Calling all Penedesencas Owners/Breeders

[ChickenCanoe]

Hi Canoe, I did make some contacts, and through my interpreters found that most breeders are breeding for higher meat yields nowadays rather than traditional physical characteristics and egg color. In fact, most of the roosters and hens I saw for sale were huge and lacked the carnation combs; I would guess that the majority in fact had single combs. These were massed produced and being sold for slaughter, and were very expensive. As you noted on your elaborated post last month, they are around $100 and are an especially valued part of the Christmas meal. We had some stewed and baked leg and thigh quarters that were very, very delicious! The eggs at the fair were not very dark. I've had Australorp and RIR eggs darker than many I saw at the Pene festival. Even the ones entered into the competition weren't very dark; yours are much darker. Again, though, this could have been a matter of timing in that it's now the end of the laying season for them.

Only specialty breeders apparently breed for SOP, traditional corporeal characteristics and egg color. Unfortunately, I didn't get to meet any of those people, but some of their birds were on display in the contest area of the festival. I have contact information for the Pene association there, and they seemed eager to share their information. Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of time to spend there.

I'll post some pictures shortly.

Thank you very much for that information. I had read over the last couple years that in moving to a larger bird for meat, the 'improved' had lost egg color, earlobe color and comb issues. IMHO, that's a shame. No wonder the birds for meat are so pricey. They were pricey at the fair when they were still the 'classic' black.

I may start looking at Germany or Ireland for a breeder. I was told that there was a picture in a poultry magazine of eggs from somewhere in Great Britain and they were almost black. I have yet to see the picture or magazine.

In the meantime, I'm selecting primarily for egg color. The earlobes and combs seem to be stabilized here. A little problem with feather color but I was always told to build the house first and then paint it. (IMO shell color is part of the house)

 

[dtimoth]

My pleasure. I haven't had time to go through all of my chicken pictures from Vilafranca (honestly I didn't get many because the crowds were huge), but I'm attaching below a photo of the eggs I bought at the supermarket here in Girona a couple of days ago to cook in the apartment I'm staying in. I mentioned this earlier in the year, but look how dark they are. They're not just brown; they're quite dark brown, and it makes me wonder if the egg farms around here (the package says the company is in Valencia, but that doesn't mean the eggs came from Valencia) use a Penedesenca or Empordanesa cross with some other breed for standard grocery store eggs. I haven't been able to find an answer to that question, but these store eggs are as dark or slightly darker than some of the Pene eggs I saw in Vilafranca yesterday.

 

[Pinckney]

If anyone is looking for birds that meet the standard, my birds from Sandhill do not. Utility stock.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If anyone is looking for birds that meet the standard, my birds from Sandhill do not. Utility stock.

By his own admission he selects for egg color but not white earlobes or carnation combs.
I had considered buying some but a friend got blacks from him that had 5 toes.

 

[RockelleP]

http://www.penedesencausa.com/
Have you looked on the Penedensca page?

I really want to start a penedesenca flock. My email is [email protected] please please please. Honestly I've been searching so long I don't care what color....

Thank you
Kate Vosler
Scribner NE

Have you looked on the Penedensca

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I really want to start a penedesenca flock. My email is [email protected] please please please. Honestly I've been searching so long I don't care what color....

Thank you
Kate Vosler
Scribner NE

I feel your pain. I looked for my first birds for years.

I have Black Pene hatching eggs available.
I have the following tentative shipping dates for chicks in 2017.
February 27
March 7
April 3
April 11
May 1.

 

[RockelleP]

Any breeders anywhere near northern Indiana southern mi eastern Ohio??

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Any breeders anywhere near northern Indiana southern mi eastern Ohio??

I don't think so. There was a gal in Ohio with some nice hens but she kept losing her roosters. I tried several times to get her one but it fell through. Haven't heard from her in years.
Depending on the variety, Carolinas, GA, FL, CA, AZ and MO are about the only places I can think of.

I only raise blacks.

 

[nukusjeff]

I have a little Brinsea hatcher that I usually get 5 to hatch. I raise Partridge but I have never shipped anything. I live in Wendell, NC... if you know are coming by in 3 weeks I will load it up.

 

[CatalanState]

Wow!

Glad to see people raising the breeds of my country at the other side of the sea!

I have a young flock of Partridge Penedesenca, and in the past i've raised the improved version of black penedesenca

Now i'm planing to add a flock of Crele's to my coop

This are pics of the improved variety, some have red ear loves, and have lossed the colour of the egg




Cockerel's weight at 16 weeks old (in kg)


Tomorrow i'll take a pictures of the Partridge's and post here