Poultrymad Minorca

The Minorca is widely accepted as being a development of the Castilian, the common black fowl of Spain. The name Minorca being derived from the port from which the birds were exported. Minorcas can be traced back to 1780 but until the early 1900's, the breed's popularity was confined to the South-Western areas of the UK, especially for egg production. The breed became more popular around the British Isles and in 1888, six classes at the Crystal Palace Show attracted 120 entries and the Minorca was one of the top rated breeds at the exhibition.

The head of the Minorca is very striking in appearance with the solid red comb and white lobes. In the male bird the comb must stand upright without falling to one side, with the serrations or spikes clearly defined and evenly distributed.

In the male the lobes should be solid white and measure 7 cm (2¾ inches) by 3.8 cm (1½ inches) according to the standard. The surface of the lobe must be smooth and should be soft to the touch.

The female's comb, instead of being upright, should fold neatly over to one side, either side is acceptable and when in its natural position should not obstruct the bird's vision. When held upright the formation and distribution of the spikes should be identical to the male's comb. The lobes on the female can be more circular than the oval shape of the male bird. The face on both sexes should be smooth and free from feathering.

The Minorca can also be in a rosecomb version. This comb should fit closely to the head, evenly covered with small points. The breed has been very successfully miniaturised from the large fowl. Black is the main colour in Minorcas but Blues and Whites are also standardised but not as popular.

Weights