Wuding Chicken

Wuding Chicken

The Wuding Chicken is a geographical indication certification trademark.

The Wuding Chicken is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　The Wuding Chicken is primarily produced in Wuding and Luquan counties of the Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. The chickens are large in size, with sturdy bones, thick legs, long shanks, well-developed muscles, broad and deep bodies, and an upright head and tail, giving them a powerful gait. Their fluffy feathers enhance their robust appearance. The meat of the Wuding Chicken is known for its delicious taste, and its fame dates back as early as the Ming Dynasty’s “Yunnan General Gazetteer.” During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the “Wuding Strong Chicken” was selected as a tribute to be offered to the imperial court.

　　The roosters mostly have glossy, reddish-brown feathers, while the hens have entirely black wing and tail feathers, with the body and other parts covered in pied feathers featuring crescent-shaped stripes.

　　Wuding Chicken

　　Geographical Scope

　　The Wuding Chicken is mainly produced within Wuding County of the Chuxiong Prefecture in Yunnan Province. The production area is located in central-northern Yunnan, bordering Huili County of Sichuan Province across the Jinsha River to the north, adjacent to Yuanmou County to the west, and bordering Luquan, Fumin, and Lufeng counties to the southeast. It covers 11 townships (towns), including Shishan Town, Gaoqiao Town, Maojie Town, Chadian Township, Tianxin Township, Fawo Township, Bailu Township, Wandei Township, Ji Yi Township, Huanzhou Township, and Dongpo Township. The geographical coordinates lie between 101°55′ to 102°29′ east longitude and 25°20′ to 26°11′ north latitude, stretching 94 km from north to south and 56 km from east to west, covering a breeding region of 3,322 square kilometers with an annual inventory of 2.53 million birds.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Features: Body Shape: Large and robust, with shiny feathers, a beautiful appearance, good running ability, and agile movement. Head Shape: Mostly flat-headed, crested, or single-combed, larger at the front and smaller at the back, with red comb color; very few have a rose comb. Most large chickens have 7–9 saw-like points on the comb, while small chickens of both sexes have more variable and numerous comb points. Feather Color: Adult roosters mostly have reddish feathers with a metallic sheen. Adult hens have four feather types: yellow mottled, black mottled, white mottled, and brownish mottled, with yellow mottled being the most common. Wuding Chickens are slow-feathering, so chicks hatch with very little feathering, leaving the skin of the chest, abdomen, and back exposed. Wattle: Red, most commonly orange-red, followed by orange-yellow; earlobes are red, and some Silkie-type chickens have purplish-red earlobes with green tint. Beak: Black or yellowish-brown. Feet match the beak color and come in two types—feathered and non-feathered. Feathered types have feathers covering the entire shank and toes, commonly referred to as “pants-wearing chickens.” Adult roosters weigh 2–4 kg, hens 2–3 kg, and capons 2–5 kg. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Wuding Chicken meat is tender, flavorful, with crispy bones and high nutritional value, especially noted for its golden-colored broth after cooking. Quality indicators include: multiple amino acids such as aspartic acid ≥1.80%, threonine ≥0.90%, glutamic acid ≥3.50%, cystine ≥0.20%, methionine ≥0.50%, lysine ≥2.0%; thawing water loss ≤2.5%; total amino acids ≥19%. (3) Quality and Safety Standards: The optimal slaughter weight for Wuding Chicken is 1.5–2.5 kg. During breeding, feed, veterinary drugs, biological products, and other inputs must comply with the “NY5032—2006 Standards for Feed and Feed Additives in Pollution-Free Livestock and Poultry Farming” and the “NY5030—2006 Standards for Veterinary Drug Use in Pollution-Free Livestock and Poultry Farming.”