Ancona Chickens are a delightful breed that can do well in all types of weather. They are great at providing eggs and have been noted for being fun to watch by those who already own them. They are a British breed with Italian origins that boast a beautiful mottled coloring and are even recognized by the APA so they can compete in shows.
Ancona chickens are great layers and will lay around 180 eggs a year. They aren’t huge chickens, but they can also be used for meat if you decide to use the larger roosters. They are a friendly bird that loves engaging with their environments and can be kept for pets as they get along well with others. Ancona chickens typically live around 8 years with proper care. They are a hardy breed of bird, so caring for them shouldn’t be challenging as they even do well when placed in colder environments. If you are looking for a well-balanced chicken, then the Ancona may just be the perfect breed for you.
Anacona Chickens
| Size | 6 Pounds (Rooster) 4.5 Pounds (Hen) |
| Class | Mediterranean |
| Color | Black |
| Temperament | Docile |
| Hardiness | Hardy |
| Eggs/Yr | 180 |
| Egg Size | Large |
| Egg Color | White |
[ez-toc]
History and Origin
The Ancona chicken actually came from Italy (similar to the Sicilian Buttercup Chicken) and was first recorded as being located around the Marches. The current Ancona standard came to be when they were bred in England in the 1800s in a city by the same name. They were bred there in an attempt to create a chicken with superior egg-laying abilities.
Strangely enough, the breed never made its way back to Italy despite being popular in other countries. The breed has even been accepted into the APA and is a common bird in the United States. They can now easily be found at shows as well, as they have become a popular exhibition breed.
What do they look like?
The Ancona is a common choice for a show bird, and as such, the APA has strict standards for what they expect the breed to look like. The breed should feature a mottled black and white body (making them a great choice if you are looking for a black and white chicken breed). You will typically see white around their eyes and a black streak on their beaks. They have yellow legs and beaks, as well as an angled tail. They also have red oval-shaped waddles and white earlobes.
There are two types of Ancona, one type with a single comb and one type with a rose comb (similar to Hamburg chickens) The APA considers both of these variations as a breed standard. The roosters weigh in at around 6 pounds, while the hens weigh slightly less at 4 and a half pounds.
Ancona chicks will have black and yellow feathering but are still hard to distinguish from other breeds. Always double-check to ensure that you are buying from a reputable breeder, as it can be easy to mix up chicks.
Need some help keeping your chickens health and care taken care of? Check out the Organized Chicken Keeper for an easy to follow system.
Temperament
Ancona chickens are an extremely friendly breed that will be more than happy to integrate with an established flock. These chickens like to make friends with other chickens and humans alike. This breed isn’t always up for handling due to their high amounts of energy, but they are happy to follow you around. Even the roosters can be especially calm and tolerant around others. It’s still not a good idea to leave children unattended with them, though, and you shouldn’t try to house multiple roosters together at once.
You should be careful not to house the Ancona with other breeds that won’t take well to their inquisitive nature. Some chickens prefer their coop mates to keep to themselves, and when they don’t, it can lead to some pecking or stress. You may also find that the Ancona itself will be much happier when houses with other breeds that like to interact with them.
These birds learn to run around and explore, so you should let them free-range. Be warned, though; they can easily wander off, so you will need a run in order to keep them in place. They are also known for having a superior ability to fly, so you may have to invest in an incredibly high fence or place netting over your run to ensure that they aren’t constantly escaping.
What is their purpose?
Ancona chickens are primarily known for shows or for producing eggs. The breed can lay around 180 large white eggs a year and will even lay through the winter. They are a smaller breed of chicken, so you won’t be able to get as much meat off of them.
The rooster is large enough to get a decent serving, but if you are looking for a meat-producing, or dual purpose breed, it may be best to go with one of the largest breeds of chicken, or even just a larger one than this, such as the Leghorn. This breed does make a good pet due to its docile and entertaining nature.
The breed is incredibly popular at shows, and both varieties are accepted by the APA and have been for over a hundred years. When looking to raise competitive chickens, you will want to ensure that they meet the breed standards, whether you have the single comb or rose comb variety of the Ancona. When you are buying chicks, make sure they come from a reputable source. Since this is a common show breed, try going to a show and connecting with participants who are willing to sell chicks. This will let you get a look at the rooster and hens that will be providing the chicks.
If you are buying an Ancona chick and looking for a particular comb-type, ask the breeder. A good breeder will instantly be able to tell you whether the chicks have a rose or single comb; if they don’t, then you should probably skip out on buying from them.
Of course, if they are breeding a single-comb rooster with a rose comb hen, they won’t be able to let you know which comb-type they have until they have hatched. However, heed this warning; this may affect comb quality if you are thinking about competing in shows; otherwise, the chicks should be fine.
Sadly, the Ancona isn’t really a broody chicken breed, and the hens rarely sit on their eggs. If you wish to raise baby chicks, then you will need to have one of the best egg incubators on hand in order to them.
How often chickens lay eggs can depend on breed and health. Luckily, this breed is a decent layer, so when placed with a rooster, your hens are likely to provide fertile chicken eggs pretty regularly. (Note: rooster's don't lay eggs, but they are needed to fertilize the eggs)
Care and Health
The Ancona chicken is a generally hardy breed, but they will still need proper care to thrive. First, you will want to ensure you have a roomy coop that provides enough room for these energetic chickens to move around. You will need to provide fresh water at all times and ensure that they are getting the proper serving of feed each day. They are a cold-hardy breed, but you will still want to make sure to use proper insulation and have a draft free coop to keep them warm during some of the colder months of the year.
This breed is known for its curious nature and loves to explore. They are happiest when they are free to roam. Sadly, being curious means that the Ancona chicken is more prone to wandering off or getting into trouble. This can make them an easy target for predators, so ensuring that they are safe is a top priority. T
o do this, you will need to build a chicken run and ensure that they can’t fly out. This will likely result in you covering the run in netting as this breed is pretty good at flying. You can clip their wings to help with this if you don’t want to install a net.
Ancona chickens don’t need you to bathe them or do any special grooming. They also aren’t any more prone to diseases than your average chicken. You will want to look out for any signs of sickness as any chicken can become ill. You should also do weekly checks to ensure that your flock hasn’t picked up any parasites. Mites are common in chickens, and when one bird catches them, they will quickly spread through the coop.
FAQ
Are Ancona chickens friendly?
Yes, they are a curious breed that loves to interact with humans and other chickens. Even the roosters are unusually friendly.
What color eggs do Ancona chickens lay?
Ancona chickens tend to lay large white eggs.
Are Ancona chickens cold-hardy?
Yes, the Ancona chicken does well in pretty much any environment and is more cold-hardy than other chicken breeds.
Are Ancona chickens small?
The Ancona chicken is a smaller breed; the roosters only reach six pounds, while the hens usually weigh in at around 4 and a half pounds.
Are Ancona chickens aggressive?
While any rooster runs the risk of being aggressive, Ancona roosters do tend to be unusually friendly.
Are Ancona good egg layers?
Yes, an Ancona hen usually lays around 180 large eggs a year and will even continue to lay even in the winter.
If you need more help with taking care of your chickens, check out The Organized Chicken Keeper for a complete system for managing their health through keeping their supplies stocked and coop clean.
