PENEDESENCA (PROPOSED)
LARGE FOWL Origin: Spain. Classification: Light: Rare. Egg colour: Very dark reddish brown. |
Penedesenca females
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For many years at the country houses of the Catalan districts of the Penedes they have been keeping chickens characterized by laying dark brown eggs. During the first half of the twentieth century there were several attempts to define them, without too much success. Only the standard of a black variety was approved in 1946 in the environment of the Spanish State.
In l982 a project began at the poultry genetics unit of the Institute De-Reerca 1 Tecnologia Agoalimetaries (I.R.T.A) of the Generalitat-De-Catalunya in the Center Mas Bove of Reus Tarragona-Spain. The work was carried out by the veterinarian Antoni Jorda and the biologist Amadeu Francesch to re-establish the four distinct colour varieties. This project was successful, and achieved and the four colours described below.
General characteristics: male
Carriage: Alert and active.
Type: Body wide at the shoulders and narrowing slightly to the tail. Back moderately long, wide and flat, sloping slightly to the tail, with abundant hackles. Breast round, full and prominent, carried well forward. Wings large, tightly carried and well tucked up. Tail moderately full and carried at an angle of 45 degrees through the horizontal, with sweeping sickles.
Head: Moderately long and wide. Beak strong, medium length, curved. Eyes of medium size. Comb single moderately large, of fine texture, straight and erect, but not coarse or beefy, deeply and evenly serrated, the rear of the comb expands into several lobes or spikes, in the Catalan language they refer to this as a carnation comb (cresta-en-clavell). Face smooth and fine in texture. Earlobes developed and pendent. Wattles moderately long and fine in texture.
Neck: Of medium length and furnished with long hackle feathers flowing well on to the shoulders.
Legs and feet: Legs moderately long. Shanks fine and round and free of feathers. Thighs well spread. Toes, four, long, straight and well spread, the back toe straight out at rear.
Female
With the exception of the comb which falls gracefully over either side of the face and the tail which is carried at an angle of between 40 to 45 degrees, the general characteristics are similar to those of the male, allowing for the natural sexual differences.
BANTAM
Penedesenca bantams should follow exactly the large fowl standard.
In l982 a project began at the poultry genetics unit of the Institute De-Reerca 1 Tecnologia Agoalimetaries (I.R.T.A) of the Generalitat-De-Catalunya in the Center Mas Bove of Reus Tarragona-Spain. The work was carried out by the veterinarian Antoni Jorda and the biologist Amadeu Francesch to re-establish the four distinct colour varieties. This project was successful, and achieved and the four colours described below.
General characteristics: male
Carriage: Alert and active.
Type: Body wide at the shoulders and narrowing slightly to the tail. Back moderately long, wide and flat, sloping slightly to the tail, with abundant hackles. Breast round, full and prominent, carried well forward. Wings large, tightly carried and well tucked up. Tail moderately full and carried at an angle of 45 degrees through the horizontal, with sweeping sickles.
Head: Moderately long and wide. Beak strong, medium length, curved. Eyes of medium size. Comb single moderately large, of fine texture, straight and erect, but not coarse or beefy, deeply and evenly serrated, the rear of the comb expands into several lobes or spikes, in the Catalan language they refer to this as a carnation comb (cresta-en-clavell). Face smooth and fine in texture. Earlobes developed and pendent. Wattles moderately long and fine in texture.
Neck: Of medium length and furnished with long hackle feathers flowing well on to the shoulders.
Legs and feet: Legs moderately long. Shanks fine and round and free of feathers. Thighs well spread. Toes, four, long, straight and well spread, the back toe straight out at rear.
Female
With the exception of the comb which falls gracefully over either side of the face and the tail which is carried at an angle of between 40 to 45 degrees, the general characteristics are similar to those of the male, allowing for the natural sexual differences.
BANTAM
Penedesenca bantams should follow exactly the large fowl standard.
Please contact the breed registrar for more information - [email protected]
