Chickens : Barnevelder and Chantecler

Barnevelder Chickens

This chicken is not one of the most popular breeds, but they are easy to care for and great for a novice chicken owner. 

Their colors are black, double-laced, double-laced blue, and white. 

They have red single combs, wattles, and earlobes, and their eyes are orange-brown. 

Their legs are yellow and clean with four toes.

The roosters weigh 7 to 8 pounds, and the hens weigh 6 to 7 pounds.

Bantams are about 4 pounds. 

A healthy hen will produce about 170 brown eggs per year.

The color of the eggs will lighten as the hen gets older. 

The double-laced varieties are noted to be the prolific egg layers.

Barnevelders are quick growers, which means their frame and build fill out in a relatively short time compared to other breeds, making them good to raise for meat.

 Their temperament is docile and friendly. 

They are prone to bullying if living among other breeds. 

They do well in confinement and are not prone to flying, so a low fence will keep them corralled.

Chantecler Chickens

This is the first chicken breed to originate from Canada. 

Developed from crossbreeding several other types of chickens, the Chantecler was created by a Trappist monk who realized that Canada did not have a chicken to call its own. 

This is a large bird, with the males weighing 7 to 8 pounds and the females weighing 5 ½ to 6 ½ pounds. 

Bantams are about 2 pounds. 

They come in two colors: white and partridge. 

Their skin is yellow, and their legs are clean with four toes.

 Their wattles and pea combs are small and red. 

They were bred this way to help them weather harsh Canadian winters because birds with larger wattles and pea combs are more prone to frostbite. 

Smaller body parts are easier to keep warm and prevent from freezing. 

Overall, a larger bird is hardier and can survive the severe weather.

Chanteclers are a quiet and docile breed. 

They are proficient egg layers, with hens laying about 210 brown eggs per year. 

They are used for both meat and eggs. 

Although a hardy breed, they are somewhat rare.