If you open an official poultry guidebook, you will not see chickens organized by color or personality. Instead, you will see them organized into “Classes.”
Just like the dog world organizes breeds into groups like “Working Dogs” or “Toy Dogs,” the American Poultry Association (APA) organizes all large, standard chickens into six official classes. They base these classifications mostly on geography—where the bird originally came from—and purpose—what the bird was built to do.
Understanding these six classes gives you a cheat sheet for building your backyard flock. If you know a bird’s class, you instantly know how it handles the cold, how many eggs it might lay, and what kind of personality it likely has.
The six classifications are American, Asiatic, English, Mediterranean, Continental, and All Other Standard Breeds (AOSB). Let’s travel the world and explore exactly what makes each class unique in simple, easy-to-understand language.
1. The American Class: The Homestead Heroes
When early settlers arrived in North America, they needed chickens that could survive brutal, freezing winters and blistering summers. They didn’t have the luxury of keeping separate birds for eggs and meat. They needed one bird that could do it all.
Farmers and homesteaders across the United States and Canada spent the 1800s crossing heavy Asian chickens with active European egg-layers. The result was the American Class: the ultimate dual-purpose survivors.
Key Characteristics of the American Class
- Body Type: They are medium-to-large, heavy birds with broad backs and deep chests.
- Skin and Legs: They almost always have yellow skin and yellow, clean legs (meaning no feathers on their feet).
- Egg Color: They lay brown eggs.
- Climate Tolerance: They are incredibly cold-hardy. They grow thick, dense feathers that act like heavy winter coats.
- Personality: They are calm, steady, friendly, and practical. They make excellent backyard pets.
Famous American Breeds
- Rhode Island Red: The undisputed king of the American farm. They are deep red, highly active, and lay a massive amount of large brown eggs.
- Plymouth Rock: Famous for their black-and-white “zebra stripes” (the Barred variety). They are incredibly sweet, docile, and reliable.
- Wyandotte: A beautiful, heavy bird with a flat “rose comb” that perfectly resists winter frostbite. They come in stunning laced patterns, like the Silver Laced Wyandotte.
2. The Asiatic Class: The Gentle Giants
In the mid-1800s, trade ships arriving from China brought a new kind of chicken to the Western world. These birds were absolutely massive. They were so large and fluffy that they sparked a nationwide obsession known as “Hen Fever.”
The Asiatic Class represents the heavyweights of the poultry world. Breeders developed them in the cold, harsh mountainous regions of Asia. Because they are so heavy, they do not fly well, and they prefer to waddle around the yard rather than run.
Key Characteristics of the Asiatic Class
- Body Type: They are massive, round, and incredibly heavily feathered. They look like walking pillows.
- Skin and Legs: They feature yellow skin and heavy feathering down their legs and all the way to their toes.
- Egg Color: They lay brown eggs.
- Climate Tolerance: They easily survive the coldest winters imaginable, but their heavy fluff makes them struggle in intense summer heat.
- Personality: They are the “Golden Retrievers” of the chicken world. They are peaceful, quiet, easily handled, and make fantastic, protective mothers.
Famous Asiatic Breeds
- Brahma: Known as the “King of All Poultry.” A Brahma rooster can easily weigh 12 pounds and stand two feet tall! Despite their intimidating size, they are incredibly gentle.
- Cochin: The roundest, fluffiest bird in the APA rulebook. They look like giant balls of feathers and are famous for their desire to hatch baby chicks.
- Langshan: A slightly taller, more elegant Asian bird. They stand very upright and are famous for their shiny black feathers and excellent meat quality.
3. The English Class: The Sunday Roast Royalty
While American farmers focused on survival and dual-purpose utility, breeders in the United Kingdom focused on the dinner table. The British prized high-quality, tender, juicy meat above everything else.
The English Class contains birds designed to grow into large, plump shapes. Historically, British markets strongly preferred chickens with white skin rather than yellow skin, so breeders specifically selected genetics to create white-skinned birds that looked clean and appetizing on a platter.
Key Characteristics of the English Class
- Body Type: They have large, wide, very deep bodies. They carry a lot of muscle and meat on their frames.
- Skin and Legs: With the exception of the Cornish, almost all English breeds have white skin and clean, featherless legs.
- Egg Color: They lay brown eggs (with a few exceptions laying tinted eggs).
- Climate Tolerance: They handle damp, chilly weather beautifully. They are sturdy and resilient.
- Personality: They are calm, easily tamed, and very friendly. They tend to be a bit “lazy,” preferring to hang around the feed bowl rather than hunt for bugs in the woods.
Famous English Breeds
- Orpington: A massive, loose-feathered bird that looks much heavier than it actually is. The Buff Orpington is a massive favorite among families with young children because they love to be cuddled.
- Sussex: An ancient British breed that serves as a fantastic dual-purpose bird. They are curious, friendly, and excellent foragers.
- Australorp: Although developed in Australia, they originated from the British Black Orpington. They hold the world record for egg laying (one hen laid 364 eggs in 365 days!).
4. The Mediterranean Class: The High-Speed Egg Machines
If the Asiatic birds are slow, heavy snowplows, the Mediterranean birds are sleek, high-speed sports cars. Breeders developed these chickens along the hot, sunny coastlines of Italy and Spain.
Because they lived in such hot climates, they did not need thick winter coats or heavy bodies. Instead, they needed to stay cool. They put all of their energy into producing eggs rather than growing meat. If you want maximum eggs for minimal feed, you look to the Mediterranean class.
Key Characteristics of the Mediterranean Class
- Body Type: They are small, slender, sleek, and highly athletic.
- Skin and Legs: They usually have yellow or white skin with clean, featherless legs.
- Combs: They feature massive, floppy red combs. These giant combs act like natural air conditioners; blood pumps through the comb, the breeze cools it down, and it cools the whole bird.
- Egg Color: They lay brilliant white eggs.
- Personality: They are flighty, nervous, and highly active. They do not want to sit on your lap. They want to run, fly, hunt bugs, and avoid predators.
Famous Mediterranean Breeds
- Leghorn: The most famous egg-laying chicken in human history. The vast majority of white eggs in grocery stores come from Leghorn genetics. They are unbeatable egg machines.
- Minorca: The largest of the Mediterranean class. They lay massive, chalk-white eggs and feature beautiful, bright white earlobes.
- Ancona: A beautiful, active bird covered in black feathers with white tips (mottled). They are incredible foragers and can practically feed themselves if allowed to roam freely.
5. The Continental Class: The European Specialists
The Continental Class covers birds developed on the mainland of Europe, primarily in France, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
This is an incredibly diverse group of chickens. Mainland Europe had a very vibrant culture of creating “specialty” birds. Some breeders wanted birds that looked like fancy aristocrats, while others wanted gourmet meat, and others wanted unique, dark-colored eggs. Because of this, the Continental class features some of the most unique-looking and specialized chickens in the world.
Key Characteristics of the Continental Class
- Body Type: Highly variable. Some are sleek and small; others are heavy and plump.
- Unique Features: This class is famous for “extras.” Many Continental birds have beards, muffs (cheek feathers), head crests (feather hats), or even a fifth toe.
- Egg Color: Highly variable. Some lay white, some lay brown, and some lay the darkest chocolate eggs in the world.
- Personality: Generally active, very smart, and alert. They are fantastic free-rangers who know how to watch the sky for hawks.
Famous Continental Breeds
- Polish: The famous “rockstar” chicken. They have massive, exploding crests of feathers on top of their heads that fall over their eyes.
- Marans: The pride of France. These beautiful, active birds lay eggs that are so dark reddish-brown they look like they are made of chocolate.
- Faverolles: A bizarre and wonderful French breed that features a beard, feathered legs, and five toes. They are incredibly sweet and lay slightly pinkish-tinted eggs.
6. All Other Standard Breeds (AOSB): The Wildcards
What happens when a chicken doesn’t fit neatly into the geography or the body style of the first five classes? It goes into the “All Other Standard Breeds” class.
This is the APA’s “catch-all” category. It contains an amazing, wild mix of birds. It includes ancient fighting birds, birds that lay blue eggs, and strange ornamental breeds from distant corners of the globe. If a chicken breaks the standard rules of poultry, you will find it here.
Key Characteristics of the AOSB Class
- Body Type: Completely unpredictable. It ranges from tiny, fierce fighters to long-tailed beauties.
- Egg Color: Every color of the rainbow, including blue, green, tinted, white, and brown.
- Personality: Extremely varied. Game birds are highly aggressive toward other chickens but great survivors. Others are calm and docile.
Famous AOSB Breeds
- Ameraucana: The famous American bird that lays bright blue eggs and features cute, fluffy cheek muffs.
- Old English Game: Ancient birds originally bred for cockfighting. Today, they are kept for their stunning beauty, incredibly hard muscles, and unmatched survival skills in the wild.
- Sumatra: A gorgeous, sleek bird from Indonesia that looks more like a wild pheasant than a chicken. They have massive, sweeping, long black tails that shine green in the sunlight.
Quick Reference Summary Table
Here is a simple cheat sheet to help you remember the six classes at a glance:
| Class | Main Purpose | Body Type | Egg Color | Example Breeds |
| American | Dual-Purpose (Meat & Eggs) | Heavy, Clean Legs | Brown | Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock |
| Asiatic | Size & Cold Hardiness | Massive, Feathered Legs | Brown | Brahma, Cochin |
| English | Gourmet Meat Quality | Broad, White Skin | Brown | Orpington, Sussex |
| Mediterranean | Maximum Egg Production | Sleek, Huge Combs | White | Leghorn, Ancona |
| Continental | Specialty Traits & Looks | Unique (Crests, Beards) | Varies | Polish, Marans |
| AOSB | The “Rule Breakers” | Extremely Varied | Varies (Blue/Green) | Ameraucana, Game Birds |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Where do hybrid chickens like the Golden Comet or ISA Brown fit in?
A: They actually do not fit into any of these classes! The APA classes only recognize “Standard” purebred chickens that breed true. Hybrids are scientific crosses created by commercial hatcheries, so they do not have an official APA class.
Q: Where do Bantam (miniature) chickens go?
A: Bantams have their own entirely separate classification system based on their physical traits. They are organized into classes like “Single Comb Clean Legged” or “Feather Legged” rather than by geography.
Q: If I want a chicken that lays Blue eggs, which class do I look in?
A: You will want to look in the All Other Standard Breeds (AOSB) class. This is where you will find the Ameraucana and the Araucana, the two standard breeds famous for their beautiful blue eggs.
Q: Which class is the best for a backyard beginner?
A: The American Class or the English Class are generally the best starting points. Birds from these classes (like Plymouth Rocks or Orpingtons) are very forgiving, handle bad weather well, lay plenty of eggs, and have gentle, easy-going personalities.
Q: Why do Mediterranean birds have such big combs?
A: Chickens do not sweat. To cool down in the blazing Italian or Spanish sun, Mediterranean breeds pump warm blood into their massive combs. The outside air cools the blood before it returns to the body, acting as a built-in radiator!
Conclusion
Understanding the six classifications of chickens transforms how you look at a flock. Instead of just seeing a yard full of random birds, you start to see living history. You see the rugged American survivor, the massive Asian giant, the sleek Italian sports car, and the eccentric European aristocrat. By choosing the right class for your specific climate and goals, you guarantee a happier, healthier, and much more productive backyard flock.