Robusta Lionata
Italian breeds of chickens

Origin and main characteristics

The selection work completed in 1965 at the Experimental Poultry Station in Rovigo, a city in Northern Italy. The Buff Oprington and the White America contributed to its creation.
The breed has a good rusticity, with a good broodiness.
Good precocity.
Double-purpose breed (meat and eggs).
Not very common, but it is more and more represented in biological breeding.
Mean production a year: 160-170 (rosy shell, 55-60 g).

Morphology

Dual-purpose chicken.
The chicks are buff with dark-brown spots.
Adults are black tailed buff.
Single comb, red earlobes, yellow skin and shanks.
At 4 months the pullets are 1.9-2.0 kg.

Mean weight:
- Cock: 4.0-4.5 kg
- Hen: 2.8-3.3 kg

Sexual maturity begins at 6-7th month in males and 5-6th month in females.

Standard

Trunk: ample
Neck: medium length, slightly curved.
Back: ample, harmonically curved backline.
Brest: ample and well shaped.
Abdomen: ample, with rich plumage.
Wings: tight to the body, horizontal.
Tail: short and broad, with many tail feathers partly covered by sickles.
Head: small and well shaped.
Comb: single and erect, quite big, with 5-6 points.
Wattles: medium size, round and red.
Earlobes: red.
Face: red and smooth.
Eyes: from orange to red.
Beak: strong, slightly curved.
Thighs: well developed, thick plumules, without cushions.
Shanks: short, fine-boned, without feathers, yellow.
Hen: smaller than the cock, identical in the shape, short tail.
Livery
Structure: thick, soft.
Colour: in the cock the basic colour is yellow-buff, neck hackles with black irregular partridge, dark-shaded flights; in the hen a light mottle on the back is accepted; the feathers of the tail have black tips with petrol shining nuances; yellow skin.
Defects:
Weakness of the body; shape similar to Cocincina, cushions, flat breast, opened or pointed tail, white skin and shanks, white earlobes.

Source: Veneto Agricoltura

Robusta Lionata hen and cock (foto Paolo Nanni)

Robusta Lionata cock (photo Paolo Nanni)