Hardiness: Very cold hardy
Varieties: Speckled, red, light
Welsumer
Description: The Welsumer is a beautiful breed. Hens sport a partridge feather pattern in a rainbow of browns and golds, and the Welsumer rooster isn’t too hard on the eyes either. He was made famous as Cornelius the rooster on the Kellogg’s Corn Flakes box in the company’s 1950s ad campaign and is usually the bird that springs to mind when you think of a “rooster.” Temperamentally, the Welsumer is an intelligent, active, and friendly breed that forages extremely well, offering the chicken keeper an opportunity to save on feed costs. Hens also lay beautiful chocolate brown eggs that are sometimes speckled.
Productivity: Good to very good
Egg Color: Dark brown, sometimes speckled
Temperament: Active, friendly, docile; forages well
Hardiness: Cold-hardy and heat-tolerant
Varieties: Partridge
Wyandotte
Description: The Wyandotte’s name is derivative of the Wendat (or Wyandot) Native American tribe of the northeastern region of the United States, although the bird’s exact heritage is unknown. The Silver-Laced variety was the only color available when the bird was admitted to the APA’s Standard of Perfection in 1883 but is now bred in several striking colors. The Wyandotte is another dual-purpose bird, matures quickly (which means you get eggs sooner), is a reliable layer, and has a great personality to boot. On occasion, an individual may dominate submissive birds in a mixed flock, but they are very cold-hardy and adapt to confinement well. Their striking feather patterns are hard to miss.
Productivity: Very good
Egg Color: Light to brown
Temperament: Easily handled, docile, calm, friendly; may dominate others in a mixed flock
Hardiness: Cold-hardy
Varieties: Silver-laced, golden-laced, partridge, silver-penciled, Columbian, white, buff
From the Strange to the Bizarre
Some chickens can be really funny-looking creatures. Below are descriptions of three of the strangest breeds.
The Naked Neck
This dual-purpose breed is known for its trademark look—a long neck bare of feathers. The bird’s lack of feathers is actually a boon for this old breed: The Naked Neck makes a great warm-weather bird, the carcass is easy to pluck clean (when being raised for meat), and the Naked Neck can very efficiently convert feed to meat and eggs because it uses less protein on feathers compared to other breeds. Naked Neck hens are great layers and excellent mothers, too. The Naked Neck is sometimes called a turken because it looks like a cross between a chicken and a turkey, but let’s set the record straight: Contrary to popular myth, the Naked Neck is not a cross between a turkey and a chicken; it’s just a funny-looking chicken breed through and through.
As his name implies, this Naked Neck rooster sports a long neck bare of feathers.
The Frizzle
The frizzle isn’t a breed unto itself but rather a feather variation available in some breeds (you may see the frizzle trait acknowledged after the breed name, as in Polish frizzle). The frizzling appearance is attributed to feathers that curl up and outward, rather than lying flat against the bird’s body. Frizzling is a dominant trait, so it’s fairly easy to introduce into your flock through mating and hatching your own birds. Like other ornamental birds with unique plumage, frizzled breeds tend to have less protection from the elements and aren’t able to fly (which is a plus if you’re trying to keep them fenced in). For these reasons, their keepers need to take additional security measures against cold and damp conditions and predatory animals. Even so, many fanciers feel they’re worth the effort: They’re quirky, eye-catching, and fun to raise.
Frizzling is a unique dominant trait that results in feathers curling up and out, rather than lying flat against the bird.
The Polish
The Polish is famous for its crest (also called a topknot), or the poof of feathers adorning its head. While amusing and ornamental, the bird’s crest isn’t all that practical; it tends to obscure its vision, making it highly susceptible to aerial predators and bullying from other birds in a mixed flock. The Polish recognizes this disadvantage and tends to be a bit skittish and flighty in temperament as a result. However, the hens can be excellent egg layers, and they rarely go broody, making it a great backyard breed. Indeed, a flock of Polish chickens is a sight to behold.
The Polish breed is known for its flashy, if rather inconvenient, crest of feathers.
The Silkie
Silkies are as sweet as they are silly looking. Their fluffy appearance is attributed to their unique feathers; the long feather barbs and thin feather shafts don’t “lock” to create a stiff feather like other chicken breeds. Instead, the feathers resemble (and feel much like) the down of a chick, or even fur. Fanciers and backyard keepers alike love the Silkie’s ornamental look. The breed is also unique in that it has black skin and bones and five toes instead of the typical four of other breeds. Hens are decent layers of cute, small, cream-colored eggs, frequently go broody, and are widely known for making excellent mothers.
Because of their feathers, the Silkie has a few special management considerations. First, they don’t fare well in cold, wet climates; in those regions, Silkies need reliably heated housing and protection from the elements. They’re also unable to fly, so they can’t perch or escape dangerous situations, making them very susceptible to predators. They’re on the small side, so even small dogs and housecats are predators to this breed.
For all of the challenges in keeping Silkies, there are many reasons they’re worth the effort. First, they’re heat tolerant and are great for warm climates where a lot of the heavier breeds would suffer. They are also very tame birds and are considered the “lap dogs” of the chicken world. Sometimes labeled the Silkie bantam, the breed has been developed specifically to be petite, so it is not a true bantam, but thanks to their demure size, great temperament, and unique appearance, they make a wonderful breed for kids.
Despite their demure size and unusual looks, Silkie females make wonderful broody hens and excellent mothers.
Cracking the Case of the Blue-Egg Layers
Ameraucana, Americana, Araucana, or Easter Egger? Which breed are you getting when you order from a hatchery or visit a breeder? What’s the difference? Will they all lay blue eggs?
For years, the distinction between the blue-egg–laying breeds has eluded backyard chicken keepers. Myths and misconceptions about the breeds have led to more confusion than ever, from the origin of the blue-egg layer to the cholesterol level in her eggs.
What do you say we finally put those questions to rest?
Blue Layer Origin
This is about to get a bit academic, so bear with me. The blue-egg layers we know today are descended from two varieties of chickens native to the coast of Chile. They were called the Collonca and the Quetro. Raised by the Araucana Indians of the region, the Collonca variety laid blue eggs, was rumpless, and had a small single comb. The Quetro variety had a tail, was tufted, and laid brown eggs.
The birds were popularized in 1921. A chicken expert