The Manx Rumpy, also known as the Rumpless Game, or Persian Rumpless, is a British breed of chicken, probably originally from the Isle of Man. Like the Araucana and Barbu d’Everberg breeds, the Manx Rumpy does not have the necessary final vertebrae. to keep the tail feathers upright.
The Manx Rumpy is very rare, but it is bred in many countries around the world. They are probably best known in Great Britain, where the breed is widely distributed.
The origins of the British Rumpless Game are in dispute, but perhaps it is the glueless variety of the Old English Game.
Characteristics
The size of the Manx Rumpy varies greatly, but in most cases, the roosters will weigh about 5 to 6 pounds and the hens about 4.5 to 5.5 pounds. The crest is usually simple, although the presence of the rose-type crest variety is mentioned in ancient literature.
The rods and earlobes are bright red, although sometimes the earlobes have a white center.
Rumpless Game breed varieties
Manx Rumpy is available in 4 color varieties that include; Brown, red, beige, and duckling. They are docile, resistant, and self-sufficient birds. They prefer freedom and take care of most of their own food needs. In general, they are good dual-purpose birds, as well as being displayed in ornamental bird exhibits.
Manx Rumpy chickens are good producers of light brown eggs (about 150+ per year).
Rumpless Game History
The Manx Rumpy got its peculiar name from a farmer who saw a resemblance between this breed of chicken and the Manx cat breed, which do not have a tail. Like the Araucana, the Manx Rumpy does not have the final vertebrae necessary to keep the tail feathers upright.
Background
In 1958 some tailless birds, supposedly of Iranian origin, were crossed with other breeds to produce an approximation of the British breed standard, and were named “Manx Rumpy”.
Tailless birds have been observed in many parts of the world and have a history stretching back hundreds, and possibly thousands, of years. Reverend J. Clayton documented seeing this poultry in Virginia in 1693 but was unable to determine its origins.
George Watson in his book, Poultry Farm (1903), writes that flocks of tailless birds were found in New York and Pennsylvania and were used as dual-purpose birds. Experts claim that the Manx Rumpy existed in Africa and were domesticated by both native Africans and Boers.
In the United States, the only tailless bird breeds with any documentable import history are the Araucana and the Manx Rumpy.
The Manx Rumpy is believed to hail from the Isle of Man, where it received its original name, Persian Rumpless. Very little is known about when it arrived in North America, where breeders have worked to restore this beautiful breed.
Breed recognition
The Livestock Conservancy recommends that they be called “Persian Rumpless.” They are not recognized by the American Poultry Association. It is currently included in the study category of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy’s Conservation Priorities List.
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