Chicken Breed Focus - Appenzeller Spitzhauben

[Alaskan]

Which color variation is the very first rooster pic in this post? Is it gold laced or buff? This breed is refreshingly fascinating, and I'm hoing to add one to my flock maybe next year.

Pretty sure that one is called Chamois.

Very rare but most excellent color!

Here are some of mine:

 

[Jayzandra]

My two roosters that I got from Cackle Hatchery. They just imported some forward facing crested birds in order to have a better breeding line!

 

[PhoredaBurds]

My two roosters that I got from Cackle Hatchery. They just imported some forward facing crested birds in order to have a better breeding line!

Nice looking birds! I had read about Cackle's recent import, but hadn't seen how their birds were growing out. Thank you for sharing!!

 

[Alaskan]

Ditto!

 

[brrabey]

I have a 22 week old spitzhauben who still hasn't laid an egg! Are they late layers?!

 

[Faraday40]

I can't believe it! I just went out to do an egg check. I noticed a hawk take to the air as I was walking out & found my poor Spitzie ripped to pieces. It was a gigantic bird - like a red-tailed hawk - so I doubt there was much the roosters could do.

I'm so very sad & in shock. She was one of my fastest chickens, in good health, with great reflexes. Also, she was white to blend in with the snow. I know this is just nature & to be expected, but it doesn't help my feelings at the moment. After 2 failed hatches from 2 diff breeders (shipped eggs), I finally got eggs in February via a friend who drove by an Appenzeller Spitzhauben breeder on vacation. I was so excited to have all 6 hatch & after much deliberation, we decided to keep our sweet Spitzie as the new fancy, member of our flock. She was a gentle, quiet, easy-going girl who always loved to pose for the camera. (We have more pics of this pullet during her short life than any hen or rooster we've ever owned.)

RIP my dear Spitzie.







































While writing this, the kids came home from school. As you can probably tell, Spitzie was a favorite. Lots of tears today.

 

[brrabey]

I'm so so sorry to hear that faraday40. She was a beautiful girl and sounds like she was an excellent little ladybird.

 

[Alaskan]

I have a 22 week old spitzhauben who still hasn't laid an egg! Are they late layers?!

Did your girl ever lay?

 

[brrabey]

Yes! Finally just last week. 33wks old. She lays the biggest eggs out of my 4 mixed flock. Huge white egg everyday. And she's really calmed down. She used to try to tree roost every night and I'd be climbing trees to get her down. She wouldn't let us love on her either. Now I can pick her up and hug her and she's the first girl in the coop every night.
Those teenage hormones are ridiculous.

Did your girl ever lay?

 

[Alaskan]

Yes! Finally just last week. 33wks old. She lays the biggest eggs out of my 4 mixed flock. Huge white egg everyday. And she's really calmed down. She used to try to tree roost every night and I'd be climbing trees to get her down. She wouldn't let us love on her either. Now I can pick her up and hug her and she's the first girl in the coop every night.
Those teenage hormones are ridiculous.

That is fantastic to hear! Also pretty stellar that she lays large eggs, as most Spitz lay on the smaller size.


Here is one of my males: