Greetings from the very south of Europe!

[Stiletto]

Since the Penedesenca was brought back from extinction in the 1980s, they have also developed a larger black variety called the 'improved'. In the process of making them bigger, they lost the dark egg and the white earlobe of the 'classic' variety.

Ah, that's seems a shame.

If you happen to stumble across breeders of classic blacks in your travels, please let me know. Some day I'll be going there to brincionalsg more eggs back.

I will!

In the meantime, I went back to the Penedesenca breeder's association website and located the page that lists associated breeders: https://www.galldelpenedes.cat/criadors

It is all in Catalan, so I only understand bits and bobs. However, I see that the "Gall o Pelleta Millorada" must mean the "Improved Rooster or Chicken" variety you mentioned. It seems they list breeders of the "Traditional" ("Varietats Tradicionals") as well as the "Improved" type, and some are both.

Do you have Penedesenca eggs incubating / chicks at the moment?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Ah, that's seems a shame.



I will!

In the meantime, I went back to the Penedesenca breeder's association website and located the page that lists associated breeders: https://www.galldelpenedes.cat/criadors

It is all in Catalan, so I only understand bits and bobs. However, I see that the "Gall o Pelleta Millorada" must mean the "Improved Rooster or Chicken" variety you mentioned. It seems they list breeders of the "Traditional" ("Varietats Tradicionals") as well as the "Improved" type, and some are both.

Do you have Penedesenca eggs incubating / chicks at the moment?

Thanks for the link. I've translated lots of Catalan pages about these birds.
I speak Spanish poorly but Catalan is a bigger challenge. I couldn't understand why I had such a hard time perceiving what people were saying when I was in Barcelona and Tossa de Mar. I was 20 then and wasn't aware they rarely spoke Spanish there. Tossa has really gotten built up since the early 70s.

I always have eggs cooking and chicks of all ages.
There are about 20 eggs due to hatch in 6 days and another 30 eggs I set a couple days ago.
I believe there were 80 eggs of the black variety brought here around 2000. About 20 hatched. All the birds here are from that importation so the gene pool is pretty small. What I have is all there is to work with. I probably have the largest flock in North America. It ranges from 30-100 birds through the year.

 

[ronott1]

 

[TropicalBabies]

Back at you!! Wow, Hawaii!!

*giggles* You say "Aloha", I say "Hola"...
(I'm kidding around. I remember reading that Aloha has deep and nuanced meaning ~ a beautiful word!)

It's a pleasure to "meet" you!

Likewise! Again, so happy you joined! I looove photos... hint, hint

 

[Stiletto]

I couldn't understand why I had such a hard time perceiving what people were saying when I was in Barcelona and Tossa de Mar. I was 20 then and wasn't aware they rarely spoke Spanish there.

*LOL*

I always have eggs cooking and chicks of all ages.
There are about 20 eggs due to hatch in 6 days and another 30 eggs I set a couple days ago.
I believe there were 80 eggs of the black variety brought here around 2000. About 20 hatched. All the birds here are from that importation so the gene pool is pretty small. What I have is all there is to work with. I probably have the largest flock in North America. It ranges from 30-100 birds through the year.

Oh wow! What made you choose the Penedesenca breed / why do you feel passionate about it?

If you've written a write-up on them I'd be grateful for a link to that!

 

[Stiletto]

View attachment 1710474

Thank you!! Have a super weekend!

 

[Stiletto]

Likewise! Again, so happy you joined! I looove photos... hint, hint

I haven't been sharing photos in quite some time, I need to get my hard drives revved up and start sorting! Thank you for the encouragement!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

*LOL*



Oh wow! What made you choose the Penedesenca breed / why do you feel passionate about it?

If you've written a write-up on them I'd be grateful for a link to that!

Initially, I sought them out after having Welsummers and liking the dark eggs. I'm a bit unusual and I didn't want the more common dark egg breeds (marans). After 2 years of searching, I found my foundation stock. Then I learned what great birds they are for so many reasons. They are easy keepers because they are so respectful of fences, great foragers and are very predator proof during the day.
I've written about them frequently but here is one read for you.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/black-penedesenca-hatching-eggs.1235753/#post-19829873

 

[Stiletto]

Initially, I sought them out after having Welsummers and liking the dark eggs. I'm a bit unusual and I didn't want the more common dark egg breeds (marans). After 2 years of searching, I found my foundation stock. Then I learned what great birds they are for so many reasons. They are easy keepers because they are so respectful of fences, great foragers and are very predator proof during the day.
I've written about them frequently but here is one read for you.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/black-penedesenca-hatching-eggs.1235753/#post-19829873

Hah! I got a Welsumer and a Marans for precisely that. Had I known that there are two Spanish breeds that produce dark eggs, they would have been my preference. Thank you so much for drawing my attention to these breeds! They are definitely on my wish-list for the future.

I enjoyed reading through the thread, thank you!

 

[PouleChick]

Hi and welcome - lovely intro - love yoru description of your hens! I see you have found us on the European thread too! I hope you enjoy BYC as much as I do!