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Chapter XXIII 
HOUDANS. 
There is no authentic information available as to the origin of the Hjudan Fowl, and no evidence that 
it is a distinct breed, it being generally recognised that the whole of the French Fowls are more or less 
closely allied to each other. Some authorities argue that it is a cross between the Creve and Sultan, with a 
top cross of the Dorking, though at the same time the Houdan, crossed with any other variety, possesses 
extraordinary powers of transmitting its main characteristics to the cross-bred stock, much more so than 
either the Creve or Sultan. Mr. Lewis \\'right considers the Houdan — and, in fact, all the French breeds — 
owe their origin to crosses between the Polish and Dorking, and in writing about the Houdan (" Practical 
Poultry Keeper," page i66), he says : — " This fowl in many respects resembles the Dorking, and Dorking 
blood has evidently been used in its composition, and that a cross between the latter and a White Poland 
would not be wide of the mark." The same authority also mentions that all the French breeds possess one 
point in common — that of being delicious eating. They, moreover, show in a very suggestive manner what 
may be done by a judicious system of crossing and subsequent selection in the way of founding new breeds, 
since they are evidently built upon the Polish Fowl as a foundation, obtaining from this race the juicy flesh, 
excellent laying properties, and absence of incubating instinct, whilst size has been added from foreign 
sources. The Australian climate, especially the central coastal districts, being similar to the French climate, 
the breed should do well here, but, no doubt, owing to the paucity of fresh blood, do not seem to have made 
much headway in the Colonies. 
The breed belongs to the Utility class of Poultry, but the Show craze for feather properties and fancy 
points— which can only be perpetuated by in-breeding — tends in a great measure to destroy their good virtues. 
It is a very tame and docile fowl, and one well suited for the ordinary householder's requirements, being a 
very good layer, and quite in the front rank as a table fowl, the chickens being very hardy, easily reared, and 
maturing early. 
One strongly-marked characteristic of the breed is the comparative smallness of the bones, which 
excellent feature is transmitted to the offspring when crossed with other varieties. Crossed with the Light 
Brahma the chickens grow at an amazing pace, the pullets lay early, and the cockerels are fit for table 
purposes at four months old. With the Langshan almost similar results are obtained ; with the Old Style 
Game and Indian Game Fowl a rather slower-maturing and smaller bird is produced, but of the very highest 
quality for the table, and the pullets are also fair average layers ; with the Dorking a fine large-framed bird^ 
early maturing, the pullets good layers, and for the table quite the best of all, owing to the abundance of fine 
white, juicy meat, the latter being abnormally developed on the breast, thighs, and wings. A Houdan cock 
turned down with a lot of common barndoor hens will work a marvellous change in the utility qualities of the 
stock in a single season, and if a fresh Houdan cock is used the following year with the stock so bred, 
splendid results from a practical and profitable point of view will be obtained. 
For the following notes we are indebted to Mr. J. H. Hemsworth, of May's Hill, Parramatta. New 
South Wales, who has bred and exhibited the variety for the past eight years. He states : — 
" One of the greatest traits in favour of the Houdan fowl is its extreme docility, possessing a natural 
tendency to be petted and admired ; therefore, as a farmer's or cottager's fowl, it is a useful and 
interesting breed to keep. The Houdan fowl has a heavy, bulky appearance, the plumage being black and 
white mottled, intermixed The hens are non-sitters, capital layers of good sized and well flavoured eggs ; 
and as a table fowl, I doubt if any breed can surpass the Houdan in this respect, the flesh being of extra 
