Ixworth

Origin:  Britain

Category:  Softfeather Heavy

Egg Colour:  Tinted

Sitter:  Not usually

The Ixworth is a breed created by Reginald Appleyard for its table qualities and steady egg production.  Introduced as a fancy breed in new breed classes in 1932, and  included in the Poultry Club of England Standards in 1939. Appleyard won many prizes for this breed as early as the 1938 Dairy Show for his "White Ixworths" and also offered White Ixworth Bantams for sale around that time.  Mr Appleyard presentated the case for inclusion in the standards to the committee, stating that they were evolved or made from the matings of Indian Game, Jubilee Indian Game, White Sussex, White Orpington, White Minorcas, and Wite Old English Game. It took him seven years to establish the breed.  The goal was to achieve heavy-breasted table chickens ranging between four and five pounds at a little over four months of age. They inherited the length of breast bone from the Sussex, the heavy flesh of the Indian Game and Orpington, the pea comb from the Indian Game and the white plumage from the Sussex and Orpington, the stamina and flesh quality from the Old English Game and fast maturing from the Minorca.  It is not to be endowed with an excess of broody factors. The breed The breed was included in the 2016 importation from the United Kingdom to Australia. 

Male Characteristics

Carriage: Alert, active and well balanced.

Type: Body deep, well rounded, fairly long but compact.

Back long, flat, reasonably broad, without too prominent a slope to the tail. Breast broad, full, deep, well rounded, long and wide, low breast bone carried well forward; with unpronounced keel or keel point; well fleshed and rounded off for entire length. 

Wings strong, carried close, showing shoulder butts.  

Tail compact, of medium length and carried fairly low, the sickles close fitting.

Head: Broad and of medium length. Beak short and stout. Eyes full, prominent, keen expression, without heavy brows. Comb pea type. Face smooth and of fine texture. Ear-lobes and wattles medium size and fine texture. 

Neck: Somewhat erect and of reasonable length. Hackle feathers short, close-fitting and in no way excessive or loose.

Legs and Feet: Legs well apart, and of reasonable length to ensure activity. Thighs well fleshed and of medium length. Shanks covered with tight scales, free from feathers.  Toes, four, straight, well spread and firm stance.  Bone characteristic of a first-class table bird. 

Plumage: Short, silky and close fitting; fluff likewise.

Female Characteristics

The general characteristics are similar to those of the male, allowing for the natural sexual differences.

Colour

Plumage, Male and Female: White

In both sexes: Beak white. Eyes red or bright orange. Comb, face, wattles, and ear-lobes brilliant red. Legs, feet, skin and flesh white.

Weight

Cock: 9lb (4.1kg)

Hen: 8lb (3.2kg)

Cockerel: 7lb (3.6kg)

Pullet: 6lb (2.7kg)

Bantam weights are one quarter of the weight of the standard - Males 1020g, Females 790g.

Disqualifications & Serious Defects

See Disqualifications page.

Serious Defects include coarseness, lack of activity, loose feathers. Any point against table values or general usefulness. Any deformity. 

Sources

Australian Poultry Standards 

British Poultry Standards 1955, The Chapel River Press, Andover, Hants. p. 88-90.

Corbett, A. (1877). The poultry yard and market: a practical treatise on gallinoculture, and description of a new process for hatching eggs and raising poultry, for which several gold medals and diplomas have been awarded to the author. New York: Orange Judd company.  Hathitrust: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924055333714&seq=576&q1=ixworth

The Australasian Sat 8 April 1939, page 37. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/141815901

Trove: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/284745598?searchTerm=Ixworth%20fowl

https://ixworthregistrar.msumner.co.uk/wp/