Favorite Rare Breed Chickens

Humans have bred chicken breeds for thousands of years from crazed jungle fowl. Today, there are an estimated 350 combinations of physical features for chickens. Here is a sampler of colorful breeds considered rare who are finding favor again. As a collection, they lay an assortment of rich pinkish brown, tinted white, pure white and blue/green-shelled eggs.


Silver Laced Wyandotte


Of all the breeds I've raised, this is a favorite. The Wyandotte comes in several color varieties and originated in America. The Silver Laced variety was developed in New York State while the other Wyandottes developed in north and northeastern states pretty near the end of the 19th century and during the first part of the 20th century.


There is something ‘plump and round' about this breed. They can be raised outdoors in colder climates and have what is called a ‘rose comb' which doesn't freeze as easily as the single comb that some other breeds have. The plumage really performs appear black, white and silvery laced, and their brown eggs even seem ‘rounder' as opposed to other breeds' eggs and can have a pinkish cast to them. They are considered medium weight, with the male (cock) averaging 8 ½ pounds and the female (hen) weighing all over 6 ½ pounds. They have a the best disposition, although our Silver Laced Wyandotte rooster seemed more aggressive than our Barred Rock rooster. The hens make very the best mothers. One fault that may not apply to the backyard chicken owner is such a the Wyandotte's fertile eggs are described by some as having poor hatch quality. But if you have both a rooster and hens and don't look for a backyard hatchery, the could even be a benefit.


Ancona


Here is a non-commercial breed celebrated for its white egg laying ability. It originated in Italy pretty near the city of Ancona. This breed came to America in the 19th century. It has a mixed ancestry, that included early Leghorns and is considered very hardy and a prolific egg-layer. The eggs are white and faintly small. Its beautiful brown feathers are tipped with white and they can lawfully hold either single combs or rose combs.


They are a lighter breed than the Wyandotte, with the rooster weighing around 6 pounds and the hen up 4 ½. They forage very positively on their own and do not seem troubled by grim climates. This breed is considered rare in the United States.


Araucana


Here's the famous blue/turquoise egg laying chicken. Adding a few Araucanas to my flock really added a rainbow look to the tinted, brown, and pinkish eggs the more birds provided. Stories of its origin vary, but it seems that they came from South America near the northern portion of Chile and appeared in America around 1930 when a breeder imported them. The Araucana natives bred the “Collonca” with the “Quetro” that produced a bird that came to be called the Araucana. Their coloring can be a mix of browns, reddish, tans and white, and a ‘true' Araucana has no tail, although I was given two wild hens by a backyard breeder with beautiful tails that laid huge green eggs, so there are certainly Araucana mixes out there. This breed can be either large or small, and a real Araucana's blue egg color should permeate through the entire eggshell, unlike black eggs at which the brown color is on the outside surface only. Their eggs are typically medium in size, and as of their recent and mixed ancestry, breeding new Araucanas from breeding inventory can be very difficult, as many of the offspring may carry traits from past ancestry and may not lay blue eggs.


Egyptian Fayoumis


This breed is particularly uncommon in the United States, but has been raised in Egypt along the Nile River for centuries. It is a small breed that naturally matures faster than a larger number of breeds with the young females possibly laying their eggs as early as four months. And watch out, the roosters can start crowing at five weeks! They hold beautiful black, white and silvery markings and can have leg color of greenish or gray blue. They are really active and eager foragers, and the hens lay small tinted grey eggs. Owners say properties can become very tame, although some insist they experience rather a bit of attitude as compared to other breeds!


Phoenix


The Phoenix is a actually old long-tailed breed originating in Japan, although it is believed by some breeders to have originated among another Japanese name, and then made its way to Germany where it was refined from other long-tailed fowl and named ‘Phoenix.' Considered an active bird, the hens lay white or somewhat tinted eggs, and do not lay as the majority of as other breeds, which operates well for an owner who doesn't need the daily egg. This breed, along amidst other long-tailed breeds, was yet kept in imperial gardens for its unusual plumage beauty. Roosters sometimes grew tails as long as 10, 20, and some say significantly 30 feet, caused by a genetic trait to molt the feathers every time or third year rather than yearly, as in multiple breeds. Although opinions differ, most breeders consent which the true Phoenix has a single comb with slate colored legs, and today, the Phoenix rooster can sport tail feathers of a more standard length. Other names for similar long-tailed breeds from Asia enter Yokohamas and Onagadori.