Modern Game
Gallus gallus domesticus
✨ Fun Fact
Modern Games were selectively bred to have the most extreme upright stance of any chicken — standing almost perfectly vertical. Show judges use a plumb line to assess how closely a bird's head aligns directly above its feet — the most vertical bird wins.
A tall, slender exhibition breed developed in Britain after cock-fighting was banned in 1849, by crossing Old English Game birds with Malay to create an athletic, sculpted show bird rather than a fighting or utility animal. Modern Games are bred purely for their extreme upright posture, tight feathering, very long legs, and small head — a silhouette unlike any other chicken breed. They lay very few eggs and carry almost no meat, existing entirely as living art in the show world.
🏷️ Breed
Modern Game
💭 Temperament
Bold, upright, active, can be aggressive between males
📏 Size
Medium (1.8-2.7 kg)
⏳ Lifespan
5-8 years
🎨 Colors
Black-red, blue-red, birchen, wheaten, white, black, blue, duckwing, pile
🌍 Origin
England; developed post-1849 cock-fighting ban
🏠 Habitat
Enclosed housing; low feathering makes them cold-sensitive
🍽️ Diet
Layer pellets; poor forager due to show-oriented physique
🎯 Purpose
Ornamental
🥚 Egg Colour
Tinted
👑 Comb Type
Single
🏅 EE Class
Large Fowl