The Old English Game is a British breed of domestic chicken. It was probably originally bred for cockfighting.[4] Two different standards are recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain: Carlisle Old English Game and Oxford Old English Game.[6] There is also an Old English Game bantam.[6]
 Bantam cock and hen | |
| Conservation status | Breed association (2002): secure[1] FAO (2007): not at risk[2]: 152 |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | England |
| Traits | |
| Weight | |
| Egg color | white tinted[4] |
| Comb type | Single |
| Classification | |
| APA | All other standard breeds[5] |
| PCGB | Hard feather[6] |
| |
Characteristics
The Old English Game has many colour variants. Twenty-eight are recognised by the American Poultry Association,[5] while the Entente Européenne d’Aviculture et de Cuniculture lists thirty-three.[7] In Britain, thirteen colours are recognised for the Carlisle type, and thirty for the Oxford type.[4]
Use
Since the abolition of cock-fighting in 1849, the Old English Game has been kept primarily for show. Old English Game hens may lay about forty small tinted eggs in a year.[4]