Carlisle Old English Game chicken
Carlisle Old English Game is the heavier, broader-backed of the two British Old English Game types, bred today purely for exhibition.
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The Carlisle Old English Game is a pure-bred chicken breed in the PCGB Hard Feather class. Its origin is given as Great Britain Great Britain Great Britain Cornwall, England Cornwall, England. It appears on the RBST Watchlist as a priority breed, so keepers of pure stock help conserve it.
It is kept in large and bantam forms. Recognised colours: spangled, black-red (partridge bred), black-red (wheaten bred), brown-red, blue-red, blue-tailed wheaten, birchen grey, black-breasted grey, golden duckwing, silver duckwing, blue duckwing, crele, cuckoo, pile, brassy-backed, furness, blue furness, brassy-backed blue, salmon-breasted blue, crow wing, blue grey, lemon-blue, black splashed, blue splashed, self white, self black, self blue Black-Red (partridge bred), Black-Red (Wheaten bred). Typical adult weights: hen about up to 2.5 kg and bantam cock about 620–740 g.
Expect roughly 50–80 eggs a year, with cream/tinted shells. It is mainly kept for the table and for exhibition or as an ornamental bird.
Compiled from poultryclub.org, rbst.org.uk, poultrykeeper.com, en.wikipedia.org. See sources
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Identity
- Species
- Chicken
- Type
- Pure breed
- PCGB class
- Hard Feather
- Origin
- Great Britain Great Britain Great Britain Cornwall, England Cornwall, England
- Kept for
- Table, Exhibition or ornamental
History
Old English Game descends from Britain's traditional fighting cocks. After cock-fighting was outlawed in 1849, breeders split into show 'clubs'; the Carlisle type, developed in northern England, favours a horizontal, broad-shouldered build, while the Oxford type stayed closer to the old fighting shape.
Appearance
Upright, muscular and broad across the shoulders, tapering to the tail like a flat iron; tight, glossy feathering. Dozens of colours are standardised, including black-red (partridge- and wheaten-bred), brown-red, blue-red, spangled, birchen grey and duckwings.
Recognised colours
spangled, black-red (partridge bred), black-red (wheaten bred), brown-red, blue-red, blue-tailed wheaten, birchen grey, black-breasted grey, golden duckwing, silver duckwing, blue duckwing, crele, cuckoo, pile, brassy-backed, furness, blue furness, brassy-backed blue, salmon-breasted blue, crow wing, blue grey, lemon-blue, black splashed, blue splashed, self white, self black, self blue Black-Red (partridge bred), Black-Red (Wheaten bred)
Size and weight
- Forms
- Large, Bantam
- Hen
- up to 2.5 kg
- Bantam cock
- 620–740 g
Eggs
- Eggs a year
- 50–80
- Egg colour
- Cream/tinted
- Notes
- Hens lay a modest number of small tinted eggs, around 50–80 a year, and make devoted, protective mothers.
Temperament
- In short
- Alert and active; cocks pugnacious with other males
- Keeping notes
- Active and alert; hens are usually friendly, but cocks will fight each other and should not be run together. Cocks of exhibition birds are traditionally 'dubbed' (comb and wattles removed).
Hardiness
Very hardy
Broodiness
Frequently broody; excellent mother
Flying
Capable flyer for a large fowl
Suitability
- Beginners
- Possible for keen beginners if males are kept apart (unconfirmed)
- Good to know
- A good free-ranger that forages well and dislikes confinement.
Conservation status (RBST)
A priority breed on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust Watchlist, listed as Old English Game.
Breed club
Sources
This page is compiled from:
Review
Some details are still being checked. In particular: beginner suitability; weights.
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