American Game facts for kids
An American Game Bantam hen
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| Conservation status | Livestock Conservancy: study |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Traits | |
| Weight |
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| Egg color | brown |
| Comb type | Single |
| Classification | |
| APA | Large fowl: no Bantam: modern game bantam |
| ABA | yes |
| EE | no |
| PCGB | no |
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The American Game is a special breed of chicken from the United States. These chickens were originally bred for their strength and agility. They come in many different colors. Some people also keep them as pets because they look nice.
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History of the American Game Chicken
The American Game chicken was first bred to be strong and quick. The full-size American Game chicken is not officially recognized by the American Poultry Association. However, in 2009, this association did recognize the smaller version, called the American Game Bantam. They recognized it in ten different colors.
The American Game breed is currently listed as "study" by the Livestock Conservancy. This means they are watching the breed to understand its numbers and needs. A small number of these chickens have also been sent to the United Kingdom. In 2002, there were fewer than one hundred American Game chickens there.
American Game Bantam
The bantam version of the American Game is a smaller chicken. It was not developed from the larger American Game chicken. Instead, it was created in New Jersey in the 1940s. A breeder named Frank Gary developed this smaller version.
He mixed the wild Red Jungle Fowl with other small, strong chickens. These were known as "pit game" bantams at the time. The American Game Bantam was first listed in the American Bantam Association's yearbook in 1950. It was later officially added to the American Poultry Association's list in 2009.
What American Game Chickens Look Like
The regular-sized American Game chicken comes in many different feather colors. Male chickens, called roosters, have long, curved tail feathers. These are known as sickle feathers.
The American Game Bantam has a small comb on its head. This comb has five points. It also has small, smooth wattles under its chin and small earlobes. The American Poultry Association recognizes ten different colors for the Bantam. These include birchen, black, and black-breasted red. Other colors are blue, blue red, and brown red. Golden duckwing, red pyle, silver duckwing, and white are also recognized. Two other colors, "brassy back" and wheaten, are also raised by breeders.
How American Game Chickens Are Used
The American Game chicken was originally bred for its strength and speed. These chickens are also good for meat. They can also be kept as ornamental birds because of their appearance.
Female American Game chickens, called hens, lay brown eggs. For chickens shown in shows, their combs, earlobes, and wattles are sometimes trimmed. This practice is called "dubbing."
