Old English Game

An Old English Game hen

The Old English Game Fowl is a breed of chicken. Pure English Game Fowls are prized among Poultry breeders and thus fetch a high sale price. One of the types called standard Old Englishes are larger than the bantams and were originally bred for cockfighting. Old Englishes should not be confused with American games nor should American games be confused with Old Englishes.

Bantam version

A Black Breasted Red Old English Game, bantam version

The Old English Game Bantam is the bantam version of this breed, it is one of the smallest chicken breeds, weighing about 22 oz (650 grams) when they are fully grown. The Old English Game Bantam is one of the most popular bantam breeds. This is especially the case in the United Kingdom, where it has its own specialist shows. The Old English Bantam is similar to the Old English Game in that it has long legs and it is fairly muscular. they are a great pet for children. The bantam was not developed from the larger sized old English but rather from other barnyard bantams of the same area. This explains their lack of length in the sickle feathers that you see in the standard sized O.E.G. The American old English game bantams contain blood from Dutch, and Rosecombs plus other breeds to add feather length and more colors like the silver laced varieties developed from sebrights.

Colors of the Old English Game Bantams

Barred Birchen Black Black Breasted Red Blue Copperheads Black Tailed Red Black Tailed White Blue Splash Blue Brassyback Blue Breasted Red Blue Gingers Blue Golden Duckwing Blue Mille Fleur Blue Quail Blue Red Blue Silver Duckwing Blue Wheaten Buff Laced

Brassyback Brown Red Buff Columbian Crele Cuckoo Fawn Fawn Breasted Red Fawn Silver Duckwing Ginger Red Golden Duck-wing Golden Campine Golden Laced Golden-Neck Lemon Blue Mahogany Mealy Gray Mille Fleur Mottled

Pearl Porcelain Quail Red Red Pyle Red Quill Self Blue Silver Blue Silver Duckwing Silver Quill Silver Campine Silver-Laced Silver Wheaton Spangled Self-Blue Splash Wheaten White White-Tailed red White-tailed buff Muffed White

History

The English Game Fowl is one of the oldest strains of poultry breeds that have been used for fighting purposes. Through the Middle Ages the breed was developed by the English Nobility into many varying colors, traits desirable for cockfighting were chosen by breeders. Cockfighting became illegal in Britain and Australia in the 1850s and English game fowl are usually kept just by poultry enthusiasts. Today the breeds are used at poultry exhibitions and breeders try to develop stock that will win prizes. Exhibition bred cocks can fetch amounts over US$ 600. Breeders aim to preserve the present strains of this species, as many have already died out.

References

• Varieties of Old English Game Bantams
• 2001 American Standard of Perfection