The Java breed of chicken originates from America, and it is one of the oldest breeds of domesticated chicken from the country. Many of the modern American breeds of chicken have been bred from the Java. A Java chicken has a single red comb and there are four color variations: black, mottled, white and auburn.

This dual purpose bird has an angular shape with a long sloping back. It has a good amount of meat on the breast, and produces 100-150 large brown eggs each year. It is an excellent forager, prefers freedom to roam and has a calm temperament. The hens also make good brooders. They are slow growing birds compared with the modern commercial breeds we see today.

The mature males weigh around 4.3 kg, and the females weigh up to 3.4 kg. The Java has also been bred to bantam sizes. The population of this heritage breed is low, and it is recognized on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy’s Conservation Priority List as a species that is threatened.