian chicken is a traditional dish often served at agricultural festivals that consist of a whole grilled pepoi chicken per person.
https://eng.agraria.org/chicken/pepoi.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pépoi
Cucca
Similar to a barred rock, it's extinct. The name means "cuckoo".
Attempts at bringing it back are in the work, but nothing official.
https://cuccaveneta-blogspot-com.tr..._sl=it&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
Boffa
Extinct. The breed name means "bearded" in Venetian dialect. Attempts at bringing it back are in the works but huge inbreeding problems so far.
Here are a few breeds, with their wikipedia page when available.
Robusta Lionata
The name means "rugged-lion-colored"
This is a quite modern breed derived from the buff Orpington. After WWII it was necessary to create an all-purpose breed for the poor families that couldn't keep many chickens. This breeed is a good layer, large enough to be also a good, fast growing meat chicken, and it's also a great broody. Perfect to make many families self-sufficient.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robusta_Lionata
Robusta Maculata
The name means "Rugged spotted"
Similar to Robusta Lionata, good layer, heavy and medium-fast growing, it's however not a good mother.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robusta_Maculata
Padovana Gran Ciuffo
The name means "Big Crested Padovana"
The most popular one, similar to a polish with a beard.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padovana_chicken
Ermellinata di Rovigo
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ermellinata_di_Rovigo
Millefiori di Lonigo
The ancient breed is extinct. Currently a breeder from Vicenza is selecting a new strain with strong similarities to the historical breed, starting from multi-flower colored chickens found in a town on the border between the territories of Padua and Vicenza. The current strain is heavier than the ancient Millefiori di Lonigo and seems to have the characteristics of a dual-purpose breed, which lays eggs between cream white and pink (the ancient breed laid pure white eggs), and which reaches 3 kg in weight.
Polverara
Ancient chicken breed from the town "Polverara". The first written references to this breed is dated around 1400 a.d.
It went officially extinct in year 2000. Now the breed is back and pretty popular, too popular I'd say, and many birds that do not meet the standard are sold. Hard to find good ones. Many birds have the wrong comb type, eggs cream instead of pure white, small size, wrong crest shape. Inbreeding is a problem so big that the association changed the breed standard to smaller sizes. There is a lot of work to do with this breed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polverara_chicken
Pepoi
It's the only bantam breed typical to Veneto. It was used as broody, and also as a meat bird. The venetian chicken is a traditional dish often served at agricultural festivals that consist of a whole grilled pepoi chicken per person.
https://eng.agraria.org/chicken/pepoi.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pépoi
Cucca
Similar to a barred rock, it's extinct. The name means "cuckoo".
Attempts at bringing it back are in the work, but nothing official.
https://cuccaveneta-blogspot-com.tr..._sl=it&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
Boffa
Extinct. The breed name means "bearded" in Venetian dialect. Attempts at bringing it back are in the works but huge inbreeding problems so far.
