Macheng Green-Shell Egg-Laying Chicken

Macheng Green-Shell Egg-Laying Chicken

The Macheng Green-Shell Egg-Laying Chicken is a geographical indication certification trademark.

　　The Macheng Green-Shell Egg-Laying Chicken is a specialty of Macheng City, Huanggang, Hubei Province.

　　The Macheng Green-Shell Egg-Laying Chicken is an egg-and-meat dual-purpose breed. It is a naturally occurring, high-quality local chicken variety in the Dabie Mountains, known for laying green-shelled eggs. Originating from Macheng City, Hubei Province, it is a premium local chicken breed of the area. The green-shelled eggs produced by the Macheng Green-Shell Egg-Laying Chicken not only taste good, but are also rich in various trace elements such as iodine, zinc, and selenium. It is a highly nutritious health product that has significant dietary therapeutic effects on conditions such as hypertension, coronary heart disease, breast hyperplasia in women, and stunted growth in children. Its chicken meat is delicious and has a unique flavor. The shells of the Macheng green-shelled eggs are wheat-green in color, bright in appearance, with golden yolks and emerald-green egg whites, making them a rare treasure among eggs. Recognized as a high-quality product of Hubei Province, it participated in the National Agricultural Expo in 2001 and won a gold award.

　　The Macheng Green-Shell Egg-Laying Chicken (Macheng-Chicken-Blue-Eggshell) is a newly discovered genetic resource of egg-laying chickens in Hubei Province that produce green-shelled eggs. It originates from Macheng City, Hubei Province, and is mainly distributed in mountainous rural areas of the Dabie Mountain region around Macheng City. The main production area of the Macheng Green-Shell Egg-Laying Chicken, Macheng City, is located on the northeastern border of Hubei Province, within the subtropical continental humid monsoon climate zone, specifically the Jianghuai microclimate region. It enjoys abundant sunlight, rich heat, plentiful rainfall, and a long frost-free period. The seasons are distinct, with cold winters and hot summers, and rain often coinciding with heat. The annual average temperature ranges from 13.0 to 16.1°C, with average annual precipitation between 1111.2 and 1688.7 mm, annual sunshine duration of 2153 hours, and a frost-free period of 250 to 270 days per year. The region spans longitude 114°31’ to 115°31’ east and latitude 30°52’ to 31°37’ north.

　　On September 8, 2011, it passed the on-site expert appraisal organized by the Office of the National Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Committee under the Ministry of Agriculture. On December 23, 2011, it was reviewed and approved by the National Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Committee. On March 2, 2012, the Ministry of Agriculture of China officially released it, marking its first inclusion in the "National Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Breed Catalogue." It has become a nationally recognized and protected local high-quality genetic resource breed, and is currently the only county/city-named, green-shell egg-producing, egg-laying local chicken breed approved by the state in Hubei Province.