Paraoakan

Paraoakan, often spelled Parawakan or Paraokan, is a Philippine native chicken strain most closely associated with Palawan. It is one of the larger local chicken types in the Philippines and is commonly described as having Malay-type influence, with long legs, a strong body, an upright stance, and variable plumage in red, black, wheaten, or mixed farm colors. Paraoakan chickens are valued less for rapid industrial growth than for meat quality, range hardiness, and their ability to perform in backyard and smallholder systems under tropical conditions.

On farms, Paraoakan birds do well when given daytime range, shade, and a secure raised coop at night. They forage actively, but growers and breeding hens still need supplemental feed if the goal is reliable weight gain, egg production, and healthy chicks. The strain can be slower to mature than commercial broilers, so expectations should fit native-chicken production rather than intensive meat schedules. Buyers in the Philippines may see the name used broadly for large native birds; selecting from known local lines, practicing vaccination and biosecurity, and keeping unrelated breeding stock are important for flock improvement.