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Are you fascinated anytime you see a picture of an egg basket and it has a whole rainbow of different egg colors? It leaves you wondering how to find chickens that lay colored eggs, doesn't it?

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All About Chickens That Lay Colored Eggs

If you identify with the sentiments above, you are in the right place. Finding a chicken that lays colored eggs is not a difficult task, AT ALL. In fact, it's pretty easy.

There are a ton of different chicken breeds that, not only lay colored eggs but are also good production chickens, meat birds, or dual purpose chickens! That means you don't have to worry about sacrificing practicality to get a basket of beautiful eggs.

What Colors Do Eggs Come In

Chickens can lay eggs in a pretty wide range of colors. We are all accustomed to seeing plenty of white, with the occasional brown egg, at the grocery store. But, you will see there are so many more options.

Chickens can lay colors like:

• blue
• brown
• chocolate
• dark brown
• light brown
• cream
• green
• olive
• patterned/speckled
• pink
• white

Genetics of Egg Color in chickens

In order to fully understand how chickens lay all these different colors of eggs, we need to talk a little about the genetics behind this trait.

What color egg a chicken will lay is determined by the genes that chicken carries.

Let's first talk about white eggs. White eggs are considered wild type (or the most common/normal) color. This basically just means that all eggs started out as white and certain genetic changes have happened over time to include additional colors. In fact, the base color of all eggs is white.

Eggs of a different color simply have additional pigment added to them at different stages in the shell formation to change their color.

Brown egg color genetics are quite interesting and there are multiple genes that cause this to happen. The way that brown eggs occur is that the pigment protoporphyrin IX is deposited into the outside of the egg as the egg is formed and goes through the laying process. (Source)

Need some help keeping your chickens health and care taken care of? Check out the Organized Chicken Keeper for an easy to follow system.

Blue eggs are actually caused by a retrovirus. This retrovirus caused the blue gene to become active. Blue eggs are caused by the pigment Oocyanin.

The blue egg gene is dominant, this means that a chicken only needs only copy in order for it's eggs to be blue. If they have one copy they'll usually have lighter blue eggs and if they have two copies, they'll usually have darker blue eggs. (Source)

Chickens that lay green eggs are simply a cross of brown and blue egg genes. The green color will be lighter or darker shades depending on the parents egg colors.

How do you make colored eggs or breed for colored eggs?

You can get different colored eggs by breeding together chickens that have certain egg color genes. Two white egg layers will get all white egg laying offspring.

A white egg layer with a brown egg layer will result in brown egg laying offspring. The darkness of the brown is dependent on the darkness of the parents brown eggs.

Two brown egg layers will result in all offspring laying brown eggs, typically darker than offspring from a white egg layer crossed with a brown egg layer.

A white egg layer crossed with a blue egg laying chicken will result in a light blue egg layer.

Two blue egg layers will result in only blue egg layers.

A brown egg layer crossed with a blue egg layer will result in green egg layers. The hue and shade of green will be dependent on the parents blue and brown colors. These are typically called Olive Eggers.

Which Chickens Lay Which Colors?

If you are looking for chickens that lay colored eggs to expand the palette of your daily egg basket, here is a less-than-exhaustive-but-still-pretty-comprehensive list of potential flock options.

What type of chicken lays blue eggs?

• Easter Eggers
• Aracauna
• Ameraucana
• Cream Legbar

Note: Knowing how to tell Easter Eggers vs Ameracuanas vs Araucanas is important as they do have several similar traits.

What type of chicken lays brown eggs?

It's a common thought that the most common egg color is white. That makes sense since that's what most people see in the grocery store. However, brown, in it's various shades, is actually the most common egg color.

You will notice that pink is part of the brown egg layers list. That is because pink eggs are simply light brown or tan eggs with a color bloom over them.

Brown

• Amberlink
• Australorp
• Brahma
• Buckeye
• Chantecler
• Cochin
• Delaware
• Dominique
• Golden Comet
• Java
• Jersey Giant
• New Hampshire Red
• Orpington
• Plymouth Barred Rock
• Rhode Island Red
• Sapphire Gem Chickens
• Sussex

Dark Brown

• Barnevelder
• Welsummer

Chocolate

• Marans
• Penedesenca

What kind of chickens lay pink eggs?

As we mentioned above, pink eggs are really just a lighter brown or tan shade with a pigment bloom overlaid on top.

Light Brown/Pink

• Asil
• Australorp
• Plymouth Barred Rock
• Buff Orpington
• Langshan
• Lavender Orpington
• Red Laced Wyandotte
• Silver Laced Wyandotte
• Sussex

What breed of chicken lay green eggs?

Green eggs are not just for children's books.

• Easter Eggers
• Isbar or the "Ice Cream Bar"

Olive

• Olive Egger

What type of chicken lays white/cream colored eggs?

White is probably the most commonly known color for eggs.

• Ancona
• Blue Andalusion
• Campine
• Polish
• Silkie
• White Leghorn

Cream

• Dorking
• Easter Egger
• Faverolle

What types of chicken lay speckled eggs?

Although it's not technically a color, a speckled pattern adds an interesting and fun bit of variety and texture to your egg basket.

• Cuckoo Marans
• Welsummers

Frequently Asked Questions

As you can see, there's a whole Easter basket range of egg colors. Naturally, this spurs a whole lot of questions. Here are some of the more common ones we hear.

Q1. What color eggs do ameraucana chickens lay?

Ameraucanas, along with Aracaunas, and Easter Eggers, lay blue eggs.

Q2. What color eggs are healthiest?/Do blue chicken eggs taste different?

Aside from the color, there is very little difference between one egg to the next. No matter which color egg you get, it will hold nearly the same nutritional value. They will also all taste the same. A chicken's environment, food, and water source play more of a role in flavor than color does.

Q3. What color egg's do black chickens lay?/Do black chickens lay black eggs?/Do any chickens lay black eggs?

The Ayam Cemani is a rarity in the chicken world. It is completely black, from head to toe. It's feathers, skin, even their internal organs. However, the one thing that is not black is the eggs they lay. In fact, the Ayam Cemani lays a shockingly light cream colored egg.

Q4. Can the same chicken lay different colored eggs?

An individual chicken can only lay a single color egg. Depending on their diet, age, pigment bloom, etc, the shade may be lighter or darker but the color will remain the same.

You will notice that the Easter Egger appears on almost every color option of the list. That is because the breed is capable of laying many different colors and shades. But, again, each chicken will ONLY lay one color.

Q5 Do roosters affect egg color?

Roosters do affect egg color as they are responsible for half of the genes in their offspring. Egg color is determined by genes that are inherited from parents - one gene from each parent.

Q6. How do you breed blue eggs?

In order to get blue eggs you must have at least one blue egg gene which means one of the parents must lay blue eggs. You can get blue eggs from a white egg layer crossed with a blue egg layer or two blue egg layers crossed together.

Wrap Up

As you can see, there's a whole Easter basket range of naturally occurring colored eggs. After you read through the list a few times, you can really plan out which breeds you want in your flock and have a beautiful egg basket in the process!

The Salmon Faverolle chicken is sure to be one of your flock favorites. They are sweet, gentle with kids, and dual purpose chickens!

What's not to love about these feather footed fowl? They are absolutely adorable with their big birdy beards and fluffy feathery muffs.

Not only are they eye catching but they are also some of the most docile chickens you can add to your flock. This breed is an all around perfect breed for everyone from backyard chicken enthusiasts all the way to chicken farmers of all ages and experience levels.

Let's take a look at the history of Salmon Faverolles chickens as well as their appearance, behavior, and other important breed information.

Everything About The Salmon Faverolle

The Salmon Faverolle is a dual purpose chicken breed, originally developed by French farmers in the Faverolle region of France. They are prolific egg layers as well as they are large enough to be good meat birds; not just the roosters, but even the hens too!

However, they are best known these days as an ornamental show breed, frequenting American Poultry Association sanctioned chicken shows.

History and Origin

The earliest known appearance of Salmon Faverolles chickens is in the mid 19th century.

There is a lot of speculation on how the Salmon Faverolle first came about. They do get their name from the region in France from which they came.

An interesting fact is that both "Salmon Faverolle" and "Salmon Faverolles" are correct. That is because of the French pronunciation and not a pluralization; the 's' is actually silent.

Record keeping for such crosses was not as common practice in the 1800s as it is now. However, it is believed that Salmon Faverolles breed is the result of French farmers initially crossing multiple chicken breeds:

• Brahma
• Dorking
• Flemish Cuckoo
• French Rennes
• Houdan
• Malines

Initially, Salmon Faverolles had no set standard. They would come in a wide variety of colors, sizes, and feathering.

But, by the mid 1880s some of the more desirable traits were becoming more apparent and starting to show up in more and more Salmon Faverolles.

Over the course of the next 25 to 30 years, the breed was starting to become more standardized and was introduced in England in 1894. Just a few years later, in "1901 or 1902" they were imported by Dr. A.H. Phelps to Glen Falls, New York in the United States.

Need some help keeping your chickens health and care taken care of? Check out the Organized Chicken Keeper for an easy to follow system.

Recognition

Two colors of Faverolles have been recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA); Salmon Faverolles and the White Faverolle. Salmon Faverolles were the first and they were recognized way back in 1914. The White Faverolle was recognized much later in 1981.

What Do They Look Like?

Salmon Faverolles certainly are unique looking chickens. Their most distinguishing feature has to be their feathered legs and feet. Most chickens do not share this trait. There are only a few other chicken breeds that do.

Additionally, just like with Silkies, they also have five toes on each foot.

Let's look a little deeper into their appearance.

Feathering, Comb, & Wattles

As we mentioned, their feathered legs and feet are likely to be the first thing you will notice about them. You will also notice that they appear to be very fluffy; which makes them appear to be very large.

As with most other chicken breeds, the Salmon Faverolles rooster is considerably larger than the Salmon Faverolles hen. However, with this breed in particular, the differences in appearance are a bit more vast. In fact, both the hens and roosters vary quite a bit in their appearance.

Salmon Faverolles hens, for instance are salmon colored on their head, back, and wings. While their breast is white with a salmon splash. Their muffs, beards, and lower body are an off white/cream color. The feathers on their legs and feet are similar to their breast color; white with a touch of salmon. Finally, the Salmon Faverolles hen has a gray underbelly.

Their feathers tend to be especially fluffy. From their beards and muffs and across their whole body, their fluffy feathers make them appear to be very large. On some occasions, you may even see Salmon Faverolles with frizzle feathering.

Their skin is a pale white including their legs. Each foot has 5 toes instead of the traditional 4.

Roosters look very, very different. To start off, because of his fluffy feathers, he looks massive. He is already a large rooster weighing around 8 lbs. Unlike the hen, who is primarily salmon and white/cream colored, he is primarily black.

The rooster has a large black chest, beard, muffs, legs, while his underbelly is black and gray. His back, saddle, and hackle feathers are the only similarity he has to the hen, being cream with salmon speckles.

Both of his wings have a deep reddish gold with just a touch of white on the end. Finally, his tail is black with a mix of iridescent green!

They both have a single comb that runs a ridge along their head. Unlike some single comb breeds, like the Rhode Island Red, their comb is generally smaller. Although a bit smaller, it still has distinct spikes running its length.

Color

Salmon, along with white, is a recognized color according to the APA. There are a few other colors of Faverolle in addition to the white or salmon color, as well:

• Black
• Blue
• Cuckoo
• Ermine
• Splash

Size

One particularly interesting thing about Salmon Faverolles is that they are considered a large fowl chicken but they can also be Bantam sized.

The average size of Salmon Faverolle hens is usually around 6.5 pounds when fully grown. An adult Salmon Faverolles rooster can weigh up to 8 pounds. Bantam Faverolles breeds are generally about one third the size of the the standard Salmon Faverolles breed. Here's a quick chart for a size comparison:

Salmon Faverolles Chicks

Salmon Faverolle chicks, as you would expect from any baby chicks, are absolutely adorable. Once they dry after hatching, you will usually notice they already have slight muffs and beards. This is not an autosexing breed so you will need to know how to tell the Salmon Faverolles hens and roosters apart.

What Are They Like?

The best way to paint a good picture of a chicken breed's behavior is to break it down into two categories; ; temperament (what they do) and personality (why they do it).

Temperament

Salmon Faverolles are a pretty easy going breed of chicken. No matter your farm setup, they will likely do very well. They are great foragers and enjoy free-ranging.

They also adapt quickly to more confined spaces. If you do not have the luxury of space for a free ranging flock, a small run works just as well for these chickens.

You can also raise them just about anywhere. They do not particularly like extreme heat. However, they are very cold hardy.

You will want to make sure to keep their eggs out of the nesting box on a routine basis. The salmon faverolle hens have a tendency to go broody if they have a partially full nest for even a small amount of time.

Finally, one of their more endearing quirks, you could say, is they are noisy. Not in a bad way though. They just have a tendency to talk all day long.

It isn't very loud, so even in a neighborhood, they won't disturb anyone. They are just very talkative to each other and themselves.

Personality

One of the most unique traits of Salmon Faverolles is how docile and laid back they can be. Most chickens are very scattered and flighty. This chicken breed is the opposite. Even the roosters are gentle.

If you have kids and are starting a backyard flock you may wonder if Salmon Faverolles are friendly. They absolutely are and are great with kids.

They do not pick on the other chickens in your flock. In fact, they are often bullied by other chickens because of how docile and submissive they can be.

Due to their attitude and tendency to be bullied, they tend to keep to themselves, for the most part. They are loners, in that way.

What Is Their Purpose?

Originally, this breed was bred to be a production and meat bird. This is evident in both their size and the frequency with which they lay eggs.

However, over time, they have become more of an ornamental breed than a market breed of chicken.

Show

As we mentioned above, Salmon Faverolles tend to be an ornamental chicken breed, these days. What that means, is instead of being raised for their egg laying abilities or for meat birds, they are raised for a specific look.

Due to a combination of their flashy foot feathering and body confirmation, people have begun to enjoy showing their chickens.

Eggs

Despite being an ornamental breed, Salmon Faverolles are not only good egg layers, their egg laying ability is fantastic! Fortunately, breeding for the show ring has not really hindered their egg production levels.

You can expect your hens to reliably lay around 4 medium size, light brown or light pink eggs per week. As an added bonus, this breed matures earlier than many other breeds. So you can expect to start getting eggs as early as 6 months from when they hatch.

Meat

This breed is also large enough to be a meat bird. The roosters can grow to 8 lbs and the hens are nothing to scoff at either, at 6.5 lbs. Salmon Faverolles are what is known as a dual purpose chicken breed. That just means they are suitable for both egg production and as meat birds.

Pets

Finally, we know there is a growing trend to have backyard chickens as pets. If you are thinking of getting some of these chickens, you are in luck. Salmon Faverolles have sweet personalities which make them a very gentle, sweet bird. Even handling a rooster is something that anyone can do, even small children.

If you already have chickens, you will want to take some precautions when introducing new chickens to your existing flock. Because this breed is so passive, they tend to be lower on the pecking order and can get injured.

What Care Do They Need?

Salmon Faverolles need just a bit of basic chicken care to lead happy and healthy lives.

Diet

This breed does very well in both captivity and as a free range chicken. That means you can either choose one the the best chicken feeders and keep it full with a high quality layer feed as their primary source of nutrition or just as a supplemental feed.

Aside from a reliable food source, they will also need steady access to one of the best chicken waterers you can find. Make sure their water is clean. Also keep their chicken water from freezing during the cold months.

Shelter

These chickens are very, very cold hardy. They can live just about anywhere and survive. But, just like any other breed, they will need to have a safe, clean, warm, and well ventilated shelter. That is the main key to keeping chickens warm in the winter.

A safe shelter is one that has been designed to keep chickens in and predators out. Salmon Faverolles are already so docile, they are easy pickings for an aggressive predator.

In the winter, you will want to make sure their coop is warm enough for them. Chickens like to huddle for warmth but still need their individual space. A good rule to follow is each chicken will need 2 to 4 square feet of coop space and 12 square feet of run space.

Health

The most unique problem for this particular breed is the occasional infestation of scaly leg mites. Due to the feathering on their legs, certain parasites have plenty of hiding and breeding space.

You can fix this by checking them periodically and providing them with a good place for dirt bathing. You can also follow the techniques you would use to treat chicken lice and mites on any other breed.

Other than scaly leg mites, there are no illnesses that are unique to this particular breed. There are some fairly common health issues that bother chickens, in general.

Chickens are fairly susceptible to many respiratory problems. Some of the signs associated with a respiratory problem are "sleepy", "crusty" , or swollen looking eyes. You may also notice some nasal discharge and/or their breathing sounding labored or like wheezing.

Similar Breeds

While the Salmon Faverolle is a unique breed, there are some other chickens that share similar characteristics. The most prominent features one will notice when looking at them is their feathered legs as well as their little beards and muffs.

• Black Copper Marans (leg feathering)
• Silkies (leg feathering)
• Easter Eggers (beards & muffs)
• Aracauna (beards & muffs)
• Ameraucana (beards & muffs)

Common Questions

These cute little guys have inspired a lot of common questions. Here are some of the ones we found the most often.

How big do salmon faverolles get?

Salmon faverolle hens usually range about 6.5 lbs while the salmon faverolle roosters are around 8 lbs.

What age do they start laying?

The Salmon Faverolle will tend to start laying no earlier than at 6 months of age. However, don't be surprised if it takes 7 or 8 months for them to really get going.

Are they good layers?

Salmon Faverolle lay an average of 4 eggs per week. That is 200+ eggs per year; more than enough for the average family.

What color eggs do salmon lay?

This breed lays light brown or pink hued medium sized egg.

Are they friendly?

As one of the most docile breeds, the Salmon Faverolle is very friendly. What is exceptionally nice is that the rooster is uncharacteristically non-aggressive. Unlike most roosters, this breed is very gentile.

How big do they get?

Salmon Faverolle chickens were initially bred as dual purpose chickens. Meaning they are suitable for both egg production and meat birds. This breed will grow to about 6 ½ lbs for hens and 8 lbs or more for roosters.

Are they noisy?

YES!!! One of the more unique personality quirks of this breed is that they are, what can only be described as, talkers. They will chatter all day long (whether anyone is listening or not).

However, while they are very chatty, they are not too terribly loud. So, no worries if you want to add them to your backyard flock.

Do Salmon Faverolle roosters crow?

Yes, like any other breed, the Salmon Faverolle rooster will crow. Their crow is a bit deeper and seems to have more bass than other breeds, however.

Are they cold hardy?

While they do very well in the cold, it is not without it's fair share of effort. Since they have leg and feet feathers, it is important for them to stay dry. If their feathers become wet, they will easily freeze and chill the chicken.

Conclusion

If you are starting your own flock and growing your existing one, the Salmon Faverolle is a great choice for you. They are very sweet and docile. They are heavy egg producers and grow large enough to be a good meat source.

Why not pick up a couple for your flock today?

The Ayam Cemani chicken may be the most unique breed of chicken you will ever see. If you have never seen one before, you are in for a treat!

You can very well see, in the above picture, the Ayam Cemani is unlike any other chicken you have ever seen.

Their appearance is certainly an eye catching conversation starter. However, not only are they beautiful to look at, they are also some of the friendliest and docile chicken breeds available today.

Let's took a look at some of the history and genetics behind this mysterious looking breed.

Everything About Ayam Cemani

History and Origin

The Ayam Cemani is believed to have originated as far back as the 12th century. The name is derived from two languages, Indonesian and Javanese. "Ayam" is the Indonesian word for chicken while "cemani" is believed to be taked from the Javanese word meaning "thotoughly black (to the bone)"

The first breed appeared on the small island of Java, Indonesia. There it was bred and cultivated over centuries. It did not make it's way over to Europe until 1998 when a Dutch breeder named Jan Steverink imported them in.

Currently, there are only around 3,500 Ayam Cemani chickens world wide. The largest flock of breeding pairs is maintained by a Congolese-Belgian philanthropist named Jean Kiala. They are a part of a breeding program called the African Ornamental Breeder Association (AOBA).

Recognition

The American Poultry Association has yet to recognize the breed. However, the Ayam Cemani Breeders Association (ACBA) currently has a breed standard of perfection.

What Do They Look Like?

The contrast between an Ayam Cemani and, really, any other breed of chicken is quite stark. In the image below, you can really appreciate just how striking this breed is compared to a more commonly colored chicken.

Color

The single most distinguishing, and desirable, feature of the Ayam Cemani chicken is its distinct coloring. Every single feature of this breed is a deep, deep black.

The feathers, the skin, beak, tongue, feet, everything right down to their bones and internal organs.

How is it that a single breed of chicken can be one single color, literally, right down to the bone? It is because of a dominant gene which causes hyperpigmentation or fibromelanosis.

Hyperpigmentation aka Fibromelanosis

Ayam Cemani are known for their all black appearance - both outside and inside. This all black appearance is due to hyperpigmentation known as fibromelanosis.

You may be familiar with this fibromelanosis as it also occurs in another breed which is a bit more well-known, Silkies.

What causes this hyperpigmentation? Scientists have shown that it is due to a duplication of a particular gene. That gene is known as EDN3.

This duplication causes a large amount of black or dark pigment melanin to show in tissues - both internal and external (skin).

Although this gene duplication and the responding fibromelanosis was something that occurred in the wild, it is a trait that has been heavily selected and bred for which has worked to further solidify this characteristic in the breed.

Need some help keeping your chickens health and care taken care of? Check out the Organized Chicken Keeper for an easy to follow system.

Feathering, Comb, & Wattles

The feathers of the Ayam Cemani are typically tight and uniform against the body with little to no fluff and is jet black in color. However, roosters will sometimes have an iridescent turquoise/green/purple sheen to it when the light is at a certain angle.

Their head looks very similar to other single comb breeds, like the Rhode Island Red. The obvious difference is their comb, wattles, earlobes, beak, tongue, and eyes are all completely black.

The comb and wattles on a chicken are used to help regulate the body's temperature. Blood flows through the thinner skin and is either heated or cooled. That blood is then recirculated throughout the rest of the chicken's body thus cooling or heating it appropriately.

Additionally, the Ayam Cemani has black legs with four toes on each feet.

Size

This is not a particularly large breed of chicken. They are more compact, strong, and muscular. Their body type is described similarly to a game bird.

Ayam Cemani hens are pretty small. They generally only weigh between 3 and 4 ½ lbs. As with most breeds, the roosters are larger, but not by much in this instance. The roosters average a weight between 4 ½ and 5 ½ lbs.

Breed Standard

As we mentioned above, the Ayam Cemani Breeders Association has their own breed standard of perfection. Some of the highlights include:

• large, deeply serrated comb with 5 points
• completely black skin
• completely black feathering
• muscular, game like, body confirmation
• black legs with 4 toes on each foot

What can disqualify a chicken from meeting the standards of perfection?

• Any color in the mouth other than black or gray
• feathering of any color other than black
• toenails any color other than black

What Are They Like?

We like to break this down into two sections; temperament (what they do) and personality (why they do it).

Temperament

Ayam Cemani hens are known to be good mothers. They are also known to go broody fairly often. Both of these things may seem normal, but are kind of odd when you hear that they are terrible setters. They tend to not set long enough for their young to hatch.

If you are wanting to raise your own Ayam Cemani, you will likely need to incubate the chicken eggs on your own with an incubator. Alternatively, you could use a broody hen to help hatch them.

This breed loves to forage and free-range. They are excellent hunters and will clear your yard of the majority of unwanted pests, like ticks. They also make great watch dogs as they are a very alert breed. Not much goes on in their yard without them knowing.

Personality

These chickens are a very sweet and loving breed. They do well with other chickens, pets, livestock, even small children. Not many other breeds are as docile as they are.

They are generally a pretty peaceful chicken. Rarely are they skittish or flighty. If they have a safe place to shelter on your homestead, they will be in paradise.

What Is Their Purpose?

The Ayam Cemani has different purposes depending on where they are located. There are some societies that use them in religious ceremonies. Others use them for ritualistic medicine. Some cultures, where they are more common, insist the black skin and meat is better than other chicken meat.

They do not necessarily qualify as a dual purpose chicken since they are not particularly big or very reliable egg layers. In the US, they are raised for poultry shows and breeding programs.

Show

Like the Polish chicken, in the United States, the Ayam Cemani is primarily an ornamental, or show breed. Since they are not recognized by the APA, you won't see them at any of their sanctioned shows. But you can find them through various poultry clubs.

Eggs

This breed is notoriously unreliable when it comes to laying eggs. You can expect to get anywhere from 60 to 80 eggs per year. That's only an egg or two a week. They also will just stop laying for months at a time.

If you are wanting a breed for farm fresh eggs, this is not the breed for you. You will likely want a breed like the The Buckeye Chicken, Sussex, or the Leghorn.

Meat

Some cultures say the meat of the Ayam Cemani is second to none. Allegedly, the darkness of the meat and skin is juicier and more flavorful. With a $2500 price tag and a couple years long waiting list, we're just going to have to take their word for it.

Pets

One thing that is agreed upon by nearly all Ayam Cemani breeders is that they are super docile and gentle. They are great around children, even so patient as to let small kids play with them without a single peck.

If you are able to find some, they integrate well into existing flocks and are tolerant of other animals like livestock and pets.

What Care Do They Need?

Fortunately, Ayam Cemani chickens do not require any different care than other chickens in your flock. The two main areas of health are diet and shelter.

Diet

As we mentioned, these chickens are great foragers and love to free-range. Hunting bugs and pests can help to supplement their diet quite a bit. However, foraging for food is not always 100% consistent.

You want to make sure that your chickens are getting a complete and balanced diet. You can easily do this with a good layer feed and one of the best chicken feeders from your local farm store. This will ensure that your feathered friends will get all of the nutrients they need.

In addition to a full chicken feeder, they will also need to have regular access to a clean water source. You do not want your chickens to dehydrate. Make sure you have a good chicken waterer and it is kept clean and that you know how to keep waterers unfrozen when it's cold.

Shelter

This probably goes without saying but, chickens are not at the top of the food chain. In fact, most predators see them as an easy lunch. They need a solid and safe shelter to roost at night. If they don't have this they are sitting ducks (or chickens, as the case may be).

A good shelter or coop is one that is kept clean and well ventilated. If you live in an area that gets really cold, you may want to take steps to keep their coop warm enough for them. As this is one of the keys to keeping chickens warm in the winter.

Chickens need about 2 to 3 square feet of coop space each. We have fond that our chickens do better with 4 square feet. If you are giving them an enclosed run instead of free-ranging, they will need about 12 square feet of run space each.

Ayam Cemani Health Issues

Fortunately, Ayam Cemani chickens are pretty hardy and do not suffer from any breed specific health issues. As long as they have access to plenty of food, fresh water, and a clean living space/shelter, they will live long and happy lives.

Similar Breeds

While the Ayam Cemani is unique in the respect that every physical feature of them is completely black, other than their blood, there are some other breeds that are similar. Each of these breeds have a varying degree of black skin and feathers.

• South American Black Quechua Olmec
• Black Sumatra
• Rapanui
• Silkies
• Swedish Svart Höna

Common Questions

Obviously, such a unique breed of chicken spurs many questions. Here are some of the more common questions we found during our research.

How do you pronounce Ayam Cemani?

The way you pronounce Ayam Cemani is eye-yem suh-mah-nee.

Why are they so popular/Why are they so expensive?

Ayam Cemani are so popular because they are so rare. This is also why they come with such a hefty price tag. Do not be shocked to pay up to $5,000 or more for a breeding pair!

Where can you find one?

Currently, Ayam Cemani are available in the United States, various parts of Europe, and Indonesia. There are around 3,500 Ayam Cemani in the world today. If you want one, you will have to put in serioues time in research to find one that meets breed standards.

What kind of personality do they have?

Ayam Cemani have a reputation of being a very gentle and docile breed. Even the roosters are more calm than most other breeds.

Why are they black?

Ayam Cemani possess a dominant gene that causes fibromelanosis, or hyperpigmentation. This gene causes them to be completely black; beak, feathers, skin, bones, even internal organs!

Do they lay black eggs?

No, Ayam Cemani do not lay black eggs. They lay a medium sized, cream colored egg.

Are they good for a backyard flock?

Ayam Cemani are known to be a gentle and docile breed. Their personality would make them a good backyard breed. However, their shockingly large price tag makes that a bit impractical.

Are they cold hardy?

Yes, Ayam Cemani chickens are very cold hardy. They do very well in most climates.

Can you eat them?

Yes, you can eat Ayam Cemani. However, they are way too expensive to just cook up as a regular meal. It is said, though, that the black skin and meat flavor is superior to any other chicken.

Conclusion

As you can see, the Ayam Cemani is truly one of the most unique breeds of, not only chickens, but any kind of animal. They are genuinely one of the sweetest breeds anyone could add to their flock.

If you are wanting to add some to your breeding program, be prepared to pay a lot of money, and exercise much patience while cultivating your own specific line. It is difficult and frustrating, but in the end, it is truly satisfying!

The Sussex Chicken is the perfect addition to just about any flock. They make great meat birds, lay a ton of eggs, or can be the friendliest backyard chicken friend you will ever meet.

Sussex Chickens are some of the more reliable layers around. They will give you several large, light brown eggs a week. Their size also makes them excellent protein sources for those who like to raise their own food.

The Sussex is very cold hardy but also fares well in warmer climates too. Which makes them an easy to care for chicken.

Lets take a deeper dive into some more of this breed's history, personality, and appearance.

Everything About The Sussex Chicken

Origin And History

The Sussex Chicken is one of the oldest breeds known today. It's first known place of origin was, appropriately, Sussex, England.

One of the first recorded instances of the Sussex Chicken was in 1845 at an exhibition for the London Zoo. It was billed as the "Old Sussex" or "Kent Fowl". It is likely that these birds were of the Speckled Sussex variety as it is believed to be the oldest of the initial recognized colors.

The breed standard was set in 1902 and consisted of the Light, Red, and, the previously mentioned, Speckled Sussex.

Appearance

The Sussex is a fairly large bird, with the roosters getting up to 9 lbs. They have a stocky build and look adorable as they waddle around foraging for food.

Color & Feathering

Sussex Chickens are officially recognized by two of the largest poultry organizations out there. Those organizations are the American Poultry Association (APA) and the Poultry Club of Great Britain.

The American Poultry Association only recognizes three colors while the Poultry club of Great Britain recognizes eight. Those recognized colors are:

American Poultry Association

• Light
• Red
• Speckled

Poultry Club of Great Britain

• Brown
• Buff
• Coronation
• Light
• Red
• Silver
• Speckled
• White

Size

The Sussex Chicken is considered to be a large breed. Both the hens and roosters of this breed can get pretty big.

Hens are generally smaller than roosters and that is no different here. However, a Sussex hen can still grow up to 7 lbs on their own! The Sussex rooster can get all the up to a whopping 9 lbs!

You can also find Bantam Sussex Chickens. You may already know that Bantams are typically about one third of the size of the standard breed. For example, a Bantam Sussex hen will weight somewhere around 2.5 lbs while a Bantam Sussex rooster may weigh around 3.3 lbs.

Comb and Wattles

The Sussex Chicken's comb is a bright red, single comb. They also have a small set of bright red wattles under their beak.

The comb and wattles of a chicken is one of the ways the bird is able to regulate it's own temperature. Similar to an elephant's tusks, blood circulates through them, is cooled or warmed and then recirculated back through the body. This keeps the chicken's core temperature at the desired level.

Miscellaneous

Other notable features of this breed are their bright red earlobes, white legs, white skin, and four toes.

When they were initially bred as table birds, they gained a good reputation as being very flavorful. Their light skin coloring and, oddly enough, number of toes, was a sign that they came from a well sourced flock.

Need some help keeping your chickens health and care taken care of? Check out the Organized Chicken Keeper for an easy to follow system.

What Are They Like?

One thing that is great about the Sussex Chicken is how docile and friendly they are. They are also a great bird for beginner's because of how low -maintenance they can be.

Temperament & Personality

We had a Speckled Sussex hen for almost 8 years. She was incredibly friendly and, honestly, one of the sweetest chickens we've ever had.

It is not uncommon for a Sussex to come out and meet you whenever you end up near their coop or wherever they happen to be foraging. Even the roosters are more gentle than other breeds of rooster.

If you have small children or are just getting the family into backyard chickens, the Sussex is an excellent choice. Since they are so docile, small kids will be safe around them as they do not mind being pet or even picked up. They are also low maintenance and will not give you very much trouble keeping them healthy.

Their docile and non-aggressive nature is not without it's drawbacks, unfortunately. Since they are so mellow, they often find themselves at the bottom of the pecking order. So, if they are paired with more aggressive birds, they will likely get picked on.

Foraging

Sussex Chickens LOVE to forage! They will spend all day in your backyard scratching around, eating any little bug, worms, grubs, and larvae they can find.

They are great at keeping annoying bugs under control, like ticks and other pests. If you have a garden, they will also help keep some of the more invasive bugs from destroying your crops. Just make sure they don't get a taste of the crops too!

Eggs

Sussex Chickens are very reliable egg layers. Their eggs tend to be on the larger side and a light tan or tinted color.

How often these chickens lay eggs will depend on their age and health. But at average age and good health, they will lay anywhere between three and five eggs per week for you.

Cold Hardy or Heat Hardy

These chickens are survivors. They are able to live in both hot and cold environments. If you live in a particularly warm climate, they will do fine as long as they have some sort of shade or shelter from the heat.

Those that live in colder climates will see them do just fine. So long as they have ready access to a warm, dry, well ventilated coop, nutritional feed, and clean water, you should see no ill effects during the Winter months.

What Is Their Purpose?

Introducing new chickens to your existing flock is often done for a specific reason. You may want a steady stream of farm fresh eggs. Perhaps, you may want to try out growing your own meat sources. You may just want your own little backyard buddy.

When a chicken has more than one viable market purpose, we call them dual purpose chickens. All that means is that they can be used for both egg production and/or as table birds.

Around here, we call them tri-purpose. Since they are so friendly, they can also be considered pets. Although we don't really advocate that you eat your pet, so maybe they are still just dual purpose.

Pets

As we mentioned earlier, these chickens are incredibly docile, friendly, and curious. They have never met a stranger and love to be cuddled. Their easy going, mellow personality is a perfect fit for both new chicken farmers as well as seasoned veterans of the craft.

Eggs

The Sussex Chicken is a very productive egg layer. As we mentioned, they will reliably lay large, tinted or light brown eggs.

Your average hen will lay anywhere from 180 to 200 eggs a year. However, there are some hybrid strains that have reported up to 320 eggs in a year! That's an egg almost every day of the week.

Meat

Sussex Chickens get pretty big. If you are raising and hatching your own chicks, you now have something to do with all of those roosters! In fact, during the time or World War II the Sussex and the Rhode Island Red were the primary meat birds in the United Kingdom.

The Sussex Rooster can get up to 9 lbs. That's about ¾ the size of your average Thanksgiving turkey. Even the hens are large enough for a decent meal too. If you retire them once they are no longer laying, a 7 lb hen can make a good stewing hen.

Since they grow so large and are quite the productive layers, Sussex Chickens make great dual purpose chickens.

Common Questions

We cam across some of these questions while researching for this article.

Are Sussex chickens good layers/Do Sussex chickens lay eggs/How many eggs does a Sussex chicken lay?

Yes. Sussex Chickens, when in good health, are reliable egg layers. You can expect anywhere from 200 to 320 eggs per year.

Do Sussex chickens go broody?

Yes. Typically, when the season turns warmer, some varieties of Sussex will go broody.

How big do Sussex chickens get?

Sussex are considered a large breed chicken. The hens can get up to 7 lbs while the roosters get all the way up to 9 lbs.

They can also be a Bantam breed with the hens weighing around 2.5 lbs and the roos around 3.3.

What age do Sussex chickens start laying?

Like most breeds of chickens, they will start laying between 18 and 20 weeks of age.

Are Sussex chickens aggressive?

Not at all. They are very friendly and docile. This is both a blessing and a curse as they are very often at the low end of a flock's pecking order.

Are Sussex chickens noisy?

Not particularly. Due to their docile nature, the Sussex Chicken is relatively quiet.

How long do Sussex chickens live?

A healthy and well protected Sussex can live anywhere between 5 and 8 years. This is about how long most chicken live.

Can Sussex chickens fly?

Most chickens are able to get off the ground for short spans. Sussex chickens tend to be on the heavier side of poultry and are not very prone to flying.

Are Sussex chickens cold hardy?

Absolutely! Their large size keeps them well insulated during the cold weather. They are very cold hardy.

What are Sussex chickens used for?

Sussex Chickens are what is known as a dual purpose chicken. That means they are able to be used as meat birds as well as for the high egg production.

Is Speckled Sussex rare?

The Standard size is not particularly rare. However, the Bantam Speckled Sussex is very rare.

Conclusion

If you've made it this far you know how great a bird the Sussex Chicken can be!

They are very productive layers. They can be excellent food sources. Or they make perfectly nice feathered companions.

If you want to start a flock or add some new chickens to your current one, you can't go wrong with the Sussex Chicken.

The Buckeye Chicken is a great chicken to add to your flock no matter what you're looking for. They are big, productive, and some of the most docile and friendly chickens you can find!

If you want to add in a reliable layer that will give you large brown eggs, the Buckeye Chicken is perfect. They can also make great meat birds due to their large size.

This breed is especially cold hardy and great for any backyard flock! Let's dig a little bit deeper and learn some more about this breed's history, appearance, behavior, and more!

Everything About The Buckeye Chicken

Origin And History

The Buckeye Chicken is a purely American Breed of chicken. It was first developed around 1896 in Warren, Ohio by a homesteader named Nelly Metcalf. She tended the poultry for her family and wanted to have a breed that was large, productive, and could stand up to the cold Ohio winters.

After different attempts that were not to her liking, she eventually crossed Barred Plymouth Rocks, Buff Cochins, and some local black breasted red game birds. The result was what we now know as the only APA recognized breed created by a women; the Buckeye Chicken.

There is a bit of confusion behind the name of the chicken. It is often assumed the name comes from the state of origin. Ohio is known as the Buckeye State. However, this breed is also a deep mahogany color which is the same color as the seed from the Buckeye Plant.

The American Poultry Association officially recognized the Buckeye Chicken in 1904. They assigned their own "Standard of Perfection" meaning these chickens could be entered into various poultry competitions across the United States.

The breed has varied in popularity over the years. In the past it was confused with a Rhode Island Red, or dismissed as a strain of the Rhode Island Red. This passive attitude and fluctuation in public interest toward the breed led to a steep decline in the population.

Conservancy Efforts

Buckeye chickens were included in the Slow Foods USA Ark of taste list. The Ark of Taste is a list of heritage foods that are in danger of becoming extinct. Conservation groups have been working to improve the breed and, hopefully, have them removed from the list some day.

As it currently stands, there are around 5,000 breeding pairs in the United States and just 10,000 world wide.

If you want to become involved or are interested in adding some to your flock, there are some organizations dedicated specifically to the Buckeye Chicken. You can see if they have any information for you locally.

• American Buckeye Club
• American Buckeye Poultry Club

Appearance

As we mentioned earlier, the Buckeye Chicken is officially recognized by the APA and has a breed standard. If you want to show your chickens, they will have to conform to those guidelines explicitly.

However, if you are just interested in a production bird, a good layer, or just a nice chicken friend, you do not have to worry about the APA's Standard of Perfection.

Color & Feathering

The Buckeye Chicken is a rather large breed. It has yellow skin, yellow legs, with four toes on each leg.

The feathering is a deep Mahogany color. It is said that the color of their feathers is the same color as the seeds of the Buckeye Plant. This is one of the theories behind the breed's name.

In addition to being almost completely mahogany, they will also often have black tail feathers.

For the most part, the hens and the roosters look very similar. The roosters will generally have more feathering, with a bit more pizazz to their plumage. At times, their black tail feathers may even have a iridescent green sheen to them.

The hens are also mahogany with black tail feathers. Their feathering tends to be a bit less extravagant and more neat and trim.

As with most chickens, the hens do not need the extra plumage to attract a mate. That is why the roosters look much flashier. (If you plan to breed your chickens, be sure to know how chickens mate).

There is not a lot of variation in color for the Buckeye Chicken. It is believed that is one of the leading reasons it has gotten to close to extinction. Not enough color variety is a deterrence to those who want to show their chickens.

Size

There is quite a bit of size difference between the hens and roosters of the breed. As we mentioned, they are considered a large breed. Even the hens are large all the while being considerably smaller than the males.

A standard Buckeye Hen will weigh around 5.5 to 6.5 lbs fully grown. A Buckeye Rooster can get up to 9 lbs!

There are also Bantam Buckeye Chickens. As you may know, Bantam Chickens are much smaller than the standard breeds. For example, a Bantam Buckeye Rooster will probably weigh around the 4 or 5 lb mark with the hens weighing even less.

Need some help keeping your chickens health and care taken care of? Check out the Organized Chicken Keeper for an easy to follow system.

Comb and Wattles

The Buckeye Chicken has what is known as a pea-comb, just like the Easter Egger chicken and the Shamo chicken. This is something that Nelly Metcalf specifically bred for so that her chickens would be extra cold hardy. The pea-comb is much smaller than most other combs and is much less susceptible to frost bite.

In addition to a red pea-comb, they also possess a much smaller set of red wattles than, say the Rhode Island Red. They also have a pair of bright red earlobes.

Miscellaneous

Like we said above, the Buckeye Chicken has been confused with the Rhode Island Red, or a strain of the Rhode Island Red. While they do look similar, they do have some pretty distinct differences you can use to tell them apart.

The first is their comb. Rhode Island Reds have a single ridge while the Buckeye has a pea-comb.

Buckeyes are also a bit more compact in their build. Finally, they have a slate colored bar across their backs that Rhode Island Reds do not.

One more note of interest; according to The Livestock Conservancy, Buckeye roosters will make all sorts of sounds beyond your typical Rooster crow. One of those sounds is said to be a "dinosaur-like roar"!

What Are They Like?

Don't let the dino roar scare you off from adding some of these to your flock. They aren't vicious at all. Let's take a look at their personality traits, behavior and s few other characteristics.

Temperament & Personality

This is one of the friendliest breeds you will ever find. They make great backyard pets because of it, too. It is not unlike them to run right up to you anytime you go outside. They are that friendly!

Another point of their personality is Buckeyes are naturally very curious. It could be argued that the reason they appear to be so friendly is because they are just curious about people, in general. But you would think that curiosity would go away after a while and their friendliness does not seem to.

They work great with other chickens in the flock. This breed is known for not picking too hard on other birds in the flock. Specifically, they do not tend to pull out other chickens' feathers.

Foraging

Part of the reason these chickens make great backyard chickens is because they are not only great foragers but they also thrive in the grass. You can actually supplement a decent portion of their feed with what they can find on their own foraging in your yard.

They are also quite good at hunting. If you have an older farm house and tend to get mice every now and again, these birds will seriously cut down on their frequency. Buckeye chickens will hunt down and eat any mice they can find!

Eggs

Buckeye Chickens are pretty reliable layers. You can expect to get 3 or 4 eggs from each of them per week. They also tend to lay medium to large sized, brown eggs.

Cold Hardy or Heat Hardy

Because they originated in Ohio, their ability to survive a harsh winter was very important. One of the key characteristics Nelly Metcalf was looking for was for her chickens to be extra cold hardy.

She succeeded. Not only do these birds do great in cold weather but they do not lose size or drop in their egg production with the changing weather. Part of how they are so cold hardy is due to their pea-comb. Single ridge, or other large comb birds, can suffer from frostbite or other issues when it gets too cold.

What Is Their Purpose?

Whenever you introduce new chickens to your existing flock you likely have an intended purpose; whether that purpose is as a pet, as a meat bird, or as a source for farm fresh eggs.

Generally, meat birds are meat birds and layers are just for eggs. The Buckeye Chicken is considered a dual purpose chicken. What that means is that you can use it for more than just one single purpose.

We often like to say some chickens can be tri-purpose. We know the demand for pet chickens has gone up in recent years so we like to point out when a breed is a good candidate for that, as well.

Pets

As we discussed earlier, the chickens are extremely friendly. They will come to greet you when you go outside. Once they realize you are also the source of food, they will get even friendlier. If you want a chicken that is willing to be picked up, carried around, pet, or even cuddled, these chickens are great for that.

Eggs

The Buckeye Chicken is a fairly productive egg layer. They will easily lay between 150 and 200 eggs a year (with some anecdotal reports of 175 - 250/year). That breaks down to around 3 or 4 eggs a week per chicken.

Meat

The Buckeye Chicken is a pretty good sized bird. The roosters can weigh up to 9 lbs. To put that in perspective, the average weight of a Thanksgiving Turkey is around 15 lbs.

Even the hens can be a decent stewing hen once they no longer lay. They get to be up to 6.5 lbs in size.

Both their size and egg production levels make the Buckeye Chicken a great dual purpose chicken.

Common Questions

Here are some answers to common questions about this unique breed.

Are Buckeye chickens friendly?

Yes. They act as if they never got the "be afraid of humans" gene. They are really friendly and genuinely enjoy the company of people.

What color eggs do Buckeye chickens lay?

Buckeye chickens lay brown eggs.

Do Buckeye chickens eat mice?

Buckeye chickens are interesting in that they will hunt and eat mice. That should save on your feed bill!

Conclusion

As you may already know, they Buckeye Chicken is perfect for just about any type of homestead purpose.

They make great meat birds. If you want a lot of eggs, they can provide those. Need a backyard pal? They've got you covered. Heck, they can even replace your barn cat!

Hopefully, you are thinking of adding some to your flock soon!

Have you ever seen a Polish chicken before? With their friendly personalities, docile behavior, and crazy "hair style" they make a wonderful (and eye-catching) addition to any backyard flock!

The Polish Chicken is one of those breeds that you have to see to believe; specifically for the very large and impressive crest of feathers on the top of their head. They also come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. This is not a large breed of chicken and is more along the size of a Bantam breed. Originally from Poland, as the name implies, the Polish Chicken is primarily used as an ornamental or show bird. However, they will lay 2 or 3 small, white eggs a week or 150 a year.

But the details of this unique and mysterious breed do not stop there. Let's dive a little deeper into everything about the Polish chicken.

Everything About The Polish Chicken

As with any breed of chicken, it is easiest to understand them when you break their characteristics down into smaller segments. We have done this and made 4 categories; history and origin, what do they look like, what are they like (personality and temperament), and what are they used for (production, eggs, meat, etc).

Let's start with their history, as it is pretty interesting.

History and Origin

To start things off, the Polish chicken may not actually even be Polish in its origin. How's that for mysterious?

Obviously, when you hear the name, you assume that is where they come from. And, it is a working theory. However, there is very little documentation on the early days of these birds so it is not definitive.

Another working theory on their name is that it is derived from the Middle Dutch word pol which means "head". This is likely a reference to their dome shaped head or the ornate appearance of their head feathering, or crest.

Two of the most popular beliefs surrounding their appearance in Eastern and Central Europe is that they were either brought to Poland by Asian Mongols or other immigrants brought them to either Spain or Italy in the 1500s.

We do have evidence that the breed is a very old breed. Chickens that look very similar are seen in some paintings from the 16th century. There are also several Dutch and Italian paintings ranging from the 16th to the 18th centuries featuring what are obviously Polish chickens.

Need some help keeping your chickens health and care taken care of? Check out the Organized Chicken Keeper for an easy to follow system.

Breed & Variety

Polish chickens come in both large fowl and bantam sizes.

Large fowl are what we would consider to be a normal or standard size chicken. Bantam breeds are bred specifically to be a much smaller size. They generally retain the same physical characteristics just in a smaller package. You may see them referred to as mini chickens.

Polish chickens, whether large fowl or bantams, come in a couple of different varieties. They can be bearded, non-bearded, or frizzle. Although, the American Poultry Association (APA), considers frizzle to be a trait and not a separate variety.

Recognition

The APA is on record stating they made their first appearance in the US sometime between 1830 and 1840 before being officially recognized by the APA in 1874. Subsequent variations of the breed were then recognized in 1883, 1938, and finally in 1963.

What Do They Look Like?

The first thing you will notice about Polish chickens are their magnificent crests. Some of our first chickens were Polish and we gave them wild chicken names to match their crazy hair.

Feathering, Comb, & Wattles

The Polish chicken is most famous for it's wild hair-do. They look like a fun throwback to the 1970s disco era.

Unlike most chickens, the hens and the roosters both sport the same impressive head crests. The crest is made up of a large patch of feathers that grow straight up and then fall over due to their weight.

Not all chickens have crests, but there are some other breeds like Crevecoeur which do.

It is very impressive to look at but this unique level of style does not come without its own set of drawbacks. Mainly, it seriously impairs their vision, which should not at all be surprising.

Hidden underneath that large crest is a small set of white earlobes and some red wattles; although, the wattles are visible on the rooster. You are not likely to see either of them without picking them up and really searching. What is visible, however, is a small, red V-shaped comb just before their crest begins.

Polish chickens, like other breeds, use their comb and wattles to help them regulate their body temperature; similar to larger livestock and their horns. What happens is blood flows through their comb/wattles and, due to the thinner, looser skin, is warmed or cooled. It then runs throughout the rest of their body keeping them at a steady temperature.

Color

As we mentioned above, Polish chickens come in a couple of sizes, markings, and colors, as well as varieties. The APA officially recognizes the following:

Additionally, Polish chickens can also come in several other colors and patterns that are not officially recognized yet. Some of those colors are:

• Black
• Blue
• Blue Laced
• Chamois
• Creole
• Gold Laced
• Red
• Silver Laced
• White Crested Cuckoo
• White Crested Red
• White Splash

Size

As we've mentioned, Polish chickens are both a large fowl and a bantam sized breed.

The large fowl chickens will range in height from around a foot, or 12 inches to 1 ¼ foot, or around 15 to 16 inches. The hens will usually grow to be 4 to 5 pounds. The roosters are a bit larger, usually weighing up to 6 pounds.

As we mentioned, bantams are considered mini chickens so they will be much smaller.

What Are They Like?

We split this into two categories; personality and temperament.

Personality

Polish chickens are a very docile breed. They are not overly timid and appreciate being around humans. Unlike most chickens, these birds could be considered friendly. Especially when raised as chicks, they will not mind too terribly much if you pick them up and carry them around.

They can be a little skittish when startled. Since they do have impaired vision due to their crests, they will startle a little easier than other breeds. But, if they see or hear you coming (with plenty of warning) they are less likely to run away.

Temperament

Due to their size and poor vision, they are typically pretty low on the pecking order when you have a flock with several different breeds of chicken.

This may play a role in why they are so docile. It is not in their best interest to be overly aggressive as most chickens outweigh them by a good amount.

Polish chickens are not cold hardy at all. This breed does much better in warmer climates than they do in colder areas. If you happen to live in a cold area you will want to make sure that they have a warm shelter. And that you know how to keep your chickens warm in the winter.

If you plan to hatch chicks with an incubator you will likely need one of the best egg incubators you can find. Since the hens were bred as ornamental/show chickens and not for their egg production, they are not as inclined to go broody. That means, you likely won't have a broody hen to hatch eggs.

What Is Their Purpose?

Some breeds of chickens are what we call dual purpose. That essentially means that they are used for both eggs and meat production. Since these chickens are so small, they do not make good candidates for meat birds.

However, they do have more than one single, egg laying function. In fact, laying eggs is a secondary function to why most people breed Polish chickens.

The primary reason people keep Polish birds?

Show

Originally, in France, Polish hens were known to be good egg producers. But, since they have such a unique appearance, that became the more desired feature.

Since then, many breeders, 4-H members, students, and backyard hobbyists, have raised these chickens specifically for the show ring (much like Phoenix chickens are). That is where terms like "APA recognized" come from. These are the chickens that qualify for chicken shows.

Eggs

Initially, Polish chickens in France were known to be prolific egg producers. But, since they are show chickens primarily, that trait has been bred out.

However, that does not mean they are bad egg layers. They typically will lay a medium to large sized egg, depending on the size of the hen.

How often these chickens lay eggs will depend on their age and health. A healthy hen will also lay around 2 or 3 eggs a week or around 150 eggs a year.

Pets

A third reason people keep these chickens is as pets. You can keep two or three of them in your backyard. With their friendly personality they make good companions and are great conversation starters for gatherings.

What Care Do They Need?

As with any chicken, Polish chickens need a certain level of care from you. It is our responsibility, as farmers, breeders, and homesteaders, to make sure their dietary, living, and health needs are met.

Diet

Many chickens love to free range and forage on their own. If left to their own devices, they love nothing more than to peck and scratch in the grass and dirt for bugs, grubs, and anything else that looks tasty.

But, they also need consistency. It is best to make sure that they are getting all of their required nutrients. You can easily do this by making sure they have access to a high quality chicken feed.

Coop

All chickens need a safe enclosure over night. Chickens make a great late night snack for many predators out there. If they do not have a secure coop, they do not have much of a fighting chance against most things that will attack.

You will also want to make sure their coop is well ventilated and cleaned regularly. For Polish chickens, specifically, you will also want to make sure that their coop is warm enough for them to make it through winter.

For space, you want to make sure each chicken has around 2 or 3 square feet of space (ours do better with around 4 sq ft). If you have an enclosed run for them, they will need around 12 square feet of space each.

Polish Chicken Health Issues

Polish chickens do have a few unique health concerns. We've already mentioned that they do not have great eyesight due to their large feather crests. This makes them exceptionally vulnerable to predators.

Their crest is also a great place for lice and mites to live. You will need to check them regularly to make sure they are not infested with chicken pests.

Again, this issue centers around their head. Polish chickens have a dome shaped skull which is different than most breeds of chicken. When they hatch, their skull is not completely formed and they have a large soft spot.

This soft spot never completely closes up. If they are on the receiving end of any head trauma, like a peck with a beak, they can potentially suffer from brain damage.

What Breeds Are Some Similar Breeds?

If you can't get enough of their unique look, there are a few other breeds that share similar crest qualities.

Houdan

Silkies

Sultan

Common Questions

Here are some of the most common questions we found while researching for this ultimate guide.

Are Polish chickens good pets?

Yes. They are quite friendly and docile. Their large crests do impair their vision which can cause them to startle easy. But, with adequate warning, there should be no problem keeping them calm.

How big do Polish chickens get?

Polish chickens are a smaller breed of bird. They usually atsand around 1 to 1 ¼ feet tall. The hens grow between 4 and 5 lbs while the roosters are slightly bigger at around 6 lbs.

What color eggs do Polish chickens lay?

Polish chickens lay medium to large sized white eggs.

Are Polish chickens aggressive?

Not particularly. Roosters in general can be aggressive when they feel threatened or territorial. But overall, Polish chickens are not aggressive.

Are Polish chickens noisy?

They are not really any noisier than any other breed of chicken. They tend to be pretty calm.

At what age do Polish chickens lay eggs?

They typically start laying after around 5 months of age.

How long do Polish chickens live?

Their lifespan is usually around 7 or 8 years. This is a pretty typical chicken lifespan.

Are Polish chickens considered Bantams?

Not exclusively. However, there are Bantam size Polish chickens.

Can you eat Polish chickens?

You can but they are not very big. They are an ornamental, or show, bird and not a dual purpose breed.

Are Polish chickens winter hardy?

Their feathering is not as suitable for cold climates as other breeds. They do not fare well in cold weather.

Conclusion

If you have read this far, you definitely understand what a fun and unique breed of chicken the Polish chicken is. They are fun to look at and make great backyard companions.

Consider adding a few to your flock or maybe build your own flock of just Polish chickens. Whether you want a pet, a moderate egg layer, or are thinking of trying out the chicken show circuit, these chickens are a great choice!

If you want a gorgeous, laid back, productive chicken for your backyard flock, the Barnevelder may be just what you need.

Barnevelder chickens are some of the most beautiful birds one can get. Their unique lacing and chocolate colored eggs make them stand out from many other breeds.

If you are thinking of adding a few to your flock you wont be disappointed. Here is some more information about them.

Everything About Barnevelder Chickens

Perhaps youve heard of Barnevelders. Perhaps you have not. At any rate, here is everything you need to know to become familiar with them.

Origin And History

Barnevelder chickens originated in the central Netherlands town of Barneveld. They are a Dutch breed believed to have first appeared in the 1850s.

Initially, they were a product of local European hens crossing with chickens from Asia, referred to as "Shanghai" chickens. Along the way, they were crossed with other breeds, most notably the Croad Langshan.

It is believed it was the Croad Langshan breeding that most contributed to the Barnevelder's winter hardiness, as well as their egg production and deep brown color.

Appearance

The Barneveld has gone through many changes over the years in it's appearance.

Color & Feathering

These chickens come in many different colors and patterns. Often times, the hens will show some form of lacing on top of a brown or red base. The roosters are, as per usual with roosters, much more vibrant.

Roosters also exhibit a beautiful lacing pattern. As seen below, they can also have an exquisite iridescent green across most of their body. The tips of their wings can be a darker red or brown for contrast.

Both the hens and roosters are very impressive looking. Much more so than, say, a more plain breed with no markings like a Rhode Island Red.

Both hens and roosters have single red combs, the roosters also have an impressive set of wattles. They each also have bright yellow feet with four toes each.

Standards

The Dutch Poultry Club initially accepted the breed as an official entry in 1919, but there was still a wide variety in colors and patterns. It took another two years until a breeder's associate was formed to develop breed standards. It then took another two years, in 1923, for the breed to be accepted.

The variety of colors and patterns are:

• Double Laced
• Double Laced Blue
• Black
• White
• Silver Double Laced (only accepted in Bantam)
• Silver Black Double Laced (not accepted yet)
• Partridge (believed to be extinct)

Size

These chickens are, for the most part, considered to be a large breed of chicken, however, they do also come in Bantam sizes, as well.

The standard chicken has a good size to it. The hens are typically in the 5 to 6 lb range while the roosters weigh in at a whopping 7 to 8 lbs!

Need some help keeping your chickens health and care taken care of? Check out the Organized Chicken Keeper for an easy to follow system.

What Are They Like?

Barnevelder chickens are some of the best candidates for any flock. If you live in a neighborhood or suburban area, they may be the perfect chicken for you.

Temperament

Both hens and roosters in this breed are very low maintenance and easy to care for. They keep to themselves for the most part. They are very cold hardy. So much so that their egg production does not waiver during the winter.

They do not particularly enjoy the heat but can do very well if they are provided with the right amount of food, water, and shelter.

Personality

If you want docile chickens, you're in the right place. Some would even call these chickens lazy. They love nothing more than to laze about all day and not really kick up too much trouble.

They can, on occasion, try to assert their dominance on other chickens in the flock. This rarely amounts to more than typical chicken behavior establishing their pecking order.

Health

On top of doing well in pretty much any climate, they also do not really suffer from any health issues or illnesses outside of the typical ones like: chicken lice or mites and coccidia in chickens.

What Is Their Purpose?

Barnevelders can be considered a dual purpose chicken. For our standards, they are actually a tri-purpose chicken.

Pets

We call this breed a tri-purpose breed because it can be used for three distinct purposes. Although, we do not advocate that you eat your pets.

Since Barnevelders are so laid back and docile, they make great backyard chicken pets. Very few chickens like to be picked up and carried, but these guys and gals will enjoy flocking around you, especially if you have some feed.

Meat

These chickens, especially the roosters, can grow to be quite large. A good 7 to 8 lb rooster is more than enough for a family to eat for dinner. Plus, the hens grow around 5 to 6 lbs. Once they no longer lay, they can be good stewing chickens.

Eggs

Eggs are far and above the most common reason anyone keeps a backyard flock.

Frequency

Barnevelders keep up with a good production schedule. Like any breed, how long chickens lay eggs really depends on their quality of life. Most chickens will lay at their high production rate for the first two years of laying. After that, they will slowly decline until they have no more eggs left to lay.

These hens, in particular, are good layers. You can expect to get anywhere between 175 and 200 eggs per year from them. That will amount to around 3 or 4 a week per chicken. That means 3 or 4 chickens is about the equivalent of a dozen plus eggs a week. Plenty for a family!

Chocolate Eggs

One unique feature of this breed is their egg color. While many breeds will lay brown eggs, Barnevelders are part of a small group, along with the Black Copper Marans, that lay deep chocolate colored eggs.

Common Questions

Here are some of the more common questions we came across while researching this topic.

Are Barnevelders Good Layers?

Barnevelders are pretty good layers. Most hens will lay around 3 to 4 eggs a week. Depending on the size of your family, you may want anywhere from 3 to 8 hens to replace eggs from the store.

Are They Rare?

They aren't necessarily rare but they aren't super common at the moment. However, they are starting to see a rise in their popularity. This is likely because they are hardy and good production chickens.

Are Barnevelder Roosters Aggressive?

Pretty much all roosters can be aggressive. Some breeds are more so than others. Barnevelder roosters fall on the more laid back, less aggressive end of the scale. But, as we said, all roosters can exhibit aggression given the right circumstances.

How Long Do They Live?

Don't be surprised if your chickens live for a while. This breed will typically live between 4 and 7 years. Although, if they are cared for, and live a relatively low stress and predator free life, it is not unheard of for a chicken lifespan to reach 10 years old or more.

Conclusion

Now you know everything there is to know about Barnevelder chickens. They really are an almost perfect breed.

You can raise them just about anywhere. They lay a good amount of eggs on a very reliable schedule. It's common for them to grow very large and be great meat birds.

If you want a sweet chicken pal, they can also fit that bill...or beak, as the case may be. All in all, you will not be disappointed if you add a few of these to your own personal flock.

French Black Copper Marans are some of the most beautiful and unique birds you can add to your flock.

If you are looking to expand your flock with some interesting breeds of chickens then keep reading. The Black Copper Marans is special in just about every way.

You want impressive plumage? Check!

Feathered legs? Check!

Dark, chocolate colored eggs? Check, check, and check!

Everything About Black Copper Marans

Maybe you've heard of Black Copper Marans before. Maybe you haven't. Either way, I bet you didn't know about their rich history.

Origin And History

Before we dive into how to recognize and care for a Black Copper Marans, let's learn a little about where they came from.

The Marans breed has been around since at least the early 1900's. They are believed to have originated in the La Rochelle region of southwest France.

Back then, they were not the breed that we recognize today. But, they started to co-mingle and breed with some of the hens and gamecocks brought back from seaman from places like India and Indonesia.

It was at this point that the breed became more popular and widespread and started to be crossed/mated with even more breeds of chicken. Breeds like:

• Croad Langshan
• Brahmas
• Coucou de Malines
• Coucou de Rennes
• Gatinaise

These sporadic breedings caused, as you can imagine, a whole cavalcade of different colors, feather types, patterns, etc. It was a chaotic mess and people lost interest in the breed to the extent that they almost went extinct.

However, thanks to the French Department of Agriculture, the breed was able to be saved just after World War II. They instituted a new breeding program with an emphasis on increasing egg production.

The program was such a success that by 1952, the average Marans was laying about 200 eggs a year. Once the program officially ended, the breed was popular enough that amateur breeding was able to continue the work and keep the breed thriving.

Appearance

Now that you know some of the history of the Black Copper Marans, let's get into some of their more prominent traits.

Color & Feathering

Obviously, from their name, you can assume a bit about their coloring. They do have black and copper feathers. They also have some dark reds and, at the right angle, the black feathers can give off an iridescent, green hue.

The hens are not quite as impressive as the roosters. They are mostly covered in black feathers with a hint of reddish copper.

Roosters have a cascading waterfall of red and copper hackle feathers that flow seamlessly into their equally bright red and copper saddle feathers. This is topped off with a vibrant tail boasting black and translucent green feathers.

Both hens and roosters have black feathering that goes all the way down their legs and onto their feet.

Size

Black Copper Marans are considered a medium to large size breed. Some of the larger roosters can grow over 8 lbs. For the most part they stay in the 7 to 8 lb range, though. The hens are a good bit smaller, tipping the scales at around 6 ½ lbs.

Comb & Wattles

Marans, like many other chickens, have a bright red single comb. You can recognize a single comb by it's distinct ridges, or spikes, that run from the tip of the beak all the way to the back of the head

Just beneath their beak, they also have bright red wattles. The wattles will run the length of the jawline and just under their ears.

The comb and wattles are a vital part of a chicken's regulatory system. Blood will run through them, heating or cooling as needed and then circulate through the rest of their body.

APA Breed Standards

Marans were officially welcomed as a recognized breed by the Pultry Club of Great Britain back in 1935. It took the American Poultry Association (APA) all the way up until 2011 to finally accept them as a standard breed.

As such, they have to fit a specific breed profile to maintain their credentials. Some of these features include red plumage with no yellow or mahogany. They must have a black body and stern with no lacing of the feathers. Their eye color can only be a red/bay blend.

Need some help keeping your chickens health and care taken care of? Check out the Organized Chicken Keeper for an easy to follow system.

What Are They Like?

If you keep chickens in your backyard you, no doubt, want to know what their behavior will be like.

Temperament

Black Copper Marans are a great backyard breed. They are a pretty gentle and docile breed. Marans tend to enjoy free ranging and are good at foraging for themselves.

They are not particularly aggressive towards children or pets. They can get a bit aggressive towards other roosters if they feel like their territory/hen flock is being threatened.

Environment

They do well in both the heat and the cold. We have not noticed a significant drop in egg production even during the coldest months.

What Is Their Purpose?

Most likely if you own chickens you want one or a combination of three things; eggs, meat, or pets. Marans are capable of meeting all three of those needs (although we do not advocate eating your pets).

We'll start with the easiest one first; pets.

Pets

As we've already mentioned above, Black Copper Marans are a pretty laid back, docile breed of chicken. They make a great backyard companion. If you want a pet, they make a good candidate.

They aren't so friendly that you can pick them up and carry them around, but they will come greet you at the door (especially if you have food).

Meat

Since Marans grow so large (the roosters can hit 8+ lbs), they technically qualify as a dual purpose chicken. So, you can raise Black Copper Marans chickens as meat birds and have plenty to go around.

However, at the time of this writing, they are still pretty rare in the US and can cost quite a bit of money to add them to your flock. There are much cheaper routes you can go if you want strictly meat birds.

Eggs

Their eggs are likely the most famous trait that the Marans possess. We'll address why in a moment. First, let's go over their production levels.

Because of the French Department of Agriculture's efforts way back in the 1930's, the Marans breed became a pretty high producing egg layer.

Like most chickens, they will start laying between 18 to 24 months and have be most productive for the following 2 years. You can expect the get around 3 eggs a week from a healthy hen. That is around 150 to 200 eggs per year. Just a handful of these birds can easily feed your entire family.

Now, why are they famous for their eggs?

Chocolate Eggs

Obviously, they don't lay actual chocolate eggs. They do, however, lay eggs that have a deep, dark, chocolate brown color. In the image below, you can see how they stand out from white and even other brown eggs.

What's really interesting is, unlike most eggs that have a colored shell (like chickens that lay green eggs), the dark color is added after the shell has formed.

The dark coloring is actually a brown pigment that gets deposited into the shell (which is actually a white shell) when the hen lays the egg. It actually comes out wet. You could wipe some of the coloring off if you get a freshly laid egg.

The brown pigment starts off very dark and will get lighter as the hen goes further into her cycle. After molt, the pigment usually comes back darker again.

Quickly and easily assess your flocks health without missing a step by using this free download: The Chicken Care Checklist.

Common Questions

Here are some of the more common questions we came across while researching this topic.

Are Marans friendly?

While they are not exactly "pick up and carry around like a baby" friendly, they are pretty mild mannered and docile.

What age do Black Copper Marans start laying?

Most hens will start laying around 18 months of age. There are some signs you can look for to tell when your chicken is about to start laying eggs.

Can one chicken lay 2 eggs a day?

It is technically possible, but not common AT ALL. It takes more than a day, typically, for a hen to produce an egg, so it's unlikely for them to lay two eggs in one 24 hour period. You are much more likely to see a double yolk in a single egg.

Are Black Copper Marans dual purpose?

They do technically qualify because they are medium to high production layers and the roosters get up to 8 lbs. However, at least in the US, Marans are still kind of rare and, thus, expensive. If you want to raise dual purpose chickens there are other better and cheaper candidates, like the Rhode Island Red.

What color eggs do Marans lay?

As we stated above, Black Copper Marans lay a deep chocolate brown egg.

Do Maran eggs taste different?

Unfortunately, the chocolate similarities stop at the color. Marans eggs taste just like any other chicken's eggs.

What breed of chicken lays the darkest eggs?

The French Black Copper Marans lays the darkest eggs. However, some will claim the Penedesenca, which lays a dark reddish brown egg, is darker.

What chicken lays purple eggs?

There are some Araucanas that lay blue eggs with a slight lavender hue to them. But there are no chickens that lay specifically purple eggs. In addition to blue, white, and brown, there are also chickens that lay green eggs, if you want some color variety.

Do black eggs exist?

There are no known chickens that lay black eggs. There may be some out there but none that have been discovered yet.

Are There Other Types Of Marans Chickens?

Yes. There are 9 different varieties of Marans chickens recognized by the APA.

• Birchen Marans
• Black Marans
• (French) Black Copper Marans
• Black Tailed Buff Marans
• Columbian Marans
• Cuckoo Marans
• Golden Cuckoo Marans
• Wheaten Marans
• White Marans

Are Black Copper Marans Cold Hardy?

Yes. They do very well in both hot and cold climates. Take the typical precautions for whichever environment you live and they will do just fine.

Conclusion

French Black Copper Marans are definitely an eye catching addition to your flock. So, what do you think? Will you be including Marans the next time you get more chickens? Let us know in the comment section below.

Sapphire Gem chickens great egg layers who start laying around 18 - 24 months old. They are a sex-linked, hybrid chicken with a beautiful appearance and docile, friendly personality. They are a medium sized, productive and low maintenance breed that is just perfect for anyone's backyard!

Keep reading to learn a little more about them.

Sapphire Gem Chicken Origin

The Sapphire Gen Chicken is as mysterious as it is beautiful. It is not an approved breed according to American Poultry Association standards and there is a lot of speculation around it's breeding history.

History

A Sapphire Gem Chicken is not officially a recognized breed by the APA. They are a hybrid breed of chicken. That just means they are the result of two other breeds being crossed. However, there is MUCH speculation about exactly which two breeds are used.

One interesting fact about this style of breeding is that they do not breed true. If you're not up on your chicken lingo, that just means that if you breed two Sapphire Gem Chickens together, they will not necessarily produce another Sapphire Gem Chicken.

We do know that they originated in the Czech Republic and eventually made their way to the US. We also know that one of the breeds with which they are crossed is the Blue Plymouth Rock.

The other breeds believed to have been crossed with are the Barred Plymouth Rock or the Disallowed Plymouth Rock.

You may have also heard of them referred to as Sapphire Treasures, Saphire Blue Plymouth Rock, or just Blue Plymouth Rock. If you hear any of those names, they are most likely all referring to the same breed. Although there can be confusion with the Blue Plymouth Rock.

Sex Linked

Different chicken breeds have been bred, over time to be sex linked. (Make sure you know how chickens mate if you need more chicken breeding details.) That just means that you are able to sex the chickens pretty soon after hatch. In fact, having a sex-linked breed is one of the best ways to sex a chicken when it is young.

If the chick is a sapphire gem hen it will likely be solid blue.

If the chick is a sapphire gem rooster, it will also be solid blue with white dots on it's head or wings.

Need some help keeping your chickens health and care taken care of? Check out the Organized Chicken Keeper for an easy to follow system.

What Do They Look Like?

Obviously, you will want to know what they look like.

Color

Hence the Sapphire part of their name, they are typically a blue color. You will also find some hints of lavender, as well.

The roosters of the breed are a little larger and are mostly blue with a white dot on their head.

The hens are also blue with a ring of gold or grey around their necks.

Size

Sapphire Gem Chickens are not a large breed. They would fall into the category of medium sized chickens. They will fit right in with your Easter Eggers, Ameraucanas, and Araucanas.

The hens generally get to be about 4 lbs while the roosters grow to around 5 lbs.

Comb

Sapphire Gem Chickens are single comb chickens. That just means their comb is a single strip that begins at the tip of their beak and runs to the top of their head. It will also sometimes have spikes or ridges that go along the full length.

What Are They Like?

Let's talk a little bit about their diet, temperament, egg production, and care.

Diet

Sapphire Gem Chickens are great foragers and love to free range. This is part of what makes them a great backyard breed. You can also feed them a supplement of standard layer feed and they will do great.

Temperament

Their temperament is pretty calm and docile so they are safe to be around small children and pets.

The only times they really get worked up is when they sense a predator is near by. Then they will squawk, flap their wings, and alert the flock to the danger.

Other than the occasional predator alarm, they are very laid back. If you want to carry your chickens around like pets, this breed is perfect for that.

Eggs

For lacking in size, they put out a LOT of eggs. And not just small, Silkie sized eggs. Sapphire Gem Chickens lay about 4-5 LARGE, brown eggs a week. That is almost 300 eggs a year!

They'll start laying eggs around 18-24 weeks old and, like most chickens, will start slowing down after year 2. How long a chicken lays eggs can vary based on their health, but a healthy chicken can continue to lay for several years after that.

Care

They do very, very well in warm climates. However, they are pretty cold hardy, as well. As with any chicken, you will want to monitor their physical appearance and behavior to make sure their environment is not negatively affecting their health.

That means, in the heat, make sure they have plenty of water, shelter, and air circulation. You can even give them a fan, frozen fruits and veggies, or a big block of ice to keep them cool.

In colder environments, make sure their coop has circulation but is mostly draft free. You will also need to make sure they have cover from rain, snow, or any other cold weather hazards.

Since they are a single comb breed, they are also susceptible to frost bite. Keep an eye on their combs and make sure they are not looking cracked or wind chilled. You can help them by adding a little non-moisturizing, wax based cream to prevent frostbite.

Common Questions

We ran across some common questions while researching this breed. Some of these we answered already, but we can do quick rapid fire answers again.

Are Sapphire Gem Chickens friendly?

Yes, sapphire gems are friendly easy going chickens.

How much are Sapphire Gem chickens worth?

Sapphire Gem chickens are worth around $4-$6 as day old chicks. Males will be on the lower end - usually $3.50 - $4. Females will be on the higher end of $5 - $6. As with most breeds, the older they get, the more they will cost.

What size eggs do sapphire gem chickens lay?

They lay a large to extra large sized egg.

What color eggs do sapphire gem chickens lay?

They lay large brown eggs. If you want chickens that lay a variety of colors, you can read about blue egg layers or green egg layers.

Are sapphire gem chickens good layers?

They are very good layers. For a medium sized chicken, they heavy a pretty heavy production schedule that does not seem to be impacted by the heat or cold. A few of these chickens can easily feed a family.

How many eggs do sapphire gem chickens lay?

They can lay between 250-300 eggs a year. That's about 4 or 5 a week.

How long do they live?

A Sapphire gem chicken have a pretty typical lifespan for a chicken which is from 5 - 10 years.

Are sapphire gem chickens cold hardy?

They prefer the warm weather but are very cold hardy. They do very well in the cold and do not seem to slow down their egg laying.

Conclusion

Sapphire Gem Hens are a great, all-around breed. If you want something pretty, friendly, and a good egg producer, you can't go wrong with a few of these in your flock!

The Rhode Island Red is one of, if not the, most well known chicken breeds. That's for good reason, too! They are great layers, a friendly and hardy breed, and can live just about anywhere. These qualities make them a particularly easy to care for chicken.

But other than the name and their color, which is in their name, what do you really know about the Rhode Island Red? This is your ultimate guide to Rhode Island Red Chickens.

Everything About The Rhode Island Red Chicken

To get you acquainted with raising Rhode Island Red chickens, we wanted to cover 3 important areas; what do they look like, what is their personality and temperament like, and what is the Rhode Island Red used for?

Let's start with their most distinguishing feature; their appearance.

What Do They Look Like?

The first thing you notice when you see a chicken is what they look like.

Color

We'll start with the most obvious feature; which is their color. The Rhode Island Red is, obviously, red. It is generally a darker, deeper red, like burgundy than a bright, fire engine red.

Hens are a pretty uniform red color. Whereas, roosters will sometimes have color variations in their saddle feathers and tail feathers. These color variations can vary from darker or lighter shades of red all the way to a dark, shimmery green.

In both hens and roosters, their skin is yellow. They also have yellow beaks, yellow legs, and yellow feet.

Size

The Rhode Island Red is considered a large breed chicken. Large breed chickens are ideal for meat birds. Like most breeds in the animal world, the males of the species are a good bit larger than the females. That is no different with the Rhode Island Red.

Interestingly, this breed is so popular that they have also been breed down in size. These made bantam chicken versions are just the like full size breed only about half the size.

Rhode Island Red Rooster vs Hen

What are the differences between the RIR roosters and hens? First, they have a significant size difference. Rhode Island Red roosters tend to clock in around 8.5 lbs. Hens tend to clock in smaller at around 6.5 pounds.

Color wise, while both roosters and hens are the typical red color, roosters tend to be a deeper, darker red with a green sheen on their tail, hackle and saddle feathers. While, the hens tend to be a slightly lighter red all over their entire body.

Additionally, like with other chicken breeds, roosters will have larger combs and wattles than hens.

American Poultry Association (APA)

This breed has been officially recognized by the American Poultry Association and, in the early 1900s, was entered into the Standards of Perfection. So, do not be surprised if you happen to see some at an APA sanctioned show someday.

Comb & Wattles

They also have a bright red single comb. A single comb is one of the more common types of chicken combs. It starts at the edge of the beak and is a single strip all the way to the top of the head. It is recognizable by several ridges or spikes that run it's length.

In addition to a bright red single comb, they also have a set of bright red wattles. These wattles are located directly under their chin and run to the back of the jawline.

Chickens use their combs and wattles as part of their body's regulatory system. Similar to a goat's or cow's horns, blood flows through the looser, thinner skin, is cooled or warmed, and then runs back through the body helping the chicken keep a constant temperature.

Need some help keeping your chickens health and care taken care of? Check out the Organized Chicken Keeper for an easy to follow system.

What Are They Like?

We split this into two categories; personality and temperament.

Personality

You will find, the longer you raise chickens, that they each do indeed have their own little personalities. The Rhode Island Red is pretty calm and laid back. At least for a chicken, anyway.

They are also pretty docile. You're not going to find too many of them that are overly irritable or aggressive. They don't typically attack kids or pets. They make great additions to backyard flocks for this very reason.

Temperament

In addition to having pretty great personalities, they also have great temperaments. Unlike some other egg production hens, they do not tend to go broody too terribly often. That means you will have less times when they do not lay eggs.

They adapt really well to coop life. They learn where to go at night and where they can roam in the day. Reds can live pretty much anywhere but are not big fans of really hot areas. However, they do well in the cold and are very cold hardy.

What Is Their Purpose?

Most often people get chickens for one of two reasons. They either want as many eggs as it takes to keep their family fed or they want to raise their own meat source. I guess some people just want a pet too, but that's not too terribly common.

Rhode Island Reds are great because they are what is called a dual purpose chicken breed. That just means that they are suitable for both meat production and as reliable egg layers.

In fact, they are such solid birds that they have been used to create a whole slew of hybrid production breeds such as red star chickens.

Meat

As we mentioned above, Rhode Island Reds are a large breed chicken; growing anywhere between 6 ½ to 8 ½ lbs depending on if it's a hen or rooster. They also grow very quickly, especially if you have them on a meat bird diet.

Large breed chickens make great meat birds. Because they get so large so quickly they are a very affordable meat source.

Eggs

The more common purpose for chickens, at least in backyard flocks, is that of egg production. And, boy, do Rhode Island Reds produce some eggs. With just a few hens, you can feed a family of 5 eggs for breakfast every day of the week.

Since they do not tend to go broody, they stick to a pretty consistent schedule when laying eggs. Rhode Island Reds will typically lay between 200 and 300 eggs a year. They lay brown eggs that are considered to be extra large eggs.

If you want to get chickens for eggs, the Rhode Island Red is a fantastic choice.

What Care Do They Need?

When you keep chickens, you want to make sure they are well cared for. Here are some quick tips to make sure they have a happy and healthy life.

Diet

Chickens need to have a consistent and reliable source of food. They can get a large portion of their needs just from free ranging, but they may not get all of their nutrients that way.

Fortunately, you can find a decent quality layer feed in any farm store. They are made specifically for laying hens and will meet all of their nutritional needs. You can tell if they are getting enough nutrients when they are laying extra large brown eggs with bright (not pale) yellow, almost orange, yolks.

Coop

Your chickens need to have access to a warm, dry coop or living space. It should be well ventilated and cleaned regularly. A chicken coop can get pretty gnarly real quick if not maintained regularly.

The general rule is each chicken should have between 2 and 3 square feet of space in the coop. We have found they are happier and healthier if you can get it closer to 4. If you also have a run for them, try and keep that space to around 12 square feet per chicken.

General Health

Chickens are susceptible to a lot of respiratory diseases. Some of them are in the soil. Some of them can be transmitted by wild birds. It's common and there's not a lot one can do other than keep their living area as clean as you can.

With that being said, Rhode Island Reds are a pretty healthy and hardy breed of chicken. They do not seem to have any more health issues than any other breed of chicken

What Breeds Are Similar To The Rhode Island Red?

Rhode Island Reds aren't the only chicken that is suitable to the backyard or makes a great dual purpose chicken.

Black Australorp

Black Australorps are fantastic dual purpose chickens. They grow to a similar size as Reds and may lay eggs even more often.

Speckled Sussex

The Speckled Sussex is another similarly sized dual purpose breed of chicken. They lay a little less often than Reds, around 3 to 4 times a week. They are incredibly hardy and can live for a long time. We had a girl for 8 years before a predator finally picked her up.

Common Questions

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions we came across while researching for this ultimate guide.

Are They Friendly?

As we mentioned above, the Rhode Island Red chicken is pretty docile and laid back. They are one of the more friendly breeds of chickens out there. They make great backyard chickens because they integrate well with young kids and pets.

How can you tell if a Rhode Island Red chicken is a rooster?

The obvious sign is that the Rhode Island Red rooster is larger in size than the Rhode Island hen. They also usually have larger combs, wattles, and more impressive feathers. These are the quickest ways to tell if you have a hen or a roo.

Are they noisy?

No, they are not super noisy. In our experience, they can be a little chatty, but don't overall make much noise.

Do Rhode Island Red chickens get along with other chickens?

Yes, they can get along with other chickens. However, in our flock, we have noticed that they tend to heavily pick on other chickens - both other breeds and other chickens of their same breed as they are establishing a pecking order.

Are Rhode Island Red Chickens Cold Hardy?

Yes, they are known for being very cold hardy.

What are they known for?

They are known for their fantastic laying ability. However, they are also considered a dual-purpose breed as they are big enough to be used for meat as well.

How many eggs do Rhode Island Reds lay a day?

Like we mentioned above, Rhode Island Reds are prolific layers. They usually lay in the 200 to 300 eggs per year range. That breaks down to around 5 eggs a day per hen.

What age do production Reds start laying eggs?

Chickens usually start laying eggs reliably around the 18 month mark. You can also spot certain signs when your chicken is about to start laying eggs.

Conclusion

The Rhode Island Red really is a pretty magnificent bird. They make great additions as a backyard pet for the family. You can also raise them as a reliable source for eggs. They also grow really large and make great meat birds.

If you are looking for the perfect breed to grow your flock or you're just getting started, Rhode Island Reds are a great place to start! Do you have any Rhode Island Reds? Let us know your favorite chicken in the comments below.