Appenzeller Barthuhner Chicken

     The Appenzeller Barthuhner, or as literally means the ‘Bearded Chicken of Appenzell’, is a Chicken breed that was first developed in the province of Appenzell in Switzerland. It’s an ornamental bird indeed, with good egg laying capabilities even in the harsh months of winter.

     Barthunhers are sturdy, calm birds that are very good foragers too. They have rose combs, beards that cover their white earlobes, small wattles, and slate-blue legs. Simply, the Barthuhner is well-equipped with all advantages for a rough mountain climate, where it was developed in the first place.

     Barthunhers hens are good layers of large white eggs (around 200 eggs per year of weight 60 g per each), and they may go broody too. The most common color-varieties for this bird are; the black, the blue, the partridge, and the black-breasted red. A bantam version is also available for this breed, but it’s quite rare indeed.

 

Place of originSwitzerland 
UseOrnamental and egg laying
Weight

Standard, male: 1.8 – 2.3 kg

female: 1.6 – 1.8 kg

Bantam, male: 680 g

female: 570 g

Comb typeRose comb
Egg colorWhite cream

 

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A black-breasted red Appenzeller Barthuhner rooster
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A black Appenzeller Barthuhner hen by Kerleone
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A partridge Appenzeller Barthuhner hen with her chicks by Andy Purviance