PORTERFIELD EXOTICS

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The Cubalaya is a beautiful multi purpose breed and was developed in Cuba, they are a very popular breed in Cuba and were introduced into the USA in 1939. The oriental ancestors of this long tailed, pea-combed breed were brought to Cuba from the Philippines and then crossed with the English Game fowl.  Although common in Cuba this breed is considered a rare breed in the US and is on the threatened list with the ALBC .  The males of this variety are very colorful and present an excellent exhibition display.  The primary breed characteristic is the unique “lobster tail.” This attribute features a downward-angling tail with lavish feathering making these birds difficult to confuse with any other breed of chicken. Cubalayas come in many different colors. The most commonly seen are black-breasted red cocks with wheaten hens (wheaten Cubalayas are a darker "cinnamon" shade of wheaten which usually lightens with age) and both cocks and hens solid black. There have been a few whites, and the most favored traditional color in Cuba seems to have been the blue-red wheaten, which they refer to as "ashen".  Cubalayas are known as producers of quality meat and can often be very reliable layers of tinted eggs. They are medium-sized birds with cocks weighing six pounds and hens weighing four pounds at maturity. This breed is slow to mature taking up to three years to reach adulthood, although they are capable of reproducing beginning at six - seven months of age. These birds do well when raised on grass and actively enjoy foraging for insects.  A trait most favored in this breed is their tameness. Many of the chicks are friendly from the day they're hatched and will eat out of the owner's hand even with no previous handling. These birds have a generally brave disposition and, as chicks, may not fear predators unless caution is learned from their parents or other experienced birds.

  We have just recently started with this breed and have a very small flock of the Blue-Red Wheaten color, we are planning to add more birds soon from other sources to strengthen our bloodline.  We hope to produce some of these birds to sell for the 2009 season.