Yingde Free-Range Chicken

Yingde Free-Range Chicken

　　Yingde free-range chicken belongs to the Qingyuan partridge chicken breed. Its physical characteristics are described as “wedge-shaped, slender, and mottled-feathered.” When cooked, its skin turns golden yellow, the meat is tender and thin-skinned, rich in chicken flavor, and leaves the throat feeling moist and smooth after eating. “Wedge-shaped” refers to the hen’s body being shaped like a wedge, with a compact front and a round, large rear. “Slender” refers to its fine head and small feet. “Mottled-feathered” refers to the hen’s back feathers mainly featuring three colors: mottled yellow, mottled brown, and mottled tan. The “three yellows” refer to its yellow beak, yellow feet, and yellow skin. Roosters have a sturdy and agile build with a well-proportioned structure, making them suitable for meat production. Newly hatched chicks have grayish-brown down feathers on their backs, with a white down feather band about 4mm wide on each side, which disappears only after their first molt — this is a unique trait of Qingyuan partridge chicken chicks. Yingde free-range chickens have low production and a long rearing period; hens lay only 80–95 eggs per year, and broilers are raised for 130–160 days before going to market. The meat has an appropriate level of fat deposition, resulting in delicious and richly flavored chicken with a lasting aftertaste that leaves the throat feeling moist and fragrant. The distinctive taste of Yingde free-range chicken comes not only from its millennia-old genetic lineage but also largely from being raised in the pristine natural environment along the scenic North River.