Table of contents
- Rare chicken breeds with A
- with B
- with d
- From H to S
- frequently asked Questions
Did you know that in addition to wild animals, farm animals such as chickens are also on the Red List of Threatened Species? We present 18 rare chicken breeds. As a hobby chicken keeper you can contribute to the preservation of these endangered species.
Rare chicken breeds with A
Old Styrian
Altsteirer chickens come from Styria. Their most striking feature is the crest of feathers.
| Duration (2019) | 245 cocks, 936 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 127 |
| Danger | Category II, Endangered |
- Weight cock: 2.5 to 3.0 kilograms
- Weight hen: 2.0 to 2.25 kilograms
- Laying performance: 180 eggs per year
- Egg color: creamy white
- Plumage: wild brown, white
- Comb and lobes: tuft of feathers behind the comb, rooster with a simple, distinctly serrated single comb and white earlobes, hen with a rose comb
- Character: robust, resistant to diseases, low willingness to breed
- Origin: Austria
Tip:
Old Styrian chickens can fly well. Choose a high enclosure.
Andalusian
Andalusians are very slim but strong animals. They look particularly elegant with their shiny, blue-black feathers.
| Duration (2019) | 66 cocks, 250 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 33 |
| Danger | Category I, Extremely Endangered |
- Weight cock: 2.5 to 3.0 kilograms
- Weight hen: 2.0 to 2.25 kilograms
- Laying performance: 180 eggs per year
- Egg color: white
- Plumage: lined with blue
- Comb and lobes: single serrated comb, long red wattles, large white earlobes
- Character: robust, low willingness to breed
- Origin: Spain
Augsburger
Deep black plumage is the hallmark of this rare chicken breed. The pretty animals score with a high laying performance.
| Duration (2019) | 88 cocks, 334 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 49 |
| Danger | Category I, Extremely Endangered |
- Weight cock: 2.3 to 3.0 kilograms
- Weight hen: 2.0 to 2.25 kilograms
- Laying performance: 180 eggs per year
- Egg color: white
- Plumage: black
- Comb and lobes: red cup or crown comb, red wattles, large white earlobes
- Character: resistant to diseases, low willingness to breed
- Origin: Germany
with B
Barnevelder
With their beautiful plumage, Barnevelder chickens are an attraction on your farm. They hold their heads high and look very proud. You don't need high fences for this breed. Barnevelders don't like to fly.
| Duration (2019) | 252 cocks, 1127 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 148 |
| Danger | Category III, Vulnerable |
- Weight cock: 2.5 to 3.5 kilograms
- Weight hen: 2.0 to 2.7 kilograms
- Laying performance: 220 eggs per year
- Egg color: dark brown
- Plumage: Black, dark brown, partridge, blue-black double-lined, brown-black double-lined
- Comb and lobes: serrated single crest, red wattles, red earlobes
- Character: trusting, easy to tame
- Origin: Netherlands
Bergischer Kraher
Roosters of this rare chicken breed rightly bear the name. Mountain crows crow much longer than their conspecifics.
| Duration (2019) | 58 cocks, 209 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 30 |
| Danger | Category I, Extremely Endangered |
- Weight cock: 3.0 to 3.5 kilograms
- Weight hen: 2.0 to 2.5 kilograms
- Laying performance: 130 eggs per year
- Egg color: white
- Plumage: Black golden brown doubled
- Crest and lobes: red face, serrated single crest, red wattles, almond-shaped white earlobes
- Character: wild, great urge to move, quickly trusting towards the owner
- Origin: Germany
A notice:
A very coarse, dot-like coloring is referred to as Golddoubling, which occurs exclusively in the breeds Bergische Kräher, Bergische Schlotterkammen and Krüper.
Bergischer Schlotterkamm
The large crests of the hens, which sometimes lean to the right, sometimes to the left and "tremble" when walking around, gave the old chicken breed from the Bergisches Land its name.
| Duration (2019) | 52 cocks, 217 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 41 |
| Danger | Category I, Extremely Endangered |
- Weight cock: 2.0 to 2.5 kilograms
- Weight hen: 1.75 to 2.25 kilograms
- Laying performance: 150 eggs per year
- Egg color: white
- Plumage: black-yellow-doubled, barred, black
- Comb and lobes: serrated single crest, red wattles, white earlobes
- Character: robust, great urge to move
- Origin: Germany
Brakel
Brakel breed chickens lay many large eggs. They are a little shy at first, but become more trusting over time.
| Duration (2019) | 154 cocks, 634 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 97 |
| Danger | Category II, Endangered |
- Weight cock: 2.0 to 2.75 kilograms
- Weight hen: 1.75 to 2.25 kilograms
- Laying performance: 180 eggs per year
- Egg color: white
- Plumage: black, blue, blue-lined, silver-white banded, white, gold
- Comb and lobe: simple or rose comb, bright red, white earlobes
- Character: resistant to diseases, shy, low willingness to breed
- Origin: Belgium
with d
German salmon chicken
The German salmon chicken is also known as "Faverolles". The breed was named after the French village of Faverolles, an important breeding location. The distinctive feature of this rare chicken breed is the dark beard plumage.
| Duration (2019) | 315 cocks, 1292 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 199 |
| Danger | Category IV, Least Concern |
- Weight cock: 3.0 to 4.0 kilograms
- Weight hen: 2.5 to 3.25 kilograms
- Laying performance: 155 eggs per year
- Egg color: light brown to brown
- Plumage: blue-salmon, sparrow-salmon, white, white-columbian
- Comb and rag: simple jagged comb, luxuriant beard plumage
- Character: calm, undemanding, trusting, little willingness to breed
- Origin: France
A notice:
The German salmon chicken does not have four but five toes. This peculiarity is rare. Dorking breed chickens also exhibit this trait.
German Langschan
Chickens of this breed look like Asian fighting chickens because of their upright gait. This impression is deceptive. They are downright peaceful.
| Duration (2019) | 103 cocks, 437 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 64 |
| Danger | Category II, Endangered |
- Weight cock: 3.0 to 4.5 kilograms
- Weight hen: 2.5 to 3.5 kilograms
- Laying performance: 160 eggs per year
- Egg color: yellow to brown-yellow
- Plumage: white, black, blue-lined
- Comb and rags: simple serrated comb, red wattles
- Character: calm, trusting, willingness to breed
- Origin: Siberia
A notice:
Chickens of the German Langschan breed need a lot of exercise. Plan at least one square meter for three chickens.
German Sparrowhawk
German Sparrowhawks need a lot of exercise. The enclosure does not have to be particularly high. The chickens hardly fly.
| Duration (2019) | 230 cocks, 877 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 118 |
| Danger | Category III, Vulnerable |
- Weight cock: 2.5 to 3.0 kilograms
- Weight hen: 2.0 to 2.5 kilograms
- Laying performance: 180 eggs per year
- Egg color: white
- Plumage: barred
- Comb and lobes: small serrated comb, red wattles, white earlobes
- Character: robust, lively, trusting
- Origin: Germany
German Dwarf Langschan
The small version of the Langschan chickens lay an amazing number of eggs. Even in winter you can look forward to fresh chicken eggs. The rare breed is easy to care for and suitable for beginners.
| Duration (2019) | 172 cocks, 598 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 92 |
| Danger | Category II, Endangered |
- Weight cock: 1.0 to 1.2 kilograms
- Weight hen: 0.9 to 1.0 kilograms
- Laying performance: 160 eggs per year
- Egg color: yellowish
- Plumage: red, black, white, blue-fringed
- Comb and lobes: small serrated comb, red wattles, white earlobes
- Character: robust, lively, trusting
- Origin: Germany
Dominican
Dominicans are currently considered the most endangered chicken breed in Germany. In 2019, only 21 breeders were counted in this country.
| Duration (2019) | 33 cocks, 131 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 21 |
| Danger | Category I, Extremely Endangered |
- Weight cock: 2.0 to 2.5 kilograms
- Weight hen: 1.75 to 2.25 kilograms
- Laying performance: 200 eggs per year
- Egg color: brownish
- Plumage: barred
- Comb and rags: rose comb, red wattles, white earlobes
- Character: robust, lively, trusting
- Origin: United States
From H to S
hamburger(Chicken)
The meat of Hamburg chickens is of good quality, but they are not suitable for fattening. They impress with their high laying performance. With its elegantly curved, richly feathered tail, this rare breed of chicken is pretty to look at.
| Duration (2019) | 241 cocks, 1242 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 143 |
| Danger | Category III, Vulnerable |
- Weight cock: 2.0 to 2.5 kilograms
- Weight hen: 1.5 to 2.0 kilograms
- Laying performance: 190 eggs per year
- Egg color: white
- Plumage: smooth, blue-lined, black, gold-tipped, silver-tipped, white
- Comb and rags: rose comb, long red wattles, white earlobes
- Character: lively
- Origin: Germany, Netherlands or England
Kruper
Like Bergische Kräher and Bergische Schlotterkämme, the Krüper breed belongs to the Bergische chicken breeds. Due to their short legs, Krüper are also known as creeping or badger chickens.
| Duration (2019) | 66 cocks, 246 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 42 |
| Danger | Category I, Extremely Endangered |
- Weight cock: 1.75 to 2.5 kilograms
- Weight hen: 1.5 to 2.0 kilograms
- Laying performance: 220 eggs per year
- Egg color: white
- Plumage: smooth, barred, black, black and yellow, black and white double
- Comb and rag: simple comb, large wattle, large white earlobes
- Character: trusting, agile, willingness to breed
- Origin: Germany
Mechelen
The large, strong Mechelen chicken is one of the largest chicken breeds of all. Despite their size, the animals are also well suited for beginners.
| Duration (2019) | 191 cocks, 789 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 121 |
| Danger | Category II, Endangered |
- Weight cock: 4.0 to 5.0 kilograms
- Weight hen: 3.0 to 4.0 kilograms
- Laying performance: 180 eggs per year
- Egg color: creamy white
- Plumage: barred, white
- Comb and rag: simple serrated comb, medium-sized wattle
- Character: undemanding, agreeable, roosters crow little
- Origin: Belgium
Tip:
When kept indoors, at least twelve square meters should be planned for ten chickens. Mechelen horses need even more space when running freely, otherwise they quickly destroy the turf with their large feet and heavy weight.
naked neck chicken
Naked-necked chickens belong to a rare breed that probably originated in Austria, Hungary or Romania. The red bare-necked chickens provide plenty of eggs and high-quality meat.
| Duration (2019) | 101 cocks, 440 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 55 |
| Danger | Category I, Extremely Endangered |
- Weight cock: 2.5 to 3.0 kilograms
- Weight hen: 2.0 to 2.5 kilograms
- Laying performance: 180 eggs per year
- Egg color: white
- Plumage: blue-lined, brown, yellow, barley, partridge, red, black, black-and-white flocked, white, mahogany
- Crest and lobes: simple serrated crest with crest of feathers, large wattles, unfeathered red neck
- Character: undemanding, robust, low breeding instinct
- Origin: Southeastern Europe
Ramelsloher
A particularly striking feature of this meanwhile rare breed of chickens are their eyes. These are deep dark, almost black and are not known in this form from any other breed in Germany.
| Duration (2019) | 92 cocks, 389 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 61 |
| Danger | Category I, Extremely Endangered |
- Weight cock: 2.5 to 3.0 kilograms
- Weight hen: 2.0 to 2.5 kilograms
- Laying performance: 170 eggs per year
- Egg color: off-white
- Plumage: creamy white, yellow
- Crest and lobes: Rich red crest and wattles
- Character: beginner-friendly, robust
- Origin: Germany
A notice:
Ramelsloher are considered to be particularly vigilant.
Saxony chicken
The pretty Sachsenhuhn has almost disappeared. It was bred in the Ore Mountains with the aim of obtaining a resilient breed for the harsh mountain climate.
| Duration (2019) | 94 cocks, 435 hens |
| breeders (2019) | 60 |
| Danger | Category I, Extremely Endangered |
- Weight cock: 2.5 to 3.0 kilograms
- Weight hen: 2.0 to 2.5 kilograms
- Laying performance: 180 eggs per year
- Egg color: light yellow, light brown
- Plumage: black, white, barred
- Comb and lobes: simple serrated comb, small wattles, small white earlobes
- Character: undemanding, robust, adaptable
- Origin: Germany
frequently asked Questions
The hazard is presented in categories I to IV.
I stands for "extremely endangered". Category II animals are “Critically Endangered”. Category III designates “endangered (e)” breeds and under IV breeds are currently listed that are not endangered but are nevertheless under observation.
The classification is based on the stock figures. It is checked in Germany at regular intervals. Funding projects and raising the awareness of chicken farmers for endangered species can positively change endangerment classes and almost extinct breeds can be preserved.
Since 2012 The Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food publishes an overview domestic poultry breeds with information on the endangerment class and the number of existing breeding pairs.
Some breeds, such as German Sparrowhawks or Barnevelders, are very undemanding and are excellent for beginners. We recommend joining a breed poultry club. In exchange with other chicken keepers and breeders you will find out what you need to watch out for.
Mirko
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