~ Tommy's Pet Paradise ~

Guideline for the San Diego Zoo Red Jungle Fowl in the United States

---------------------------------------------The Male-----------------------------------------------

Comb: Single and bright red with 5-7 even "crown" points. During the breeding season, the comb tends to get a little bit larger and could flip to one side. After the breeding season, the comb will shrink and may turn darkish red at the tips.

Eyes: Bright brown, sometimes redish, and round.

Face: Often the redish face is rather "pink" or pale during the breeding season and tends to turn a little darker when not in season. It should consist of a very bone-to-skin like feature in which no loose skin should be seen. Very pheasant-like with much "meat" around the eyes rather than the face itself.

Beak: The beak should be medium length, yet pointy and narrow. Needs to have a good curve in which the lower beak will be evenly inlined with the top.

Wattles: Medium in size, however, some specimens will have smaller or larger wattles depending on climate conditions. Should be the same red color as the comb but not as light as the face. Rounded and free of wrinkles.

Earlobe: Most specimens will show the white earlobe when mature rather than when they were young. The white is not as white as the Phoenix or the American Onagadori in which sometimes it would look blue almost but it is white enough that it should be obvious. Some specimens will show small red "blood" areas on the white earlobe and its not uncommon, especially if they had fought for their territory before. The earlobe should be situated right under the actual ear and oval in shape. Should be clear of wrinkles.

Neck: Long in length, upright position, very flexible.

Hackle: Dark-redish brown from the head down to where it will get lighter at the middle and once again darkens at the tip. The tip of the hackle should be pointy and not curved. The amount of "hackles" should be moderate and not too fluffy nor too tight. It should look like a cape covering the dark black chest but not all the way. The hackles will eclipse once the breeding season is over, revealing its black feathering underneath. However, most of the San Diego Zoo Specimens only eclipse 1/2 to 1/4 of the way. So far, I have not seen any specimen that has fully eclipsed.

Breast (Chest): Upright and full, yet slender. Feather should be completely black.

Back and Saddles: The back should be covered in shiny red feathers or we call them "saddles" that are located towards the end. These "feathers" should be pointy as well and not curved. There should be enough to cover the back but not too much. The saddles are medium in length and moderate in quantity, but very brightly colored in an exotic deep red.

Wings: The wingspan should be longer than the length of the fowl itself from the head to tail. It should contain more feathering than "meat" which gives them a good sudden take-off, thus, very good flyers and can fly pretty high. The feathering on the wing should be broke down into three colors. Brown at the tip, bluish-green black sheen in the middle and red at the very top (shoulder). The brown feathering should be very distinct as well as the other two colors. A perfect specimen should have three distinct sections with even coloring.

Overall Feathering: Appears to be almost identicle to the BBR (Black-Breasted Red) color of domestic chickens, but not quite because the coat is more "vibrant" in coloration then just the normal BBR color. The sheen is more greenish/purple/blue than most BBReds. 

Shanks, Legs, and Toes: The shank should be long in length, legs are well spread apart and tall as well but very strong looking. There are four toes on each foot and the front three are evenly spaced. The leg color should be blue/grey. Sometimes it may appear to be a wooden, moldy color, but again, it depends on the environment and certain gene expressions. A small few shows that moldy color, nevertheless, optimal is blue or grey. The feathering at the thigh should be tight - packed - and not loose. Should have the same structure as the gamecocks.

Spurs: Medium in length but narrow and pointy. The spur is carried close to the toes and curves slightly outward. Easy to tell the difference among other breeds (non-jungle fowls) because theirs would be thick and long. 

Tail & Main Sickles: The tail length should be moderate in length. There should only be around 6-8 feathers per side, not more than that. At the very top center, there should be two main sickles, one on each side besides the 6-8 flight tail feathers. In total, there should only be about 6-9 flight feathers per side. The two main sickles should be twice as long as the flight tailfeathers and be curving downwards at the very end. The picture above should yield a perfect example of its structure.

--------------------------------------------The Female---------------------------------------------

Comb: Very small in size. Firm and settled onto the head. The comb should be light in color and single. Some specimens will have a tiny grain-sized comb at the very beginning of the comb area (starting from the skull to the nose) and it fades off as it gets closer to the nose.

Eyes: Bright brown, sometimes redish/orange, and round.

Face: Often the redish face is rather "light pink" or pale during the breeding season and tends to turn a little lighter when not in season. It should consist of a very bone-to-skin like feature in which no loose skin should be seen. Very pheasant-like with much "meat & skin overlap" around the eyes rather than the face itself.

Beak: The beak should be medium length, yet pointy and narrow. Needs to have a good curve in which the lower beak will be evenly inlined with the top.

Wattles: Very small in size to none at all, however, some specimens will have smaller or larger wattles depending on climate conditions. Should be the same red color as the comb but not as light as the face. Rounded and free of wrinkles if any.

Earlobe: Most specimens will show the white earlobe when mature rather than when they were young. The white is not as white as the Phoenix or the American Onagadori in which sometimes it would look blue almost but it is white enough that it should be obvious. Some specimens are hard to see the "white" ear because females don't normally have that big of a earlobe to be easily seen. Often times, they appear to just be clear.

Neck: Medium in length, upright position, very flexible.

Hackle: Dark-brownish black from the head down to where it will get lighter at the middle and once again darkens at the tip. The tip of the hackle should be yellowish-orange, pointy and straight. The amount of "hackles" should be moderate and not too fluffy nor too tight. It should look like a cape covering the neck but not all the way, only moderate unlike the males.

Breast (Chest): Upright and full, yet slender.

Wings: The wingspan should be longer than the length of the fowl itself from the head to tail. It should contain more feathering than "meat" which gives them a good sudden take-off, thus, very good flyers and can fly pretty high. The shape of the wing is rather birdlike and flighty. Slim in size but powerfull at the joints.

Overall Feathering: A very nice coat that is lighter at the neck and chest and darket on the back and ends of the Junglefowl.

Legs and Toes: There are four toes on each foot and the front three are evenly spaced. The leg color should be blue to darkish grey. Sometimes it may appear to be a wooden, moldy color, but again, it depends on environment. The feathering at the thigh should be tight - packed - and not loose. Should have the same structure as the gamecock hens.

Spurs: Should be none on the females.

Tail & Main Sickles: The tail length should be moderate to short in length. There should only be around 6-7 feathers per side, not more than that. In total, there should only be about 6-8 flight feathers per side. It should be no other color than the dark black to brassy brown mixed in with black.

© 2008 Tommy Truong ©