Derbyshire Redcap Chicken

     The Derbyshire Redcap is a breed of Chickens, that has always been closely associated with Derbyshire county in England. The name “Redcap” was derived from the breed’s unusually large Rose-type comb.

     The Redcap appears in a single color-variety, which is various dark hues of red, brown and black. Cocks display a greater diversity of color, but both males and females have black tails and a crescent shape of black on the edge of most body feathers. Redcaps are also characterized with their red earlobes, and slate-blue legs.

     Redcaps are hardy dual-purpose chickens, that are thought to have been developed from a variety of breeds including; Hamburgs and Old English Pheasant Fowls. In fact, this breed is favored as they make good table birds with an excellent gamey flavor, and lay plenty of eggs as well. Redcap hens lay around 150 – 200 large white eggs per year, but they don’t usually go broody. A bantam version is also available for this breed.