'Artistic impression of Maltese Black cock' by Marlene Gouder
Black Maltese Chicken
Family
Phasianidae
Scientific Name
Gallus domesticus
Basic Animal Group
Birds
Diet
Omnivorous
Length
50-60cm
Weight
~ 2 - 3.2kgs
Wingspan
~ 70 - 90cm
Incubation Period
~ 21 days
Clutch
~ 1 clutch/ year (up to 200 eggs/clutch)
Origin
Malta
Lifespan
5 - 10 years
Characteristics
Fun Facts
- Maltese black chicken are nervous, very hardy, rustic breed of chicken which are ideal for free range and organic farming.
- This breed was created by the Maltese Government at the Governmental Experimental Farm of Għammieri in 1933 under the directions of Cesareo. The main scope was to create a breed of chicken capable to produce a good supply of food and above all to be resistant to local diseases.
- This breed started from about twenty black chickens that were obtained from various sources across the Maltese Islands. The black colour was chosen due to its genetic dominance in chicken to eliminate the traits of other feather colours more easily. A number of generations were obtained from this nucleus of fowl which was later introduced to the Minorca Fowl breed to improve the colour of the feathers and egg size.
- Maltese black chicken exists only on the Maltese Islands which is currently an endangered breed due to competition of other highly productive conventional fowl.
- Maltese black chicken standard was published on an International Scientific Journal and for the first time on the World’s Poultry Science Journal, Vol. 70 in June 2014 as published by G. Attard and P. Aquilina et al.