History of the Basque Hen
The Basque Hen, also known as Euskal Oiloa or EO, is a relatively new breed of chicken to North America. Euskal Oiloak, which translates to “Basque Hens” in English, originated in the Basque region of Spain. In 1975 Dr. Fernando Orozco began collecting eggs from the native chickens that lived in this region to preserve this historical breed as their existence was threatened by the import of foreign breeds. He continued this effort until the end of 1976 and spent the next three years breeding the birds and separating the different colour variations. The characteristics of the birds were developed into a breed standard by Dr. José Antonio Mendizábal at that time.
The varieties separated out during this first wave of breeding were:
In time it became evident that a lack of genetic variability was weakening the breed. In 1983 eggs were again collected from farms in the Basque region. A new breeding program was instituted by the Department of Agriculture of the Basque Government at the Agrarian School of Fraisoro in Gipuzkoa. The name of the program translates to “The Program of Selection and Improvement of the Race Euskal Oiloa”. While working to make the four existing varieties of the Basque Hen more uniform they also created a new naked neck variety, the Lepasoila. After three years of work, they focused on breeding EOs that met the specific breed standards for both production and appearance. In the early 1990’s the Basque Government terminated this program. By order of the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, the chicken breed known as Euskal Oiloa was formally recognized and regulated in 2001 for the purposes of conservation, restoration and improvement of the breed. The importance of conserving genetic and animal biodiversity in the indigenous breeds of animals in danger of extinction in this region was thankfully recognized by the Basque Government. This effort continues in Spain today.
It is not clear how Basque Hens initially arrived in the United States, but they were not widely distributed at that time. It is believed EOs arrived in Canada from the US in about 2005.
Eric Rivard of Preservation Genetique Inc. of Quebec is known to have bred EOs for two years after they first came to Canada, selecting for birds that consistently produced only barred offspring (Marraduna variety) and matched the Spanish standard as closely as possible. Despite his best efforts, Eric was never able to completely eliminate the red offspring from his breeding program and most orders included a few red chicks. Those red offspring were the foundation for the Gorria variety of EO in North America. Preservation Genetique Inc. offered EO chicks and eggs for sale for only one year, 2008, the last year the hatchery would operate. In that way, the Basque Hen was distributed to a few breeders across Canada.
These breeders quickly discovered that Basque Hens were not only beautiful and productive, but also unusually friendly. The practical and personable qualities of EOs made them ideal poultry for both the barnyard and the backyard. The dedication of these few breeders to promote and distribute this wonderful breed has resulted in the popularity of Basque Hens in Canada, and their recent revival in the United States. Currently, the Marraduna and Gorria varieties are available in North America and some breeders are working on experimental pens to recreate the Beltza, Zilarra and Lepasoila varieties.
As the Basque Hen has become more popular in North America, there has been a movement to share not only these charming and productive chickens, but also the unique history of this unusual breed. The purpose of the North American Basque Hen Association (NABHA) is to promote these practical and personable birds, and help them achieve widespread recognition and standardization in North America through acceptance by the American Poultry Association.
The varieties separated out during this first wave of breeding were:
- Lepogorri or Gorria (red or reddish-brown)
- Marraduna (barred)
- Beltza (black)
- Zilarra (colombian)
In time it became evident that a lack of genetic variability was weakening the breed. In 1983 eggs were again collected from farms in the Basque region. A new breeding program was instituted by the Department of Agriculture of the Basque Government at the Agrarian School of Fraisoro in Gipuzkoa. The name of the program translates to “The Program of Selection and Improvement of the Race Euskal Oiloa”. While working to make the four existing varieties of the Basque Hen more uniform they also created a new naked neck variety, the Lepasoila. After three years of work, they focused on breeding EOs that met the specific breed standards for both production and appearance. In the early 1990’s the Basque Government terminated this program. By order of the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, the chicken breed known as Euskal Oiloa was formally recognized and regulated in 2001 for the purposes of conservation, restoration and improvement of the breed. The importance of conserving genetic and animal biodiversity in the indigenous breeds of animals in danger of extinction in this region was thankfully recognized by the Basque Government. This effort continues in Spain today.
It is not clear how Basque Hens initially arrived in the United States, but they were not widely distributed at that time. It is believed EOs arrived in Canada from the US in about 2005.
Eric Rivard of Preservation Genetique Inc. of Quebec is known to have bred EOs for two years after they first came to Canada, selecting for birds that consistently produced only barred offspring (Marraduna variety) and matched the Spanish standard as closely as possible. Despite his best efforts, Eric was never able to completely eliminate the red offspring from his breeding program and most orders included a few red chicks. Those red offspring were the foundation for the Gorria variety of EO in North America. Preservation Genetique Inc. offered EO chicks and eggs for sale for only one year, 2008, the last year the hatchery would operate. In that way, the Basque Hen was distributed to a few breeders across Canada.
These breeders quickly discovered that Basque Hens were not only beautiful and productive, but also unusually friendly. The practical and personable qualities of EOs made them ideal poultry for both the barnyard and the backyard. The dedication of these few breeders to promote and distribute this wonderful breed has resulted in the popularity of Basque Hens in Canada, and their recent revival in the United States. Currently, the Marraduna and Gorria varieties are available in North America and some breeders are working on experimental pens to recreate the Beltza, Zilarra and Lepasoila varieties.
As the Basque Hen has become more popular in North America, there has been a movement to share not only these charming and productive chickens, but also the unique history of this unusual breed. The purpose of the North American Basque Hen Association (NABHA) is to promote these practical and personable birds, and help them achieve widespread recognition and standardization in North America through acceptance by the American Poultry Association.
