History of the Humble Chicken

Columbus carried fowls to the New World where they were eagerly taken by the various Indians and further evolved to the conditions. The greatest period of chicken breeding came during the 1800's and was spurred by three major events. The theory of selective breeding, put forward by Robert Blakewell, the works of Charles Darwin which brought forward the theory of genetic transmission and the fashion of the Victorian era where it became trendy to create new varieties of animals. This was known as "The Golden Age of Pure Breed Poultry". In 1865, the Poultry Club of Great Britain drew up the World's first Standards of Excellence, due to the ever-increasing number of breeds that were springing forth. Exhibition poultry became enormously popular and many famous names emerged during this period. Sir John Sebright (originator of the Sebright bantam), William Tegetmeier (editor of the first Standard of Excellence in Exhibition Poultry), William Cook (originator of the Orpington breed) and Lewis Wright (Brahma breeder and author of The Illustrated Book of Poultry, which has become a classic tome on poultry).

By crossing the various breeds available, new breeds of fowls were developed. Most of these are still popular today and can be grouped according to area. English breeds have white skin and lay brown eggs, American breeds have yellow skin and legs while European breeds lay brown eggs. Breeds evolved according to local preferences and chicken farming became more specialised and scientific. Chickens were used to prove Mendel's theories by William Bateson and Punnett. Gigantic leaps in food production were made during the First World War by applying poultry genetics and by the end of the Second World War, chicken production was a multi-million dollar industry.

All during this time, other varieties of domestic fowls were being developed as well, such as guineas, ducks, geese and turkeys, but that's another story...

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