Poultry
Langshan
B tier
Langshan is a tall, long-legged Asiatic dual-purpose breed originating in China and refined in Britain, with black, white, and blue varieties, tight feathering, and a relatively full breast for an elevated stance. Birds lay tinted to brown eggs and produce a substantial carcass with darker, more savoury meat than light Mediterranean layers. Slow growth rewards free-range and heritage systems; meat suits roasting, braising, and Chinese-style soy or red-cooked preparations. English and German Langshan types differ slightly in leg feathering and carriage, but both remain conservation and specialist table breeds rather than industrial broilers.
Also known as: Langshan, Croad Langshan, Deutsches Langshan, Langshan, Langshan
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Characteristics
Preparations
Traits
Grading systems
Grades are placed along a shared scale so systems can be compared side by side.
History
Tall black fowl from the Langshan district near the Yangtze were exported to Europe as distinctive Asiatic poultry.
Major Croad and British breeders established Croad Langshans, promoting them for meat, eggs, and exhibition.
English Langshan standards diverged toward cleaner legs and refined show type while retaining dual-purpose utility.
American recognition supported Langshan breeding in North America for farm and fancy purposes.
German Langshans were developed with their own type preferences within the broader Langshan family.
Rare-breed societies conserved Croad and modern Langshan lines as Asiatic dual-purpose genetics declined commercially.