Gamefowl

T

here are 4 breeds of Portuguese chickens, resulting from the domestication of the Asian wild rooster. They are easily distinguished through their colors.

The Galinha Pedrês Portuguesa, originally from Minho and eventually distributed throughout the country, is mainly admired in the North region, for its plumage, vitality, rusticity and resistance. It has always been associated with small landholdings and agricultural subsistence systems in Minho and Trás-os-Montes.

The Black Lusitanian Chicken is esteemed for the quality and delicacy of its meat, its ability to lay and hatch and for the sobriety and elegance of its black plumage. It has an ancient connection to witchcraft and occult practices, believed to offer protection against the evil eye.

The White Chicken is a common presence in Portuguese chicken coops. Its beauty, combined with the productivity and quality of its carcasses, makes it a reference. However, she is the one with the lowest fertility rates.

The Yellow Chicken is an indigenous breed, raised extensively in the northern region. It is distinguished by its rusticity and resistance, ability to adapt to the environment and productive aptitude. Their eggs are often used to make a variety of delicious traditional dishes and sweets. These chickens are associated with traditional fertility beliefs and are offered to saints such as Santa Justa and S. Bento.