The Australian Pit Game originated as a fighting fowl, initially developed by British Army personnel stationed in the then colony of New South Wales.

The present day fowl is descended directly from the Australian Fighting Game, which were blended from crosses of the Old English Game and the Aseel, Malay and perhaps Sumatra Game.

The British preferred birds which fought in the air, light, quick and with deadly power. Such birds fought bouts which ended very quickly. Other Game fowl enthusiasts preferred more prolonged battles, opting for birds which were larger and fought savagely on the ground. From these two distinct types of fowls, came the Australian Fighting Game, which combined the best fighting skills of both types of fowl.

Due to this variation in bloodlines, the Australian Pit Game comes in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Those strains which were built upon the Old English Game lines are generally single combed with longer, more profuse feathering. The larger, leggier types developed from more Asian bloodlines are generally pea combed with harder, sparser feathering.

The important points in Pit Games are good eyes and keen sight, strong head and powerful beak, wide strong shoulders and strong legs and feet. They must have a cone shaped body, with strong muscular breast and thighs, strong shanks with sound feet and toes. The chicks can be quite aggressive at a very early age and great care is needed to prevent mortalities due them fighting among themselves in the brooder.

The finer details such as comb shape, colouring and feather type and quality are deemed of less importance, due to the variations of bloodlines as mentioned above.

They come in large and bantam, with some varieties displaying muffing, tassels and hen feathering. Most Game colours are found, but this feature is of little importance in the show pen.

The perfect male drawn by Mark Marshall

A black cockerel

A henny cockerel