Interesting Chicken Breeds

 
 
Amazing Facts About Appenzeller Spitzhauben
Though you may have never heard it before, an Appenzeller Spitzhauben is a fascinating breed of chicken. Switzerland considers it to be the national chicken of the country. Its name comes from the frilly hat worn by women from the Appenzeller region in Switzerland. Brought to America by a doctor who successfully introduced the breed for the long term here, the Spitz, as it is called, is a pretty popular bird.
Wonder what an Appenzeller Spitzhauben is, and what is curious about it? Then, join the rapidly growing group of people who love this distinctive breed of chicken. Named for its fluffy crest that looks so much like the lacy hats worn by women in the Appenzeller region in Switzerland, the Swiss national chicken is now part of backyard flocks all over the world.

Appenzeller chickens are active as well as being strikingly beautiful. You will need to allow them to roam if you plan to have them. In exchange for this freedom, you will have an amazingly intelligent chicken as a pet. They sport a crest of feathers on their heads with a very distinctive shape. The feathers give them a pompous, yet sort of funny head.

If you feel that you can give Appenzellers the freedom they need to roam and forage, then you may consider buying them to have as pets. They are quite intelligent, and enjoy picking insects out of all sorts of places when you allow them out in the yard. Baby chicks can be ordered from breeders to get you started with your own little flock. The online breeders provide space and shipping recommendations for the breed. Most are concerned that the chicks, or even unhatched eggs arrive safely to you.

There are plenty of advantages to having these chickens as pets. For one thing, they will lay eggs. They are great at producing medium to large sized white eggs. The average egg count per year is about 140 to 160 eggs. You will reap the benefits of feeding and caring for them by having fresh, organic eggs with healthy orange yolks. The darker yolk color results from feeding chickens well, and this means more nutrition for your family.

People who enjoy their Spitz say that each one has an unique personality. Part of this comes from their goofy crest of feathers, and the rest comes from their tendency to enjoy being held and stroked if you train them to like it. They are not easily friendly, but once accustomed to your touch, they will like being carted around like a family dog.

Three other great attributes they have are a tendency to be quiet, an ability to forage well, and fine flying skills. Some owners note that because the Spitzhauben size tends to be smaller than other chickens, it stays cleaner and does not need the watering that others do. They also note that the crest is much different from other chickens, making it very distinctive in appearance, and this is a plus when caring for chickens in your backyard.

Because they fly so well, some owners report that all their Appenzellers left their coops in favor of roosting in nearby trees. Some flocks actually remained in the trees until the weather turned cold. The independent nature of these chickens is seen in this behavior, but most owners think it is part of what makes them fun.

Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens really enjoy nosing about for insects. You will find them to be excellent climbers and fliers, too. For this reason, you will need good fencing if you wish to keep them secure in one area. Once you combine together all their traits, tendencies, and striking appearance, you can see why they are popular.


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