When the cost of a dozen “free run” or “free range” eggs reached $6.00 at the local grocery store, we decided it was more economical to keep a couple of hens on the place. If only things were that easy. Instead of two we got five pullets, and a handsome rooster completed the group. The idea of hatching eggs was just the next step, which was so much fun that we thought we may as well put our effort into a heritage breed. Over the following year we tried a few breeds like Barred Plymouth Rocks and Partridge Chantecler, but none really satisfied our desire for a certain look. Our first hansom, random bred rooster remained the jewel in our collection, and we decided to create a breed in his image using his genetics.
Our foundation rooster
The Salt Spring Pheasant Fowl’s most striking feature is the golden partridge color of their plumage. This provides excellent camouflage especially for the females. The roosters are black breasted, caped with golden hackles and have a red saddle ending in orange saddle feathers. Primary flights are orange; primary coverts are blue. All tail feathers are green with long sickles. The whole appearance should be brilliant and remind of a pheasant. They have rose combs with small waddles. The Salt Spring Pheasant fowl is intended as a good size bird with roosters around 8 lbs. Hens are proportionally smaller. Like other heritage breeds pullets start laying at around five months old. Eggs shells are of a light brown or pink color.
The birds are alert and the roosters very watchful. They blend into the pasture environment where they forage efficiently. The hens will go broody and can hatch and raise the next generation on their own. We found the chicks to be resilient and hardy.
The origin of our foundation rooster is completely unknown. Relatives in his image are still roaming the old family farm from where we got him, where chickens of all breeds are allowed to mingle and cross breed at their will. To a certain extent, this cross-breeding at lib has resulted in the appearance of the birds – especially that of the males – reverting to a Jungle Fowl look. Rose combs are a prominent feature in that population. Our hens’ genetics have a background of Partridge Chantecler, Partridge Cochin, Brown Leghorn, and Dark Cornish. There is much work to be done in perfecting size, shape, comb, and plumage and assure that these featured breed true, but since chickens are easy keepers, the challenge should be great fun.
One of our foundation hens
Second generation breeding rooster
Hens are well camouflaged
A relative of the original rooster