Deutsches Reichshuhn

     The Deutsches Reichshuhn (translated to “the German Imperial Chicken”) is a breed of Chickens, that was developed in the 19^th century in Germany. Multiple chicken breeds of Asiatic origins like; the Sussex, the Brahma and the Orpington, were crossed with Mediterranean-type breeds such as; the Minorca and the Leghorn to develop this breed. In fact, Germans wished to express their newly won nationality by the cultivation of a national fowl (The Deutsches Reichshuhn).

     The Deutsches Reichshuhn has a rectangular body shape, a rose comb, red earlobes, and whitish-yellow legs. It’s a dual-purpose bird that comes in several recognized color-varieties, that include both solid and striped ones. The Deutsches Reichshuhn produces fine-grained white meat, and the hens are good layers of creamy white eggs. They produce around 180 eggs in their first year, and the number decreases to 140 in their second year. The egg weight is not less than 55 g.

     The Deutsches Reichshuhn is a robust, disease resistant, good forager, and rather quiet chicken breed. A bantam version is available as well. The Deutsches Reichshuhn is a very rare chicken breed, and is almost exclusive to Germany.