Bourbonnaise

The Bourbonnaise, or poule Bourbonnaise, is a rare French chicken from the Bourbonnais region of central France, especially the Allier area. It developed from regional farm fowl selected for household meat and eggs rather than from a modern commercial program. The usual type is a sturdy, medium-sized bird with clean legs, a single red comb, and light plumage marked with black in the neck and tail, often described as an ermine or light Columbian pattern. It belongs to the group of French local breeds that became scarce as standardized industrial poultry replaced village strains.

Small farms and preservation breeders keep Bourbonnaise chickens as a dual-purpose bird with traditional table qualities and useful laying ability. They grow more slowly than broilers and need ordinary free-range or yard management, secure roosting quarters, and feed that supports both growth and egg production. Because the breed is uncommon outside France, buyers should confirm the flock's background and not rely on color alone. Breeding work usually centers on maintaining size, vigor, clean leg type, and the correct light plumage pattern.

Colors: Barred, Birchen, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Columbian, Crele, Cuckoo, Duckwing, Gold, Gold Laced, Laced, Lavender, Mille Fleur, Mottled, Partridge, Penciled, Porcelain, Red, Silver, Silver Laced, Spangled, Splash, Wheaten, White