The Breeds We Cater For
The number of breeds that the Rare Poultry Society looks after is vast, and constantly under review.
 
These days when it is so easy to commute between countries, there are more and more new breeds being introduced from all around the globe. These newly imported breeds, many of which are ancient with a long history behind them, are usually ‘taken in’ by the Rare Poultry Society, the breed standards are subsequently sourced from the country of origin, translated, and put into English terminology to be submitted to the Poultry Club Council for approval.
 
Fashion too,  plays its part in which breeds we look after, many breeds which are popular and have thriving clubs can soon fall by the wayside should a couple of prominent members of that club retire from the fancy, the Appenzeller Spitzhauben and Barthuhner club folded in 2001 and now once again this lovely breed is back with us. 
 
On the other hand, breeds such as the German Langshans find enough support over a number of years and are then able to form their own breed club and leave the RPS nest, as indeed they now have. The first and very successful German Langshan Club Shows were held at the National and Federation Shows in 2008, with enormous entries of very high quality birds.
 
We currently cater for over 40 standardised breeds, not all are listed in the current Poultry Club Standards book (6th edition), some have become less popular in recent years than they might have once been, and are not included, but still have an approved standard non-the-less. In the future the Rare Poultry Society is hoping to be able to present all of our Rare Poultry standards in a single publication.

ANDALUSIAN
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APPENZELLER BARTHUHNER
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AUGSBURGER
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AUTOSEXING BREEDS
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BOOTED BANTAMS
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BRAKEL
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BREDA
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BURMESE
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CRÈVECOEUR
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CAMPINE
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DOMINIQUE
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FAYOUMI
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FRIESIAN
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HOUDAN
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IXWORTH
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JERSEY GIANT
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KRAIENKÖPPE/TWENTSE
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LA FLÈCHE
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LAKENFELDER
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LONGCROWERS
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MALINES
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MARSH DAISY
Development and Early History.   The Marsh Daisy originated as a strain developed by a Mr Wright from Lancashire in the late 1800’s. The basis for the strain was the very productive White Leghorn which had been imported to this country mainly from America though its origins were in Italy. White Leghorn hens were mated to a Black Hamburg male which produced white rose combed stock. Later infusions of Game and Malay resulted in a strain of hardy and productive poultry. Mr Wright maintained these as a closed flock for thirty years and his stock came in three colours, Partridge, Wheaten and White.
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MODERN LANGSHAN
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NANKIN
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NORFOLK GREY
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NORTH HOLLAND BLUE
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OHIKI
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OLD ENGLISH PHEASANT FOWL
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ORLOFF
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RUMPLESS GAME
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SICILIAN BUTTERCUP
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SPANISH
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SULMTALER
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SULTAN
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SUMATRA
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THÜRINGIAN
The region of Thϋringia is in central Germany and is a lowland basin of rolling plains surrounded by ancient and rough mountains with the Thuringia forest to the southwest. In the 18th century a breed known as the Pausbacken (which translates as Chubby cheeked)! was popular among the small farmers in the region, this was selected for many years for its laying abilities, weather resistance and most economical food consumption, all of which are properties important for survival in the maeager and poor forest. These birds needed to be able survive on what they could forage, over a period of many years with the best birds having been consistantly selected, the Thϋringer barthϋhn was thus developed.
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TRANSYLVANIAN NAKED NECK
All at once we heard the crow of a cock coming up with preternatural shrillness through the clear morning air.
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VOWERK
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YOKOHAMA & LONGTAILS
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BREEDS NOT YET STANDARDISED IN THE UK.
Ayam Cemani
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