What moves a person to become a dedicated breeder?

Stories about the conservation of breeds can often be dry, if not dull, but more often than not when you get to the passion at its core stories can become powerful and engaging, contagious even. The intention and the goal of supporting threatened breeds is a noble one, but it’s the people along the way that one encounters and the challenges they meet that makes the effort interesting and inspiring.

We began a journey seven years ago looking for White Face Black Spanish at the encouragement of Dr. Keith Bramwell and Frank Reese. It had become clear by speaking to a few APA judges, conservationist that this great foundational breed was in trouble.

We have all heard the reasons about the decline in standard bred large fowl; few breeders are now focused on them, the flocks are small, feed is expensive and fewer have the time and space to focus on them. As a result, viable breeding populations with genetic diversity are diminishing.

White Face Black Spanish chickens are a fowl with ancient origins. It seems certain that they date back to at least the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula, but likely much earlier. Scholars believe Phoenician traders were responsible for much trade and disbursement of goods and livestock much earlier than previously recognized. They became an important foundational breed to the Mediterranean class of fowl and through the mists of time continue to capture us with their striking appearance and generous egg production.

Seven years ago our flock of White Face Black Spanish came to us at Moss Mountain Farm through Jim Bell, a dedicated and knowledgeable keeper of poultry in eastern Tennessee. When I first met Jim he had kept a flock of large fowl Spanish for 38 consistent years. As he recounted to me, he was a kid always interested in poultry. His father recognized this and told Jim at 9 years old to go through a local poultry show and choose any breed he wanted. Jim did just that. When he saw for the first in his life the strikingly beautiful large fowl White Spanish on display he knew without hesitation in that moment that this was the breed for him. He shared this story with the same enthusiasm he must have had when he first brought birds home. Jim kept Spanish and continued to improve them for the next 39 years. His story inspired and continues to inspire me.

We were fortunate to get to know Jim, for many reasons. His kind, earnest and gentle manner was refreshing. His dedication to the conservation of breeds as well as his family farm naturally drew you into him.

White Face Black Spanish and P. Allen Smith

First, we received a generous batch of Spanish eggs that were picked up and brought to Arkansas by Carroll Moreland on March 1, 2013. Carroll, upon arrival at Jim’s place, was taken by Jim and the care he took of his family’s farm and his flocks. Carroll brought the eggs and enthusiasm for Jim’s work to Moss Mountain Farm. As luck would have it, we had a less than a stellar hatch from the eggs due to an incubator mishap, but what few hatched flourished.

I must admit I was slightly disheartened by the meager flock we had managed to get going with the eggs when Jim on a phone call one day said ‘well, why don’t you just let me hatch you a pen of these’, and he did. That’s how we came to keep Spanish today. Since then we have only outcrossed them once with a male sent to us by Lew Wallace who, at the time, was keeping some of Duane Urch’s line. The outcross was nothing short of explosive.

But, from where do those outcrosses come in the future? And where are the breeders of the future who are so passionate about a breed that they keep them for 39 years? A year after we had a solid flock established Jim shared with me that someone or persons had come on to his farm and stolen his entire flock of Spanish. He had unwittingly shared images of his birds and the location of his farm on Facebook, such as many of us do, and then they were taken from him.

Black Face White Spanish when shocked about the news of Jim’s flock.

Such a loss is bewildering and devastating; heightened by all of the years of dedication. I asked Jim, time and again, if we could get birds back to him to restore his flock. He refused. He had lost something more than the birds themselves. We lost a dedicated advocate of a fragile breed. This was and continues to be very hard to accept.

I give Jim Bell credit for the conservation of a line of such an important breed. Jim is one of those grounded, silent stewards who is a champion that has worked tirelessly to perpetuate a breed out of passion and a deep desire to see the breed prosper. I’m sure similar stories abound. We just need more knowledgeable and committed enthusiasts like Jim, now and in the future.

The Heritage Poultry Conservancy will support a heritage breed initiative at the Ohio National Show in 2020. For more information about the the Heritage Poultry Conservancy join us on Facebook at Chicken Chat.

Spanish Chicken

The Spanish (Mediterranean Class) are a non-sitting egg breed that lays a large white egg and has white skin, a single comb, and large white ear lobes. The full correct name for this breed and variety is White Faced Black Spanish. The only variety recognized is the White Faced Black. White Faced Black Spanish was admitted to the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection in 1874.

Standard Weights

Cock: 8 lbs.

Hen: 6.5 lbs.

Cockerel: 6.5 lbs.

Pullet: 5.5 lbs.

The Spanish are a large angular egg-type breed. The body is long and only moderately wide and of sufficient depth to support high egg production. In general, the body is held upright with the breast carried high and well forward. The backline slopes from front to back with a slight break at the junction of the back and tail. The tail itself is long and moderately well spread and carried at an angle of 40-45 degrees. The legs are long and the underline should be trim and smooth with the profile of the hocks being very evident. The most distinguishing feature of the Spanish is its elaborate white face. The larger the white area the better, on mature birds there should be no trace of red anywhere on the face. The earlobes extend into a large "bib" that ideally reaches down to and sometimes below the ends of the wattles. The texture of the face should be smooth and free of large wrinkles or folds. The comb is single and should lop over to one side on females but should stand erect on males. In color, the plumage should be solid black and the shanks are lead blue to black, the face and earlobes are white, while the comb and wattles are bright red.

The name for this breed, White Faced Black Spanish, came about in order to distinguish it from the Minorca when that breed was called the Red-Faced Black Spanish. The Spanish are oddly enough not believed to have originated in Spain. Perhaps the only possible direct connection this breed has to Spain was long ago during the early 1500s. But this is just a guess because there is no description or illustration of White Faced Black Spanish in Spanish history.

The breed is actually believed to have been developed in Holland, in the 18th century, or earlier, from the old Castilian breed, which came from Spain. The reason that it is believed to have been developed in Holland is because of several accounts of "Spanish" that were imported to England from Holland. The breed became a sensation and spread quickly, by the latter part of the 18th century it was well known. While it was in England the breed most likely contributed to the genetics of the Andalusian while that breed was being established. The earliest specific date associated with it in America is 1825, when "John Oldbird", stated that he first saw them in that year. From then until about 1895 the Spanish was one of the best known improved breeds of chickens in this country.

The white face, which has been developed to a great extent, was at first moderate in size. When the Minorca and Leghorn breeds began to replace it as the favorite egg breed, the Spanish was then bred more along with the exhibition rather than utility lines. It was at this point that extreme white covering in the face was bred and selected for and competition to produce the largest white face led to abnormal development.

When poultry keepers in this country first discovered the Spanish they rated them as remarkable layers of large, white eggs. In fact, as late as 1895 there were many large farm flocks of Spanish and many poultry keepers who specialized in market eggs had used this breed. The great objection to them was that as chicks they were delicate. Even with this handicap, they were still great favorites with all classes of poultry keepers until after the Leghorns rose to popularity, and the hardier Black Minorcas came to America. The rise of the Black Minorca, more than anything else, put a rather abrupt termination to interest in the Spanish. From about 1895 and after, Spanish has been rare in this country. It is only at long intervals that an attractive lot of good birds are shown. This breed could use more serious breeders to improve quality and increase numbers.

In temperament, the Spanish are somewhat flighty and active, though not as bad as some other Mediterranean breeds. The hens are great egg layers of large white eggs and the males are very active breeders. Thanks to their active nature Spanish are good foragers and require a tall fence or an enclosure with a top to prevent them from flying over. Wing trimming can also be used to contain them to a certain area if the showing is not a concern. At this time they are generally hardy; however, care must be taken in colder climates to prevent frostbite on the combs. At first, the large white face may be thought of as grotesque to some but after a while, the contrast between the large white face and the coal-black plumage often becomes very striking and attractive. Breeding a top-quality Spanish can be a bit of a challenge. Getting the large full white face free from any red markings can be difficult but is often done so at the neglect of other important characteristics. As with any of the large fowl breeds, body size should be taken into account; additionally, continual observations should be made with breeding stock to maintain good body shape. Luckily the solid black color is easy to breed with few complications.

Bantam Spanish

Both the APA and the American Bantam Association (ABA) recognize the bantam White Faced Black Spanish (single comb clean legged class). The White Faced Black Spanish bantam was created in Arkansas by Joe Templeton by using a combination of Black Minorca and Rosecomb bantams. The shape and color requirements are the same as for large fowl. Like the large fowl, the bantam version is not very common though it is gaining some popularity in certain parts of the country. The APA only recognizes the White Faced Black, while the ABA also recognizes the White Faced Blue.

Standard Weights

Cock: 30 oz.

Hen: 26 oz.

Cockerel: 26 oz.

Pullet: 22 oz.

Prepared by Michael Schlumbohm and Keith Bramwell, Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Works Cited
Robinson, John H. Popular Breeds of Domestic Poultry. Dayton: Reliable Poultry Journal, 1924.
Brown, Edward. Races of Domestic Poultry. Liss: Nimrod Book Services, 1985.
The American Standard of Perfection Illustrated: A Complete Description of All Recognized Breeds and Varieties of Domestic Poultry. Burgettstown, PA: American Poultry Association, 2010.
Bantam Standard for the Breeder, Exhibitor, and Judge. 2011 ed. Kansas City: Covington Group, 2011.