Asil chicken

The Asil originated in the Indian subcontinent, the area that includes modern India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka;[9] it is thought to be among the oldest breeds of fighting cock.[10]^: 47[11] The word "Asil" is from Arabic, and means "purebred".[9] In India, it is a general term for all fighting breeds.[4]

In India the Asil is distributed particularly in the Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh, in the Bastar and Dantiwara districts of Chhattisgarh, and in the Koraput and Malkanagiri districts of Odisha.[2] It is also present in Bangladesh and Pakistan, which were part of India until Partition, and is found in other countries including Australia, Guatemala, Honduras, Ireland, Luxembourg, the United Kingdom, the United States and Uruguay.[12]

An Asil bantam was created in the late nineteenth century by the British breeder William Flamank Entwisle;[13]^: 47 it became popular in Britain and in Holland, but later died out.[9] In the 1980s it was re-created in Belgium by Willy Coppens, using Shamo, Indian Game and Reza Asil; it is bred in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Hungary and the United Kingdom, in a variety of colours.[9]

In 2005 the Asil was the only Indian breed of chicken not in need of conservation.[14]^: 17 In 2007 its global conservation status was listed by the FAO as "not at risk".[1]^: 151 In 2021 its status was reported to DAD-IS as "unknown";[2] the Livestock Conservancy in the United States listed it as "threatened".[15]

Head of a Kulang cock

Asil chicken of the long-tailed variety

A Reza cock and hens

There are many varieties of Asil. Among them are the Amroha, Bhaingam, Kilimooku, Kulang, Lasani, Madras, Mianwali, Reza and Sindhi types.

Asil hens are not good layers, but sit well. They may lay about 70 eggs per year; the eggs vary from cream-coloured to brownish, and weigh approximately 40 g.[2]

In Pakistan, cockfighting is a well-liked sport, but the Prevention of Gambling Act of 1977 makes betting on it unlawful. However, police frequently ignore it. People in Sindh prefer to keep the trained breed known as Sindhi Aseel for this purpose, while Mianwali Aseel is another well-liked breed that has been trained for combat.

Sindh, the top supplier of fighter Asil birds and the primary location for cockfights, considers it illegal to arm the birds with either metal spurs (referred to as gaffs) or knives. Some competitions permit it in Hower Punjab, which ranks third in cockfighting after KPK