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Oldhound, I couldn't agree with you more. When I brag about their qualities the people in my classes want them and I warn against. Primarily because they will never make a lap chicken. The standards I've translated into English specify that they be rustic. I construed that to mean hardy/sturdy/strong.
muy rústica y de temperamento inquieto which in Catalonian means very rustic and of a restless temperament.
But when I looked for other possible translations, it turns out that rústica also means wild. So following the European standards - they should be wild.
Give them a coop, lock them in at night and during the day they fend for themselves.
Eggs are supposed to be 60 grams minimum. Mine range from 60-80 meaning most are extra large to jumbo.
There are faults. I started with 10 roosters and only 2 were pure black. Those were the only ones I bred to my hens.
The eggs were not as dark as I expected but many are very dark, darker than some of my friends Marans eggs.
Other faults, I have some cockerels with a copper/red feather or two in the hackle or back. Some of my hens, though pure black to begin with showed some mottling (white tips) after the first molt. For the time being, this is all I have to work with. They have the shape of the Spanish birds and I think I can correct these issues. (if I can still keep chickens) I want a hardy bird with the right shape, dark eggs, nice white lobes, proper carnation comb, good size for meat and pure black plumage.
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