Oxford Old English Game fowl facts for kids

The Oxford Old English Game is a very old type of chicken that comes from England. It became an official breed when a special club, The Old English Game Club, divided it into two different kinds of Old English Game chickens. People mostly raise these chickens for their meat. They have also been used for eggs and, in the past, for cockfighting.

History of the Oxford Old English Game

This chicken breed was first talked about way back in the Middle Ages. At that time, rich English nobles carefully bred these chickens. They wanted them to be good at cockfighting. The Old English Game chicken has been known in Great Britain since the 1800s. Many people think it came from very old fighting chickens.

It was probably the first chicken breed in Britain that people bred just for fighting. To stop them from getting hurt during fights, their comb (the red part on top of their head) and wattles (the red parts under their chin) were sometimes removed. This also made them look tougher. This practice is called dubbing.

Cockfighting became illegal in Britain in 1849. Even so, the Oxford Old English Game chicken is still popular today. People keep them as beautiful birds or as regular chickens on farms.

In the 1930s, The Old English Game Club split into two groups. This led to two main types of Old English Game chickens: The Carlisle and The Oxford. The Carlisle type is different from the Oxford. For example, Carlisle chickens are heavier and have a larger chest. They also have a flatter back.

What Makes Them Special?

The Oxford Old English Game chicken has a back that slopes down at a 45-degree angle. These birds come in about 30 different colours! They are small chickens with many feathers.

Their head is small, but they have a big, strong beak. They have a single comb on top of their head. Their earlobes and wattles are small and thin. They also have large eyes. Their wings are big, and their legs are short. They have four toes, which end in long, curved nails. These nails often need to be trimmed.

The Oxford Old English Game chicken has muscles spread very evenly across its body. Because of this, it is known as an "excellent table bird," meaning it's good for meat. There is also a tiny version of this chicken called a bantam. This bantam breed is actually the smallest bantam chicken known!

How People Use These Chickens

These chickens lay a fair number of eggs. They lay about as many eggs as other chickens their size. However, people mostly raise the Oxford Old English Game for its meat.

In the past, these chickens were used for cockfighting. But, as we learned, this is no longer allowed in Britain. Still, in some other countries, cockfighting continues. The Oxford Old English Game is often used in those places.