Onagadori

Onagadori

Golden Onagadori cockerel
Conservation status critical
Country of origin Japan
Use exhibition breed
Traits
Weight Male: 1.8 kg
  Female: 1.35 kg
Skin color yellow
Egg color light brown
Comb type single
Classification
Chicken
Gallus gallus domesticus

Onagadori (Japanese : 尾長鶏, meaning "Long-tailed Chicken") is a breed of chicken originating Kōchi Prefecture of Japan. The Japanese government designates the breed in Kōchi as a Special Natural Monument.[1] The breed is often confused with the Phoenix chicken.

Colours are Black Breasted Red, Black Breasted Silver, Black Breasted Golden, and White. The leg colour is willow in the Black-breasted variations and yellow or white in the Whites. and Tail of Onagadori is the non-molting tail feathers.

The Japanese Onagadori evolved from the common domestic chicken.[2] They have green junglefowl in their paternal ancestry. It is from the green junglefowl that the non-moulting genes and propensity to perch are derived. The onagadori has also inherited the morphology of the green junglefowl tail. It takes them three or more years to molt. They achieve tail lengths from 12 to 27 feet.[3]

Japanese breeders through the centuries have gone to great pains in the creation and perpetuation of the species. Breeders provide special hutches with perches well above the ground where the tails are kept clean and in good condition.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Encyclopedia Nipponica article on Onagadori (Japanese)", yahoo.co.jp
  2. ↑ "Monsters bred for vanity of man", Times Higher Education, 15 August 2003
  3. ↑ Phoenix, The Livestock Conservancy
  4. ↑ American Poultry Association, Standard of Perfection 2001
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