Modern Game chicken
Modern Game is a tall, slender exhibition breed bred for 'reach' — long legs and neck and a tight, whippy outline — rather than for any utility.
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The Modern Game is a pure-bred chicken breed in the PCGB Hard Feather class. Its origin is given as Great Britain. 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: Birchen, Black, Black-Red, Blue, Blue-Red, Brown-Red, Lemon Blue, Pile, Silver Blue, Silver Duckwing, Gold Duckwing, Wheaten, White. Typical adult weights: cock about 3.2–4.1 kg, hen about 2.25–3.2 kg, bantam cock about 570–620 g and bantam hen about 450–510 g.
Expect roughly 50–80 eggs a year, with tinted shells. It is mainly kept 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
- Kept for
- Exhibition or ornamental
History
Created in Victorian Britain after the 1849 ban on cock-fighting, when exhibitors selected Old English Game for height and slimness. It survives mainly in bantam form.
Appearance
Very long legs, upright stance, short hard feathers, a small tail and a lean body. Colours include birchen, black, black-red, blue, brown-red, lemon blue, pile, duckwings, wheaten and white.
Recognised colours
Birchen, Black, Black-Red, Blue, Blue-Red, Brown-Red, Lemon Blue, Pile, Silver Blue, Silver Duckwing, Gold Duckwing, Wheaten, White
Size and weight
- Forms
- Large, Bantam
- Cock
- 3.2–4.1 kg
- Hen
- 2.25–3.2 kg
- Bantam cock
- 570–620 g
- Bantam hen
- 450–510 g
Eggs
- Eggs a year
- 50–80
- Egg colour
- Tinted
- Notes
- Lays few small tinted eggs, around 50–80 a year.
Temperament
- In short
- Tame and friendly
- Keeping notes
- Tames well and can make a characterful pet; dislikes cold and damp because of its sparse plumage.
Hardiness
Not hardy in cold, wet weather
Broodiness
Occasionally broody (unconfirmed)
Flying
Capable flyer
Suitability
- Beginners
- Suitable for beginners with good housing (unconfirmed)
- Children
- Good pet when tamed (unconfirmed)
- Good to know
- Needs dry, draught-free housing in winter.
Conservation status (RBST)
A priority breed on the Rare Breeds Survival Trust Watchlist.
Breed club
- The Modern Game Club, breed-specific · Website
Sources
This page is compiled from:
Review
Some details are still being checked. In particular: broodiness; child suitability.
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