Alsacienne

Alsacienne
Conservation status

FAO (2007):

  • standard: not at risk
  • bantam: endangered[1]
Other names French: Poule d'Alsace
Country of origin France
Distribution
Use dual-purpose, eggs and meat
Traits
Weight Male: 2–3 kg[2]
  Female: 2–2.5 kg[2]
Comb type rose comb, ends in a spike
Classification
APA not listed[3]
EE yes[4]
PCGB not listed[5]
Chicken
Gallus gallus domesticus

The Alsacienne or French: Poule d'Alsace is a breed of domestic chicken from Alsace, in eastern France.[6] It was selectively bred in the 1890s, at a time when Alsace was part of the German Empire.[7] Unlike most other French breeds, it has not been cross-bred with imported Oriental stock.[2]

History

The Alsacienne is an ancient breed, perhaps as long-established as the Bresse Gauloise, which it closely resembles. The present type was formed in the late nineteenth century by selective breeding for a dual-purpose bird; Alsace was at this time a part of the German Empire. The Alsacienne may be related to the German Rheinländer breed,[6] but is differentiated from it by the shape of the comb. In the twentieth century the breed came close to disappearance, and is still regarded as being at risk.[7] A bantam was created in Alsace by Herscher, Hirschner and Trog; it was on the "endangered" list of the FAO in 2007.[1]

Description

It is a Mediterranean-type chicken, lively and active, strongly resembling the golden Gallic chicken but with a curly comb. This fowl has a cylindrical body and is of medium size. Raising it requires space, because the Alsace chicken is very active. It easily moves to some distance from its hen house to look for its food. Moreover, it flies very well; it can get over two-meters high fences and readily perches in a tree for the night.

Standard characteristics

General appearance

This is a hen of medium height, with a stocky and cylindrical body and a proud and elegant appearance.

Dwarf breed:

Characteristics of the rooster

Characteristics of the hen

The characteristics are the same as those of the rooster, taking into account the sexual differences. The back line is straight. The breast is large and deep. The feathers are close to the body. The tail is open.

Four colours are recognised for the Alsacienne: black, blue-laced, golden salmon and white.[4] The ear-lobes are white.[2]

Serious defects

Comb different than curly, back too short, red eye iris in the black bird variety. Feet greenish or yellowish. Rooster weighing less than 2kg. Hen weighing less than 1.6kg.

Plumage varieties

Four varieties are accepted for the standard: golden salmon, black, white and blue with a dark edging. The black variety is the most common.

Uses

The Alsacienne is a good layer of large white eggs, which weigh at least 60 g.[2]

In a tasting of the meat of 30 traditional French chicken breeds by a jury of well-known chefs including Pierre Troisgros, the Alsacienne was placed second, after the poulet de Bresse.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed October 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Alain Fournier (2005). L'élevage des poules. Paris: Artémis. ISBN 9782844163509.
  3. ↑ APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties as of January 1, 2012. American Poultry Association. Accessed October 2014.
  4. 1 2 Liste des races et variétés homologuée dans les pays EE (28.04.2013). Entente Européenne d’Aviculture et de Cuniculture. Archived 16 June 2013.
  5. ↑ Breed Classification. Poultry Club of Great Britain. Accessed October 2014.
  6. 1 2 Breed data sheet: Poule d'Alsace/France. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed October 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 Races de volailles françaises (in French). ProNaturA France (Fédération Française des Associations pour une Protection non Anthropomorphiste de la Nature et des Animaux). Accessed October 2014.
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