Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
mate. Hens weigh 4 pounds, while roosters weigh between 5 and 6 pounds. Bantams are 2 ½
pounds. The hens are low-producing egg layers. They lay light brown eggs of a medium size.
Crevecoeur
This beautiful yet rare breed was originally meant to be a
table bird
, which is a bird meant to
eat, but its striking coat and crest make it a popular ornamental bird used for show. Crevec-
oeurs hail from Normandy, France. Black is the only color recognized, but some variations are
blue. Because their feathers are delicate, they are best suited for climates with warmer weath-
er; cold and wet regions are hard on them. They do well in confinement but are active and
need room to run during the day.
These chickens have a clean leg, with four toes on each foot. They are friendly and quiet, and
the hens are seldom broody. Under all of those black feathers is white skin, and they have
dark shanks. Crevecoeurs have a V-shaped comb and a long wattle. The roosters weigh about
7 to 8 pounds and hens weigh about 6 pounds.
The eggs of the mother hens are medium size and white. They lay about 2 eggs per week or
about 100 eggs a year. Overall, the Crevecoeur can provide plenty of eggs, it is a good size for
a table bird, friendly enough to be a pet, and it has unique features for showing and competi-
tions. It is an endangered bird but can be found at various hatcheries online.
Sicilian Buttercup
This Mediterranean class of chicken was discovered in 1892 in Italy. It is named Buttercup
because its comb is a perfect buttercup comb with 5 points. The rich colors of the roosters and
hens of this breed attracted the attention of Americans who show birds. The males are a rich,
orange-red bird with black spangles in their feathers. Their lustrous black tail has a green
sheen to it. The female Buttercup is a deep gold or amber, and black spangles accent all of her
feathers. Their shanks and toes are olive or yellow green, their skin is yellow, and their ear-
lobes are white.
Buttercups are foragers by nature and prefer to be free-range. They do not bear confinement
well, and owners claim their birds are friendly but restless. One of the most typical character-
istics of this breed is that they tend to be a bit wild and do not prefer to be social with people.
The hens are seldom broody, and they have a low egg production. The eggs they do produce
are small and white. Even though they do not provide an ample supply of eggs, they are at-
