Old English Pheasant Fowl

Origin: Britain

Category:  Softfeather Light

Egg Colour:  White

Sitter:   No

The Old English Pheasant Fowl is an ancient English dual-purpose breed. The origin of this fowl is ambiguous but it is known to have been a favourite of the Northern Dalesmen upwards of two hundred years ago, and owing to the hardiness of the breed and foraging activity it has ever been the choice of the utility fraternity of the Cumberland and Westmorland hills.  This British breed is a good layer, a small eater and an excellent table bird being plump and flavourful. Their striking look is due to their rosecomb which is protective from frost in colder climates. It is a non-sitter and a splendid layer of large, white or slightly-tinted eggs. 

Male Characteristics

Carriage: upright, dignified and very active.

Head - Skull fine. Beak of medium size. Eyes bright and prominent. Comb rose, moderate size (not impeding either sight or breathing), fine texture, evenly set, rather square front, the top flat and with plenty of work, tapering to a single leader (or spike at the back) which should gracefully curve downwards, following the neck line but quite free from it. Face and Wattles smooth, free from coarseness or wrinkles. Wattles medium sized. Earlobes medium size, oval or almond shape, smooth. Eyes bright and full. Beak: medium. 

Neck graceful.

Body rather long, deep and round, with prominent shoulders; flowing tail, set well back.

Legs of medium length, well apart, neither coarse nor too fine. Shanks free from feathers. Toes (four) well spread.

Carriage alert and active.

Plumage close and fine.

Female Characteristics

Tail moderately close. The hen should have plenty of size and of the correct type and carriage. The reminder of the general characteristics are similar to the male, except for natural sexual differences. 

Colour

• Beak horn.

• Eyes fiery red.

• Comb bright rich red.

• Face and Wattles red.

• Earlobes white.

• Legs and Feet slate-blue.

Male colour

The ground colour is a rich bay. Cocks are slightly darker than the hens, the neck hackle being black and bright bay (striped), the saddle hackle rather darker; it can be described as bright golden brown and tipped with beetle-green-black spangles; the breast is either laced or spangled. Back is a lustrous mahogany. 

Breast: laced or spangled (crescent shaped) with black.

Tail: beetle-green black.

Eyes: bright fiery red. 

Neck hackle: striped golden bay and beetle-green-black.

Saddle hackles: golden-brown, tipped with V-shaped spangles.

Breast: Well-laced right up to the throat.

Wings: Bars laced or spangled (crescent shaped) with black.

Undercolour: slate.

Female Colour

The ground colour of the hens  is bright rich bay, showing variation from brown to golden bay, each feather being tipped with a beetle-green half-moon or V-shaped spangle, on a golden ground colour; the spangles from a distance look like so many sparkling stars; the hackle is striped beetle-green, black and gold, and the tail, which should be carried rather low, beetle-green black with a slight edging of ground colour along the upper edge. Neck hackles display a centre stripe of black. Feather shafts bay. Undercolour slate. 

Ground colour to be evenly shaded and free from peppering, spangles rather large and well broken, and of the correct shape, all black points to be rich with beetle-green sheen. 

Weights

Weight 6 lb (2.72kg) to 7 lb (3.12kg) Note: This breed is standardised in Australia in both large and bantam - bantams to be approximately one-third of the large size.

SERIOUS DEFECTS

• Comb over either side;

• Blushed lobes;

• Sooty hackles;

• Really black breast in cock;

• Squirrel tail;

• Any deformity.

For general information about defects see the Disqualifications page.

SOURCES

• The Poultry club standards, containing a complete description of all the recognised varieties of fowls, ducks, geese and turkeys, ed. by William W. Broomhead. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009202629

• Powell-Owen, W. (1924). The complete poultry book. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company.

• The Feathered World Year Book and Poultry Keepers' Guide. 1915

• The Feathered World Year Book and Poultry Keepers' Guide 1927 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b2979305