Appenzell Chicken

Appenzeller the chicken is derived from ancient spitz-type chicken breeds of the Appenzell region in Switzerland. The breed was introduced at the national poultry exhibition in 1935. In the 1950s it faced the threat of extinction and was placed under protection by the organization ProSpecieRara in 1983, leading to a recovery of its population.

In 1953 it was introduced to Germany by the German breeder Wolf Fischer and to Germany and Netherlands. It was imported to Britain in 1978 and standardized there. It first entered USA in the late 1950s but experienced some health issues due to a narrow gene pool. Since 2013, new imports from Europe have increased the genetic diversity of genetic.

Appenzeller, Image:Alice Wilkman

General Characteristics

The Appenzeller Spitzhauben is of the spitz type and is distinguished by its horn-shaped comb and characteristic crest. The body is cylindrical and of medium size. The back has a slight slope, the tail is full and fan-shaped, and it exhibits a medium-high stance.

Weight and Productivity

• Cock: 1.5 – 1.8 kg
• Hen: 1.2 – 1.5 kg
• Egg Production: Average of 150 eggs per year
• Egg Weight: At least 55 grams
• Egg Color: White
• Leg Band Size: Cock 16 mm, Hen 15 mm

Physical Characteristics

• Cock: The body is of medium length and well rounded. The neck is slightly arched and of medium length. The back slopes gently toward the rear and features rounded shoulders. The wings are quite long and carried high. The tail has a broad base and is notable for its abundant sickle feathers. The head is of medium size with a thick-skinned structure.

The comb is horn-shaped, formed by two small rounded cones. The earlobes are oval and bluish-white in color. The eyes are dark brown, beak strong and have a bluish tint. The thighs are prominent, the legs are fine-boned and blue in color. The feathers are hard and body tightly adherent.

• Hen: The overall form is similar to that of the cock, but the back line is more horizontal. The tail starts broad at the saddle and is carried slightly higher than medium height. The feather structure is identical to that of the cock.