Chickens In the Coop

The Barbanter chicken breed dates back to 1676 and is among the oldest. At this time, the breed was developed in the historic Brabant region of Belgium and the Netherlands. These chickens can be seen depicted in paintings by Dutch artist, Melchior d'Hondecoeter, dating from the 17th century. By the 1900s, this breed was almost extinct but was saved by enthusiasts.

These chickens are still rare in the US but are growing in popularity as backyard chicken breeds.

These are small chickens where roosters weigh in at 4-5 lbs, and hens weigh less, They are unusual-looking chickens and have a crest and a beard. Their nostrils are large and wide, and usually, they have no wattles. Their plumage has color variations of gold, silver, spangled, or cuckoo. In the US, they are primarily cream-colored with black spots.

Barbanters produce large white eggs. They do well in confinement and are hardy even in extremely cold weather. Breeders enjoy these chickens because they are goofy, lovable and by nature calm, inquisitive, and brave.

The Breda chicken breed is another old breed that comes from the Netherlands. These chickens have been portrayed in paintings dating from the 1660s and depicted as barnyard fowl. These chickens were popular in the US before the Civil War, but their popularity faded in the 1800s and they were gone from the US entirely.

These chickens have an upright stance with vulture hocks and feathered legs. Their thighs are muscular and if startled, they will do a standing leap. They are suited to cold climates. They have no combs but do have small tufts of feathers on their heads. Their earlobes are white and they have small red wattles. Their plumage can be black, white, blue, splash, and mottled.

Bredas are calm, friendly, curious, and alert chickens. They like to free range but are also content to stay in their home areas. The hens are moderate layers of large white eggs and can produce around three eggs each week.

The Burmese Bantam Chickens are perhaps the rarest. Unfortunately for several decades, they've been on the brink of extinction. These chickens are native to Burma, now known as Myanmar.

Burmese chickens are true Bantams with a single comb and a slight tuft/crest of head feathers. Their plumage is white, and they have vulture hocks with feathered legs that are bright yellow. They are small-sized chickens and do not have medium or large-sized varieties.

These are quiet and friendly chickens, just great for barnyards. They also make great pets for children since they are charming and reliable birds,

Hens will lay three small brown eggs each week.

Chickens known as Dong Tao or Dragon Chicken are giant with hens weighing in at 9 lbs while roosters can reach 12 lbs. The most interesting thing about these chickens is their legs are red and scaly and some are as thick as a man's wrist. They have a pea comb with bright red ear lobes and wattles. The plumage on hens is an off white color while the roosters are black-breasted.

Dong Tao chickens are good-natured, calm, and have a friendly attitude toward humans.

When it comes to breeding chicks are incubated by machines since the big feet of the hens can crush the eggs. They lay eggs in cycles laying eggs for 2-3 months and then tapering off for a while. In this way they lay around 60 eggs per year.

In Vietnam this breed is considered to be a delicacy and at one time was raised only for royalty. If you wanted to purchase them then a pair of Dong Tao breeding birds would cost you as much as $2000.

The La Fleche chicken breed is an ancient French breed. Their name translates to broken arrow. They originated in the town of La Fleche near Le Mans in France. In the 15th century they were popular table birds. In 1874 only the chickens with black plumage were accepted into the American Poultry Association.

These chickens are unique looking with V-shaped combs and are known as Devil birds. Roosters can weigh in at around 8 lbs and hens at 6.5 lbs. They are not suited for urban living and prefer to free range and fly a bit. These are wild and flighty birds.

When it comes to egg laying, you can expect about 180 eggs from a single hen in a year with each egg weighing approximately 60 grams.

The Old English Pheasant Fowl is a very old breed from England. They were created from several types of utility fowl and popular on farms in Lancashire and Yorkshire. In 1914 these chickens were given their name to protect the breed.

These are beautiful chickens with light brown and black plumage. They are active and flighty birds and do their best as free rangers.

Hens produce 160-200 medium-sized white eggs per year.

The Onagadori breed is famous for their tails. They have the longest tails. These chickens originated in the seventeenth century in the Kochi prefecture in Japan. In 1952 they were desiganted as a Japanese National Natural Treasure. Onagadori means “Long-tailed Chicken” or “Honorable Fowl” Unfortunately they are becoming extinct with only 250 chickens in existence and today are looked upon as an ornamental breed.

These chickens are medium-sized with long feathery hackles on the males. They have bright red combs and wattles with white earlobes and willow-colored clean legs with four toes. Their plumage can be white, black-breasted golden, black-breasted red, and black-breasted silver.

These chickens are a calm and relaxed breed and are meant more for exhibition than as pets.

Hens lay around 80-100 small light brown eggs and are non-sitters. Coops for these chickens must be large and kept very clean with perches placed high to protect their tail feathers.

Scots Dumpy is a chicken breed from Scotland and an endangered breed. Thought to be extinct in 1970, a small flock was found in Kenya in Eastern Africa and returned to the UK. This is a dual breed used for both eggs and meat.

Named Scots Dumpy because of their very short legs. Their plumage can be black, cuckoo, dark, or silver grey. These are large-sized chickens that are calm, friendly, quiet, and easy to handle they love to free range.

Hens lay around three eggs each week.

The Sultan chicken breed originated in the Ottoman Empire and were kept as ornamental birds in the Sultan's palace. Their Turkish name Serat Tavuk means fowl of the Sultan's palace.

They are amazing chickens with V combs, head crests, muffs, large nares, vulture hocks, dropped wings and long tails, Their plumage can be black, blue, or white. Roosters weigh 6 lbs and hens 4 lbs.

These chickens do better in warmer climates. They are calm, docile, and friendly and both males and females are easy to tame and handle. They do well as backyard pets.

Hens are poor layers and produce two eggs per week.