Source: Wikimedia Commons
Totenko (Long-crower)
IntermediateGallus gallus domesticus
A long-crowing breed from Kochi Prefecture and one of Japan's three long-crowing breeds alongside the Koeyoshi and the Tomaru. A single crow lasts 10 to 15 seconds and in some birds reaches 20. It was designated a National Natural Monument in 1936.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Temperature
15〜30℃
Lifespan
About 8 years
Size
About 2,250g (cock) / 1,800g (hen)
Humidity
40〜60%
Diet
Poultry feed, grain, greens and oyster-shell grit
About
The Totenko is a chicken breed from Kochi Prefecture and one of Japan's three long-crowing breeds, alongside the Koeyoshi and the Tomaru. The name is said to come from the habit of singing in a fine voice as the eastern sky reddens at dawn, though another account traces it to the sound of the crow itself. The crow is drawn out, lasting 10 to 15 seconds in one breath and reaching 20 seconds in some birds. It is thought to share an origin with the Onagadori of the same prefecture, which it resembles in form and to which it is genetically close. It was designated a National Natural Monument in 1936. Long-crowing breeds are generally tall, with long legs and neck. Japan, along with Germany and Indonesia, has an established tradition of cock-crowing contests using local birds, judged on the length of the crow and also on the number of calls, the tone and the melody.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lifespan of the Totenko (Long-crower)
The Totenko (Long-crower) lives About 8 years.
Size of the Totenko (Long-crower)
The Totenko (Long-crower) grows to About 2,250g (cock) / 1,800g (hen).
It has a single comb and weighs about 2,250 g for cocks and 1,800 g for hens.
Basic Info
Origin
Kochi Prefecture, Japan
Lifespan
About 8 years
Size
About 2,250g (cock) / 1,800g (hen)
Care Specifications
References & Sources
Edited & verified by: BreederDirect editorial team
The taxonomic, regulatory, and husbandry data on this page are compiled and verified against the authoritative primary sources below.
Primary sources
- Wikipedia
- CITES Appendices (the domestic chicken Gallus gallus domesticus not listed)
- Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1383 (post-CoP20)
- Ministry of the Environment, Japan - List of Invasive Alien Species designated under the IAS Act (birds)
- Natural Monument designated by the Japanese government under the Act on Protection of Cultural Properties
- Wikipedia - Long-crowing chicken (build of long-crowers, crowing contests, breeds worldwide)
- GBIF
Taxonomy & Authority
Accepted name: Gallus gallus domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms: Gallus gallus f. domesticus
Authority databases: GBIF
Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.
Regulations & Conservation Status
Not CITES-listed
Domestic law: 文化財保護法に基づく国の天然記念物に指定された品種。烏骨鶏、矮鶏、小国鶏、声良鶏などとともに、ニワトリの品種として指定されている。
The domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus), and its wild ancestor the red junglefowl Gallus gallus, appear in none of the CITES Appendices. It is not designated an Invasive Alien Species in Japan either; the seven birds so designated are the Canada goose, red-vented bulbul, four Garrulax species and the red-billed leiothrix. It is designated a National Natural Monument under Japan's Act on Protection of Cultural Properties (designated in 1936).
Sources: CITES Appendices (the domestic chicken Gallus gallus domesticus not listed) / Annex to Council Regulation (EC) No 338/97 as amended by Commission Regulation (EU) 2026/1383 (post-CoP20) / Ministry of the Environment, Japan - List of Invasive Alien Species designated under the IAS Act (birds) / Natural Monument designated by the Japanese government under the Act on Protection of Cultural Properties
Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.
Totenko (Long-crower) Listings
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