Taoyuan Large Breed Chicken

Taoyuan Large Breed Chicken

　　It is an undeniable fact that male Taoyuan chickens can weigh up to 7 kilograms and females up to 5.2 kilograms.

　　The Taoyuan Large Breed Chicken has a long history, with its original core production areas located in townships such as ShenShuiGang, Sanyang, Xiangjiaqiao, Shejiaping, Niwotan, and Taipingqiao, followed by Qihé and Shuangxikou upstream of the Baiyang River, as well as areas like Changpu and Huangshi. Among these, the chickens from Sanyang are the most famous and are referred to as “Sanyang Chickens.” From west to east, Taoyuan County features rolling hills and plains, offering vast grazing lands rich in natural weeds, insects, and ants. Farmers have long had the habit of raising large breed chickens, preferring to select tall, single-combed, bluish-gray-legged roosters with red feathers as breeding stock, while hens are often chosen for their single comb, yellow or speckled feathers, and bluish-gray legs. Through long-term artificial selection and under favorable natural environmental influences, an excellent local breed of chicken has been developed.

　　The Taoyuan Large Breed Chicken is a dual-purpose breed for both meat and eggs. It is tall and sturdy, with a relatively thick and long neck, usually featuring a single comb with 5 to 8 points. Its skin is bright, mostly white, though some are dark gray. The head and neck are held high, and the body is mostly covered in red feathers, with black primary wing feathers. The base of the neck may have interspersed black feathers, and the tail feathers are entirely black, short and upward-curving, with the sickle feathers not particularly developed but oval-shaped, long and thick. The hens have a longer body, a deep and round rear, fluffy feathers, mostly in yellow or speckled colors, with a few in black. Yellow-feathered hens often have black neck, wing, and tail feathers, a longer head, slightly sunken eyes, and golden-yellow irises.

　　The Taoyuan Large Breed Chicken has a strong fat-accumulating ability, but its early growth rate is very slow. Under rural rearing conditions, which mainly involve free-range grazing supplemented with small amounts of rice, hens generally begin laying eggs at around 7 months of age, or at 5 to 6 months if rearing conditions are better. They produce about 100 to 120 eggs per year, with an average egg weight of 50.88 grams and a maximum egg weight of 69.7 grams. Eggshell colors vary, with brown shells accounting for 71% and white shells for 29%.