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 Croad Langshan
Large fowl Origin: Asia Classification: Heavy, soft feather Egg colour: Brown Weight: Large fowl; male 4.1kg min, female 3.2kg min. Bantam; male 770-910g,
History Imported by Major Croad and the centre of some controversy – a black Cochin and black Langshan already existed, with some maintaining they were the same breed, while others suggested they were two separate Chinese breeds. Developed in the UK, this breed was called after its importer. The Modern Langshan was developed along different lines and is shown in a separate class at shows.
Characteristics Male Carriage: graceful, well balanced, active and intelligent. Type: back of medium length, broad and flat across the shoulders, the saddle well filling the angle between the back and the tail as seen in profile. In the male the back should appear shorter than in the female. Breast broad, deep and full (fuller in older birds) with long breastbone, the keel slightly rounded. Wings carried high and well tucked up. Tail fan-shaped, well spread to right and left and carried rather high; it should be level with the head when the bird stands in position of attention; side hangers plentiful and two sickle feathers on each side projecting some 15cm or more beyond the rest. Saddle rather abundantly furnished with hackles. Head: carried well back, small for size of bird, full over the eyes. Beak fairly long and slightly curved. Eyes large and intelligent. Comb single, upright, straight, medium or rather small, free from side sprigs, thick and firm at the base becoming rather thin, fine and smooth in texture, evenly serrated with five or six spikes (five preferred). Face free from feathers. Ear-lobes well-developed, pendant and fine in texture. Wattles fine in quality and rather small. Neck: of medium length, with full neck hackle. Legs and feet: legs sufficiently long to give a graceful carriage to the body which should be well balanced, an adult bird neither high nor low on the legs. Thighs rather short but long enough to let the hocks stand clear of fluff, well covered with soft feathers. Shanks medium length, well apart, feathered down outer sides (neither too scantily nor too heavily). Toes, four, straight, long and slender, the outer toe feathered. Plumage: rather soft, neither loose nor tight.
Female Similar to the male, allowing for normal sexual differences however hocks need not show in adult as she carries more fluff than the male. Cushion fairly full but not obtrusive. Tail may have two feathers slightly curved and projecting about 2.5cm beyond rest.
Colours Black, white. In both sexes and both colours, beak light to dark horn, eyes brown (the darker the better but not black), comb, face, wattles and ear-lobes bright red. Shanks bluish showing pink between the scales especially on the back and inner side of shank. In males intense red should show through the skin along the outer side at base of shank feathers. Toes, web and bottom of foot pinkish white, the deeper pink the better. Black spots here a serious fault. Toe nails white.
Defects Serious Yellow legs or feet, yellow in face at base of beak or edge of eyelids. Five toes, other than single comb, permanent white in ear-lobes. Grey in webbing of flights, black soles of feet. Vulture hocks. Objectionable Appreciable amount of purple or blue barring. Decidedly purple or blue tinge to feathers, light eyes, yellow iris. Squirrel tail. Scarcity or absence of leg and foot feather. |