The Cubalaya is a

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

breed A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...

of domestic

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...

. It is the only chicken breed with official recognition from the Asociación Nacional de Avicultura, the Cuban national poultry association. It derives from

Sumatra Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...

and

Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...

birds brought to Cuba from the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, and was bred as a triple-purpose breed, for meat, eggs and cock-fighting.

History

In the middle 19th century, the

Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance peoples, Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of National and regional identity in Spain, national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex Hist ...

brought to

Havana, Cuba Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

, several varieties of

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

tic game fowl that originated in the Philippine Islands. The Cubans crossed the Asiatic breeds, and subsequently re-crossed them with birds of European origin. These birds were then selectively bred for wide, extended tails and a curving beak, fierce eyes, and a courageous expression. In this manner the Cubalaya was created, independent from any scientific control. In 1935, the Asociacion Nacional de Avicultura (the Cuban national poultry association) approved the breed. Their name was chosen in honor of the Republic of Cuba, which had patronized and refined them. The Cubalaya was first shown in the U.S. at the International Poultry Exhibition in 1939, and was recognized by the

American Poultry Association The American Poultry Association (APA) is the oldest poultry organization in the North America. It was founded in 1873, and incorporated in Indiana in 1932. The first American poultry show was held in 1849, and the APA was later formed in respo ...

in the same year; the bantam is recognized by the

American Bantam Association The American Bantam Association is a poultry fancy association for breeders of bantam poultry. It publishes the ''Bantam Standard'', with detailed descriptions of all the bantam breeds and varieties that it recognizes; in most – but not all � ...

Characteristics

Cubalayas are characterized by their stately carriage; pea comb; abundant, flowing hackle feathers and long, well-spread tail carried about 20 degrees below the horizontal. They have a friendly, curious disposition, are very heat tolerant and make excellent foragers when allowed to range. The hens lay small eggs and are good brooders. The breed has been developed in standard and bantam size. Standard-sized cocks weigh on average and hens ; bantam cocks weigh about and hens about . Three colors were allowed by the original Cuban standard: black, black-breasted red and white; many others were bred in Cuba at the time. The same three colors are accepted by both the APA and the ABA.

References

{{reflist, refs= Un legado a las generaciones futuras: Apoyo a la conservación y uso de los Recursos Genéticos
(in Spanish). Asociación Cubana de Producción Animal: ''Revista ACPA'', special edition 2005. Accessed August 2014.
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Accessed August 2014. APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties: As of January 1, 2012
American Poultry Association. Archived 4 November 2017. Carlos F. Caballe (July 1944). ''Las Cubalayas: A Genuine Cuban Breed''. Originally published: ''Tribuna Avicola'', July 1944; translated Braulio Saenz, 1968, reprinted (2000) i
''Bulletin of the Society for Preservation of Poultry Antiquities''
5: 7. Carol Ekarius (2007). ''Storeys Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds''. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing. {{ISBN, 9781580176682. {{nobreak, p. 143–44. Birds of Cuba Chicken breeds Chicken breeds originating in Cuba