APA Standard of Perfection

The American Poultry Association
Standard of Perfection
(1910 Edition)

Here we have the 1910 Edition of The American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection. While this edition lacks many of the newer breeds and only has Black and White diagrams and photos, it remains an essential resource for heritage poultry breeders, historians, and chicken fanciers seeking to understand the foundational aesthetics of standard-bred poultry. I am able to bring this to you free of charge thanks to the fact that the 1910 copyright has expired.

The American Poultry Association (APA) stands as the oldest, continuously operating livestock organization in North America . Founded on February 15, 1873, in Buffalo, New York, the organization was established by a dedicated collective of delegates from state and county associations, distinguished breeders, and fanciers from the United States and Canada. Under the leadership of its first president, W. H. Churchman, and secretary, J. M. Wade, the APA was formed to bring structure and consistency to the growing world of poultry exhibitions.

Following its founding, the APA’s first order of business was tackling the need for a universally recognized judging guide, leading to the inaugural Standard of Excellence published in 1874. By 1888, the publication was officially renamed the Standard of Perfection. Establishing these guidelines revolutionized the industry, transforming nondescript farm flocks into recognized, standardized breeds with uniform characteristics.

The 1910 edition serves as a magnificent time capsule of the poultry fancy. It was heavily expanded to feature 102 half-tone (black and white) illustrations and was notably the first edition to include feather illustrations. Because it falls out of copyright, this specific historical document offers a fascinating look at the ideals of early twentieth-century breeding and serves as a highly collectible resource for modern agriculturalists.

Click the book cover below to view it. You can also right click and select "Save Link-As" to save he PDF file on your device.


Click to Download the 1910 Edition

I need to point out that it is possible that things may have changed from the 1910 edition to now. Obviously, there are a lot of additional breeds now that weren't in the standard back in 1910, but it is also possible that certain details may have changed. Also, I encourage you to purchase the latest edition from the APA themselves. Every little bit helps them to continue all the good work they do. Not only that, but the newer editions contain numerous color paintings.