White Phoenix Chickens

Day Old White Phoenix Baby Chicks
Hatching February to July

White Phoenix Chickens are exceptional fowl; their beauty certainly rivals that of the White Peafowl. 

Although not usually raised for production purposes, these birds will add exquisite and elegant beauty to the poultry yard. Male White Phoenix Chickens are pure white, but with long shoulder hackles, long saddle hackles, and very long tail feathers. Due to the Onagadori lines, White Phoenix Chickens can have extravagantly long tails. Tail feathers are also thicker and denser in number. During molting, they will lose their tails, but these birds tend to have longer than usual non-molting periods, often skipping a year. Tails can reach over 4 feet long. Females do not have the long feathering, but are pretty birds, with a similar look to a game fowl. 

Production: The White Phoenix is not a production bird; they are an exhibition and ornamental fowl. They are a good breed for pet chickens. The hens can be very broody, and they lay small, cream-tinted eggs. 

Some care must be given to get birds with beautiful tails. Clean litter and high roosts are a must.

Temperament: White Phoenix Chickens are a breed meant for confinement. They need winter warmth and do well in hot weather. They are usually easy to handle and seem to enjoy human companionship, making them good pet chickens. White Phoenix Chickens are lively and can be talkative. 

History: Phoenix Chickens are a breed of chicken that originated with an ancient breed of Japanese chicken called an Onagadori. In the middle of the twentieth century, the Onagadoris were bred with European Game Fowl to add hardiness and vigor to the genetic lines. The resulting breed was called the Phoenix. There are various colors, with the Golden and Silver being the most widely available. The Silver was admitted into the APA Standard of Perfection in 1965, and the Golden in 1983. In the past couple of decades, Phoenix chickens are being bred back to their original Onagadori roots, resulting in long tails. Pure White Phoenix Chickens are still quite rare. 

APA Class: Not applicable.

Conservation Status: Threatened