ORIGIN - Uncertain, suggestions have been Spain, italy and France. The Runt is a very old breed possibly decended from breed recorded by Pliny(AD23-79). The breed was probably used for meat in early times. Moore(1735) described several varieties of runt.
HEAD - Large, massive and domed shaped, with a distinct but not exaggerated stop at the front. The top of the skull is not flat or not too elevated, slight curve only with the highest part over the eye. The back skull is well developed and joining the neck in one continuous curve. The head must donate strength and boldness, a mean ferrety appearance should be penalised by losing all the points allocated to the head. Coarseness is preferable to lack of substance and therefor the aim is sunstance plus refinement.
BEAK - Strong, medium length, not coarse, with a slight downward tendency. Colour - dark slate in Blues, Others, light horn inclining to pink, even colour throughout. In Blacks a whitebeak is preferred.
WATTLES - Smooth and small, white in colour and apprearance, no jewing.
EYES - Awhiteeyed bird should have a slight preferance over a red or yellow eyed bird. The eye should be slightly sunken and centrally placed. In Whites the eyes are dark or bull with ceres as small and neat as possible, red in self colours and damson in Blues and Silvers.
THROAT - clean cut, with no suspicion of a gullet.
BODY SHAPE - The breast to be very broad and full. The body to be as wide as possible at the shoulders keeping its width throughout its length as far as possible. the wing span should be as long as possible.
KEEL - Deep, long and straight.
BACK - Wide and long, if a little hog backed, so much the better.
SIZE - As large as possible, size and body structure must be tested by handling, as a feathery bird may look as large as another close feathered competitor, which excels it in actual size. weight - the heavier the better.
LEGS AND FEET - Strong and medium length, free from feathers. toes long and straight, legs not knock-kneed.
FEATHER - Flights as long as possible in keeping with the body structure, strong and wide, tail long and broad, slightly rounded. Rump thickly feathered.
CARRIAGE - Bold and commanding, head and chest well up. Flights well up without crossing. Tail to follow sweep of back, and held off the ground.
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