I had never heard of this breed so I googled it and WOW how interesting. after reading this I don't know how much luck you will have in finding one though.

CI

Chantecler Chicken History

Article by Wayne Smith

The Chantecler has the most unique beginnings of any of our present fowl.

The exact development of most breeds of poultry is either not known, or the exact method of their development blurred by time and circumstance. Some breeds just seemed to happen as a the result of the efforts of many people trying to improve the production qualities of the birds on their farm. Eventually these breeds gained recognition from poultry men and standards were developed.

In August of 1907 at a French speaking agricultural college in Oka, Quebec, Canada a humble Cistercian monk, Brother Wilfred Chatalain, had a visit from his father. Brother Wilfred, having been in charge of the poultry section of the college for several years, took his father on a tour of the flocks. He showed him the many breeds of chickens that were kept by the collage at that time. After observing the Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, and several other breeds the elder Chatalain said; " This is all very well, but the Canadian breed-where is it?" As a result of his fathers question Brother Wilfred decided to create a unique Canadian breed.

The Chantecler was indeed a unique bird. From it's inception it was designed to fit into the Canadian climate and at the same time to have good production qualities. To avoid freezing the comb had to be small with proportionately small wattles. White plumage would cover a body abundant in meat and able to lay eggs in abundance during the cold Canadian winters. Characteristics of purely fancy character where to be avoided so that production qualities could be concentrated on.

In 1908 having first fixed the image of the bird he wished to create in his mind, the creation of the Canadian hen was begun with the crossing of a Dark Cornish rooster and a White Leghorn hen in one flock and the crossing of a Rhode Island Red cock and a White Wyandotte hen in another flock. Plymouth Rock blood was added in later breedings.

In 1918 the war in Europe ended and in Canada "The Association of the Canadian Hen Chantecler" was formed. The members of this association were the only people allowed to breed this new chicken and they were controlled by some very stringent rules. 1) Members could not sell, lease, lend, give or exchange any live birds or hatching eggs to anyone not a member of the association. 2) Each member was required, on request, to give the directors of the association a complete list of all their birds with as far as possible a detailed description of each bird. 3) Each breeder was required to bring or send all his birds in their first year to an annual meeting.

Here judges appointed by the association directors would examine the birds. Birds deemed unfit for breeding were killed and the money paid to the owner of the bird. 4) The breeder must keep for breeding only the birds approaching standard type and breed only Chantecler.

In 1919 a registration system was started. A sealed leg band bearing the initials of the association was placed on the leg of each bird conforming to the standard.

One can see how it was possible to bring the Chantecler from non-existence in 1908 to acceptance in the APA's "Standard of Perfection" in 1921 a mere 13 years.

Although, around 1979, some individuals thought this marvellous breed to be extinct this belief was based on research done at the hatchery level. The small farm and back yard breeders in Quebec and Ontario were not consulted and therefore their birds were overlooked. It is my opinion that the original Oka strain exists to day, along with a strain that was recreated from Brother Wilfred's writings.

According to Rare Breeds Canada's figures for the year 2003 there are between 1750 and 2250 Chanteclers worldwide. Most of the population outside of Canada is in the United States.

The current Canadian population is estimated at between 1000 and 1500 with most of the birds Quebec and Ontario. As the figures show more breeders are needed if this breeds genetic diversity is to be maintained.

Copyright 2001 - Wayne Smith. Reprinted with the Author's permission. It originally appeared on his website: http://jubileeacres.fateback.com/chanteclerbywayne.html

About the author: Wayne Smith is a hobby farmer in South Western Ontario Canada. He got his start in poultry from his father in law Kenneth LeNeve around 1962. Wayne has authored several articles about poultry and related subjects. You may read some of these articles on his web site at http://Jubileeacres.fateback.com or contact Wayne at: wordsmith@fastmail.ca

I want them for their hardy cold resistant properties (I'm in Canada) and also because of their heritage. They are also a good all around dual purpose brown egg and meat chicken.

I've found a few people in Ontario that have them. Hoping to get some chicks.

runningtrails -- I have some Chantecler hens, and roosters (too many of them). I'm down to about 16 hens right now, I gave away a few last year to get another flock started. If you have found some breeders,, I would LOVE to get another rooster. I think it's time I got some fresh blood into my brood.

I wouldn't have hens to give away this year, but if I get another rooster, I would have extra next year. That would get some new blood into each flock. Let me know if you have a rooster source, then we can get in touch my e-mail.

I see you're in GTA, I'm just outside Brantford -Woodstock area, so at most we're only 2 hours apart

I also have never heard of Chanteclers before - what a terrific breed! I found chicks available at ideal poultry, but I am not sure if they ship to Canada.

Performance Poultry has them, and shipping wouldn't be much to you at all. Seems to me he had 2 varieties (3?).

Hi Dunwaukin! I found a source in the GTA. I have given them your email page. Can they access that if they are not members? She'll let me know, I'm sure.

They do sound like a great breed! I'd like to see them make a comback here in Canada, where they started. I'll be getting some other breeds, as well.

Runningtrails -- the e-mail listed on my page is closed --we changed providers-- -- but I couldn't figure out how to update it -- I must not be looking in the right place. My new e-mail is mlbrown AT silomail.com.

My girls have started laying -- for the past two weeks. Just a couple eggs a day, and they've stopped with this cold snap. But once it warms up a little bit, they'll get going. I don't use lights on my birds -- I have them more for the heritage aspect than for the egg production aspect.

If you are thinking of breeding them, my experience has been that later season hatches are more predominantly hens than roosters. My early season hatches go 60-75% males. So now I don't let them go broody until late June, early July. I've even had chicks hatch in SEptember, who were fine to go through the winter.

That's great info, Dunwaukin! I'll keep that in mind about the breeding. Good to know!

I gave them you email address.
You can change your GW email here:
http://members.gardenweb.com/members/

It's under "Edit your personal information..."

Dunwaukin, just to save a little frustration, what I found when I tried to edit my info last year, is that you have to erase EVERYTHING, even if it is sitting there, all correct. If you don't enter it ALL new, then the site won't take any of the alterations. Go to Member Pages, from the bottom of this page, and/or then as above....

Hi everybody

When I updated my page I had to click on the two privacy policies and the two terms of service before I could update. I didn't read them again, just opened them and closed them. No problems after that.

I am looking to make connections and locate sources for white Chantecler Chickens so I am ready to go in the Spring of 2010.

I know that they are scarce and hard to find. They are an endangered heritage breed that I would like to help preserve with a small home flock.

That means I need connections to keep changing roosters.

Initially I would like to obtain my hens and rooster from separate sources.

Please get in touch with me if you raise Chanteclers or know of someone who does.

Thanks you!!!

jim

I appreciate the responses and leads I have been receiving.

As I search for our Chanteclers (spring 2010 startup) do i need to limit to one color? or can the three colors be mixed in a flock and bred by the same rooster?

I assume this will result in some of all colors OR will it result in mixed colors that are not one of the three (white/buff/partridge)breed colors

My first thought was a white flock .. but I am getting info on the others.

anyone have experience mixing their Chantecler flock?

Thanks

Jim

I have sent you an email this evening re a contact for Chanteclers in my area (Southern Ontario).

I have read that only the white or partridge are recognized as being chanteclers. Both Ideal and another hatchery in the States advertise different colours, including buff and red Chanteclers, so not quite sure what you are getting with those.
One breeder says on their site that the partridge and white must be kept separate as they are different strains of the breed.(I don't know, just passing this on fwiw)
I'm also looking for some chicks for the coming year. It will cost me well over $100 in just shipping to get them from Performance poultry so looking to see if there are other options.