The official list of rare breeds in Tasmania
This is the official list of rare breeds and varieties of poultry in Tasmania, as determined by the Rare Breeds Sub-Committee of the Tasmanian Rare Breeds Poultry Club. This list is updated every year and the new list presented at the AGM of the club. The lists contents are determined by reviewing all show entries in Tasmania for the preceding year and known numbers of breeders for each poultry breed.
How the Rare Breeds are listed:
Fowls are divided into two types. Hard feather and Soft feather. This definition speaks for itself, with hard feather being game birds that are more durable and able to withstand harsher conditions, having a hard feather and very little fluff. The soft feather birds sometimes have lots of fluff and don’t dry out as readily, and are generally more susceptible to cold wet conditions. We then split the breeds into a rare breed and a rare variety. We do this to keep the rarer colours (found in the more common breeds) in existence. Hence you may find a common breed, such as a Wyandotte listed as rare for no other reason than it is a very unusual colour.
We then divide the poultry again by listing them as large or bantam size.
Soft Feather Large:
Rare Breeds:
Andalusian
Araucana
Barnevelder
Brahma
Campine
Cochin
Croad Langshan
Dorking
Faverolles
Frizzle
Hamburgh
Houdan
Legbar
Maran
Minorca
Orpington
Naked Neck
New Hampshire
Phoenix
Polish
Spanish
Welsummer
Yokohama
Rare Varieties:
Ancona - Red and rosecomb
Australian Langshan - Blue and white
Australorp - Blue and white.
Leghorn - All colours except white.
Plymouth Rock - All colours but dark barred.
Rhode Island - White and rosecomb
Silkie - All colours and varieties except non-bearded white.
Sussex - All colours except light.
Wyandotte - All colours except white and silver laced.
Hard Feather Large:
Rare Breeds:
Australian Game
Australian Pit Game
Jungle Fowl
Malay Game
Modern Game
Thai Game
Shamo
Aseel (Asil)
Rare Varieties:
Indian Game - All colours except dark.
Old English Game - All colours and varieties except Black Red D/L, Blue Red D/L and Pile D/L.
Soft Feather Bantam:
Rare Breeds:
Ancona
Andalusian
Araucana
Barnevelder
Belgian Barbu d'Anvers
Belgian Barbu d'Uccle
Belgian Barbu d'Watermael
Brahma
Dorking
Faverolle
Frizzle
Hamburgh
Minorca
Maran
Japanese
Naked Neck
Orpington
Plymouth Rock
Polish
Rosecomb
Sebright
Spanish
Rare Varieties:
Australian Langshan - Blue and white.
Australorp - Any colour but black.
Leghorn - All colours except white.
Pekin - All colours except white and black.
Rhode Island - White and rosecomb.
Sussex - All colours except light.
Wyandotte - All colours except white, columbian and partridge.
Hard Feather Bantam:
Rare Breeds:
Australian Game
Australian Pit Game
Malay Game Aseel (Asil)
Rare Varieties:
Indian Game - All colours except dark.
Modern Game - All colours except black red and pile.
Old English Game - All colours and varieties except black red, duckwing D/L, pile, blue red, blacktail wheaten, blue tail wheaten and spangle L/L.
Waterfowl - Ducks:
Rare Breeds:
Large:
Abacot Ranger
Aylesbury
Blue Swedish
Campbell
Cayuga
Crested
Elizabeth
Rouen Clair
Saxony
Silver Appleyard
Welsh Harlequin
Bantam:
Black East Indian
Australian Call
Mallard
Silver Appleyard Bantam
Rare Variety:
Indian Runner - All colours except white.
Muscovy - All colours except white.
Waterfowl - Geese:
Rare Breeds:
Chinese
Emden
Australian Settlers (formerly Pilgrim Geese)
Sebastopol
Toulouse
Other Fowls:
Rare Breeds:
Guinea Fowl (All colours)
Turkey (All colours)