Phoenix Chicken

     The Phoenix is a German breed of Long-tailed Chickens. It was derived from the cross-breeding of imported Long-tailed Japanese birds similar to the Onagadori, with other European game chicken breeds and Leghorns. The Phoenix was developed for the purpose of maintaining the Onagadori’s beautiful traits, while increasing the durability and stamina of the bird.

     The Phoenix does have a very beautiful and showy long tail, that reaches several feet (90 cm or more) but not as tall as the tail of its ancestor. This bird shares some ancestral lines with the Yokohama long-tailed chicken breed too. The Phoenix is a highly ornamental chicken breed, that needs high perches and tight, dry places to maintain feather quality.

     Phoenix hens don’t lay many eggs (around 45 tinted eggs per year) but they go broody and make wonderful mothers. These birds are small and generally docile, and come in multiple color-varieties including gold, silver, black, golden-duckwing and silver-duckwing. Phoenixes have single combs, white earlobes and slate-blue legs. A bantam version is also available for this breed.