Cubalay Chickens

Facts about Cubalay chickens. The Cubalay Chickens are a Cuban breed, bred from chickens that previously originated in the Philippines. The name Cubalay is in honor of Cuba.
The Cubalay chickens were bred for wide tails and a curved beak. It has a pea comb, flowing feathers and a large tail. The Cubalay chickens feathers may be black, white or red. Those with cream feathers usually lighten with age. This chicken is best known for its thick downward angled tail with lavish feathers, reminiscent of a peacock. They do not have spurs on their feet.

The Cubalay chicken breed was formally recognized in Cuba in 1935 and the U.S. in 1939.

The Cubalay chickens lay small eggs that are often of natural brown and yellow shades. Breeds like the Cubalay chickens do produce eggs. Conversely, they live longer than chickens bred to simply lay eggs, up to two years longer. They can start breeding at seven months of age but reach full maturity in two years. Some breeds of Cubalay are smaller than their predecessors due to inbreeding, a problem compounded by their slow growth overall.
The standard male is 5 pounds (2.2), the female at maturity about three pounds (1.3 kg).

The Cubalay chicken regularly forages for insects to supplement its feed and will eat grass. The Cubalay chicken are good foragers for seeds, insects and anything else they can eat. These birds can live as free-range chickens.

The Cubalay is very tame for a chicken. The chicks are easy to handle and will eat from someone’s hand almost immediately. However, they lack a natural fear of predators unless it is learned from other birds. The Cubalay chicken are non-aggressive to other birds and can be placed in mixed flocks, and they are not aggressive toward people even if their eggs are collected.

The Cubalay chickens are hardy and healthy. They have good disease resistance but are prone to Mareks. Although bred in Cuba, their thick layers of feathers make them cold tolerant, but they can tolerate the heat as well.