Rare long-tailed chickens
Introduction
There are few publications in the Western cultures of the world that describe the basic requirements of long-tailed birds.
Nearly four years in the making, Long Tailed Fowl, a guide to the history and management of long-tailed birds, provides information that will delight anyone interested in these beautiful birds.
Those who wish to keep birds carrying the non-molting genes especially require specialized knowledge that is presented clearly and concisely. Included are chapters on history, housing, grooming, dietary requirements, husbandry and flock management, with practical information relevant to long-tailed breeds. Centuries-old Japanese breeding methods are combined with current knowledge and practice to present a comprehensive and indispensable source of information for enthusiasts.
History
Other breeds outside of Japan, such as the Phoenix and Yokohama, have been mistakenly called “Onagadori”, but the Onagadori is a specific breed, distinct from any other. It becomes obvious that no other breed of bird can claim the name when it is clearly understood what an Onagadori is: the possessor of a unique genetic makeup that causes males of the breed to go years without molting certain groups of tail feathers. a time when given the right environment.
The breed is believed to have originated from a mix of red and green junglefowl, inheriting some traits from each ancestor. To this day, there is a breed in Java called the Bekisar which is a hybrid of a male Green Jungle Fowl and a Red Jungle Fowl. The resulting male offspring are usually sterile. However, occasionally a partially fertile male will be produced. These hybrids carry the tail genes of the Onagadori, as well as the long cluck gene of breeds such as Tomaru, Denizli, Totenko, and Koeyoshi. The latter two breeds are not known to exist in the United States at the time of this writing.
One could imagine from this current hybrid how the Onagadori could have been produced in the early days of the breed’s development before it was homozygous for its best-known traits.
The Onagadori was not just another ‘pretty face’ bred simply to appear attractive. It served a purpose long ago in Tosa, now Kochi, where it was developed. Farmers who raised the birds are said to have used the tail feathers as a form of tax payment to the regional Daimyo of the Shogun prefecture during Japan’s feudal period. These breeders were then exempt from paying monetary taxes. The feathers were used to adorn the ceremonial spears and helmets of these military officers. This ornamentation made the Tosa procession instantly recognizable.
Queues weren’t always the length they are today. The trait started with just a few birds that had slightly longer than normal tails, perhaps only two or three feet long. Through selective breeding and a high level of care on the part of their keepers, the tails attained greater length over time. A few centuries later, tails of nine feet or more were becoming more common.
In the early 1920s, some breeders began using special cages for roosters. The same style of cage is still used today. Japanese breeders call these cages tomebako, or “stop box.” The name “stop box” comes about because of the practice of using the box to keep the rooster calm, prevent its hormones from fluctuating, and thus suppress the regular pattern of shedding of tail covers, sickles, and claws. saddle feathers, which usually occurs every one to two years. However, about 20% to 40% of these feathers can still molt even in the best quality Onagadori. The main tail feathers are of extreme length compared to other breeds but shed regularly unlike hoods, sickles and saddles.
The non-molting gene
When the males of the non-molting lines are five to ten months old, they can begin to be kept in a tomebako. The best male should be chosen with health, temperament, and tail plumage in mind. Those that exhibit a calm temperament with many multi-feathers and a good length of feathers are the ones to choose to further develop into tomebako. At this time, broken or damaged tail or saddle feathers can be carefully plucked out and allowed to regrow. The tomebako is a wooden box approximately six feet tall, three feet wide, and nine inches deep. Its interior construction is such that the bird, the bird’s tail and the dropping tray each have their own compartment. Roosters raised in this way must have daily contact with their keepers. At least one hour of exercise and daily walks are required. Males should also be kept warm during the winter, a temperature of at least 50ºF to 55ºF.
The onagadori are Gt/Gt mt/mt Mf/Mf. Bars and pairing denote homozygosity. Other long-tailed breeds, such as the Phoenix, are Gt/Gt Mt+/Mt+ Mf/Mf, meaning they have the dominant trait for the regular shedding cycle rather than the recessive trait for not shedding. Chickens that are not long-tailed varieties are gt+/ gt+ Mt+/Mt+, which means they lack the trait of rapid growth of tail and saddle feathers, as well as the trait of not moulting.
dietary requirements
A good diet will consist of a very natural menu, similar to the wild grains Jungle Fowl would eat. High-gluten grains such as corn, wheat, barley, millet, and milo should be avoided. These grains sometimes pass through the body undigested and are eaten again by birds. In fact, such grains would have to go through the digestion of a hen twice for complete absorption of all the nutrients. Grains like oatmeal and brown rice are preferable as they are more digestible. Nutrition is important with all poultry, but especially long-tailed breeds. Empty foods should be avoided, foods low in nutrition and high in sugars are not good for them.
Protein is an important part of the diet, but the source of that protein must be examined. All proteins are not created equal, vegetable protein is not easily utilized. Neither plant protein nor protein from poultry by-products, such as feathers and ground bones, will fully meet your nutritional needs. What they need is animal protein, ideally from marine fish. Said fish not only has a type of protein that can be used efficiently, but also has valuable vitamins, omega oils and essential fatty acids for good health. Many of the birds in Kochi, Japan are fed fish as Kochi is a coastal prefecture and fish is widely available.
Breeding
Breeding techniques are a major topic of discussion with these birds. The choice of a mate should be based on several considerations, all of which will influence the next generation. Not only should due thought be given to the choice of the two individuals involved, but the qualities of each bird’s parent should also be examined.
A matchup should be based on health first. If both birds are healthy, the next consideration is the relationship between them. If they are siblings, mating should be avoided. Online parenting from father to daughter, son to mother, nephew to aunt, uncle to niece, and grandchildren to grandparents is acceptable, but pairing siblings is not advisable. This would combine the same recessive genetic traits as line breeding, but with the disadvantage of producing birds that are possibly homozygous for bad or weak genes.
However, raising siblings together for a single generation will usually reveal most of the recessive traits. The resulting offspring can be a useful bird to breed with, as good and bad traits can emerge, revealing what should be bred and what traits should be perpetuated. If these inbred birds are used, it must be to cross birds of good type and resistance.
The breeder must know the lineage of each bird in a flock. A flock size of forty hens and ten roosters is an adequate base to start a serious breeding program. This obviously takes some time to achieve as only the best birds are selected from the bred.
Cleanliness
Daily contact with Onagadori, or birds raised that way, will allow the birds to get used to regular maintenance. This includes clipping toenails, dewclaws, and upper jaw, all of which have accelerated growth rates in Onagadori. Phoenix has a similar fast growth rate in these areas, though not as fast as Onagadori, and trimming should be practiced as needed.
As discussed in a previous chapter, it may be necessary to trim the upper jaw with a guillotine-type dog nail clipper if feather scratching becomes a problem. While this is rare in quality animals, the upper jaw may still require trimming if it grows too large and is likely to be eaten. In this case, the lower tip of the upper jaw should be trimmed so that it protrudes slightly from the tip of the lower jaw.
The lower jaw rarely needs trimming. There is very little room for error due to the layout of the inside of the mouth, the meat inside it, and the blood vessel that sits very close to the tip. If trimming is ever necessary, a nail file is preferable to nail clippers, and work carefully, shaping it to the proper profile.
More on this topic
These topics and more are explained in greater depth in the book. Long-tailed birds, their history and care by David Rogers and Toni-Marie Astin.
