The Aseel chicken is a bird that was born to fight. More likely than not, you’ve never seen a chicken as dedicated to its purpose as these guys. Roosters will go at it with other roosters, hens will attack other hens, and even chicks will brawl with other chicks! We hope you’re ready to rumble because the Aseel chicken is.
You can liken these birds to a warrior. They are majestic, always ready to fight, and loyal to their king – or queen – as you will see later.
Let’s go ahead and jump into the chaos the Aseels offer and learn more about these fowls.
| Attribute | Aseel Chicken |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Dual Purpose (Meat and Occasional Egg Layer) |
| Egg Color | Cream or Brown |
| Egg Size | Medium |
| Broody | Yes |
| Heat Tolerance | Yes |
| Cold Tolerance | Yes |
| Comb Type | Pea Comb |
| Egg Production | 40 per year |
| Skin Color | Yellow |
| Life Span | 8-10 years |
| Adult Weight (Hen) | 5.95-7.05 lbs |
| Adult Weight (Rooster) | 7.94-9.03 lbs |
| Backyard Friendly | 2/5 |
Background and History
The Aseel chickens have a long and rich history. While it seems we can’t pinpoint the exact date or year they came into existence, many believe that they have been around for thousands of years already. They have been referred to in an Indian document entitled the Codes of Manu. The record dates back to 900-1280 B.C.
They are from the South of Asia. However, it’s not clear if they originally came from India or Pakistan. They are believed to have reached English soil in 1847 and American soil in 1887. We have Dr. H.P. Clarke to thank for introducing these beauties to the states.
They have been originally developed for cockfighting, and they are practically known as one of the greatest in the world. Some would say the Aseels are the kings of cockfighting.
The names of the Aseels could also be spelled as Asil or Azeel. Their names hold a lot of meaning. In Urdu, it means “pure” while it means “high caste” in Hindi. The name was first used for all pure game birds. However, they alone now have the sole ownership of the name, which we could probably attribute to the fact that they reign in the ring.
Throughout the years, the Aseel chicken has slowly traveled throughout the world and gained a following. It is not surprising to know that they are still popular to this day.
However, they did not survive this long without facing any trouble. The Aseels have gone through a lot, and they are currently listed as “threatened” in the Livestock Conservancy Priority List. Countermeasures should be taken if we want to continue helping in enriching these birds’ history, and ultimately, not lose them.
Breed Standard and Appearance
Many organizations recognize and have established a standard for the Aseel chicken.
This bird has a lot of eye-catching features.
First, they don’t look as fluffy as an average chicken. The Aseels don’t seem to have that much fluff that makes other chickens look heavier than they actually are. Ironically, these chickens look lighter than they appear. hey are actually on the heavier side, with roosters weighing around 7-9 lbs and hens around 5-7 lbs. Furthermore, without all those extra layers of plumage, you can clearly see that they are on the muscular side.
Additionally, they also have such beautiful tails to display, which sometimes reach such great lengths. Those with such long tails look like they’re sporting their very own cape.
Their parts meant for thermoregulation (i.e., wattles and combs) are almost nonexistent. However, you might not even notice that at first glance once you see their fierce and fiery gaze.
The Aseel chicken holds itself with such confidence and elegance. It has a distinctive stance that clearly shows that it is always ready for battle. One look at these birds, and one would know not to mess with them.
There are many different types and variants of the Aseel. However, APA only has five accepted variants, and you can check out the official list here.
Personality and Temperament
The Aseel chickens are generally known to be aggressive. They were born to fight, and fight is what they will do. Aseel chicks are known to grapple with other chicks as soon as they can, and it’s not your typical play-fighting. These early brawls could already reach a point of injuring and wounding.
While most hens are typically known to be gentler and calmer, the Aseel hens are an exception. They will fight other hens, and they won’t mind even if it has to go on for hours. Of course, the Aseel roosters are no different. It would be a bad idea to raise more than one Aseel rooster on your land as they will fight to the death.
They will take on anyone. However, with enough socialization, you would be able to mix them up with some other breeds. It seems they are more hostile with their own kind than others.
Despite all that fire, they will be friendly with their handlers. They will also put their trust in you and look up to you in a way. They’re intelligent critters, and if they need something, they would go to their keepers to seek help.
Furthermore, with enough discipline, they could be great around kids. Chances are, if they grew up with a tiny human, they would be more than happy to play with them. They might even become protective of the little one too.
Aseel Chicken Egg Laying
The Aseel chickens are not the best egg producers out there. You could even say they are one of the worst as they could only give you 40 medium-sized eggs each year. However, it is also possible that that number could drop to a single digit. Their eggs are somewhat of cream or brown shade.
Despite being poor egg layers, the Aseel hens are great setters and tend to go broody. The Aseel hen is also a great momma. I tell you, they will protect their young at all costs. There was even an account that an Aseel hen attacked a snake in the name of protecting her young ones!
Health Issues and Care
They are a hardy breed, but it seems that they prefer the cold seasons more. They become less active during the hot seasons. Make sure you provide them some shade and lots of water during summer.
These birds also like to free-range, so a spacious land is ideal for them. Roaming makes these birds happy, and a contended Aseel chicken is a quiet bird. If you don’t want to constantly deal with a screaming Aseel, then you either give them enough space or let them free-range often.
They don’t need much, and if ever they would need some help, you can count on the fact that they would come to you.
Overall, the main problem you would have to deal with with your Aseel chicken is socialization. You’ll have to spend time introducing other birds. Furthermore, you would always have to be watchful in case any fights break out as it could turn on a full-on brawl and lead to death.
3 Tips for Raising Aseel Chickens
- The Flock: As you already know, the Aseel chicken is not the most social bird out there. Keeping this in mind, there are a lot of things you’ll have to take into account if you want to take care of this bird. Keep the flock number to a minimum and take your time in introducing each new member. Furthermore, having more than one Aseel rooster is not ideal. Adding another aggressive breed is also not advisable, as the Aseel chicken will have no mercy showing the challenger who is the king of the flock.
- The Spurs: Their spurs are enough to leave fatal wounds. Maintain their spurs to avoid having any lethal accidents on your coop. We recently made a detailed guide on how to remove your rooster’s spur, and you might want to check that out.
- Feeding: They love to forage and could probably do it for hours on end. For this reason, you must start the day with the meal they need. Furthermore, to aid with their eggs, make sure you give the hens some extra protein and calcium.
Summary
The Aseel chicken is a bird with a long history, originating from South Asia, specifically either India or Pakistan. It is largely known to be aggressive and a feisty fighter. Despite their natural-born instinct to go into battle at almost every given opportunity, they have many good qualities.
They are probably one of the most elegant game fowls you will ever see. With their striking tails and their distinctive stance, they look like warriors always ready to serve the king.
With that said, they may be full of fire, but they would almost always be friendly toward their handlers and their little humans if they have one or two! They’re one of the best barnyard buddies you will have.
They’re not the most productive birds on the list, but we do not doubt that poultry enthusiasts’ jaws will drop once they see these beauties on your land.
If you think you’re ready to face their fiery disposition head-on, then we believe that taking care of the Aseel chicken would truly be a rewarding experience.
If you’re looking for Aseel chickens for sale, then you can check this page out. (However, there aren’t any listed Aseel chickens here for now.) On the other hand, you can check Purely Poultry to be notified once they have their Black Breasted Red Aseel chickens and Wheaten Aseel chickens back.
Joseph Hudson has been raising chickens for over 15 years. In 2018, he completed the Agriculture & Natural Resources program at Mt. San Antonio College. He currently raises over 1400 chickens on his 7.5-hectare farm. He keeps sharing his experience on raising healthy and happy chickens on Chicken Scratch The Foundry.
I have had the pleasure of having the Aseel or Asil breed, off and on, for some 35 years. When ever I could have birds that was the breed I tried to get. Even though, more numberous than they once where, they are not found at every poultry outlet. While I never have had a more docile breed toward owner, But agressiveness among their own kind is another story.
James R. Head Easley, S. Carolina 29640
I am from Srilanka Northern part of the country where we have our own fighting cock named’Velladian’. It’s a medium size bird males around 3.0kg and females 2.0kg, But stronger and vigours than the Aseels of North India as well as South Indian varities. I have my own cockrel at 10 months it weighed 2.25kg, I use to rear free range and it roast in the tree top at night now the monsoon has started but still at night fellow roast in the trees with standing the natural elements.