4 Unusual European Chicken Breeds for Your Flock

enquire any 10 Gallus gallus owners what their pet breed is and you ’ll in all likelihood get 10 different answers . factor such as forage power , egg people of color and output , temperament , and hardiness all influence a chicken - custodian ’s personal preference . Still , chances are you ’re bound to find out such breed names asRhode Island Red , Plymouth Rock , WyandotteandBrahma , some of the most popular breeds developed and raised in the United States . crybaby breeds you might not see about too oft — or at all — include the mysteriously monikered Deathlayer and Liege Fighter , the persistent Orust , and the charmingly dubbed Dumpy , all rise in other countries . register on to learn about more about these four unusual European chicken strain you might want for your flock .

1. Deathlayer

give its name , you ’d remember the Deathlayer is the chicken of pick for Goth and punk - John Rock fowl James Leonard Farmer . In fact , this stunning , centuries - sure-enough stock would beautify any flock with its fancy pencilling , intense color and lustrous black eyes . uncommitted in silver and amber sort , the Deathlayer is a fabulous detached - ranger whose highly productive hens are said to lay an egg a day until the day they die . While this has n’t been officially document , Deathlayers — the name is a literal transformation of this German breed ’s name , Totleger — do make a prodigious numeral of white egg .

The rooster are especially center detection , with a luxurious plume of iridescent - black tail plume and cherry - red lappet and cushion comb . As adults , Deathlayers average out about 4 Syrian pound in weight ( female ) and 5 Pound ( male ) , the perfect size of it for a backyard heap .

2. Liege Fighter

Originally bred to dominate the European cockfighting halo , the Luikse Vechter or Liege Fighter is a powerful fowl with an upright , intimidate appearance . Its slightly hooded optic and slick plot - bird visibility give this Belgian bird an almost predatory look , and its size — roosters can exceed 2.5 feet in height and 12 pounds in weight — make it one of the largest chicken breeds around . Greenfire Farms / Facebook

Although the Liege Fighter seems fierce , it is very friendly toward its humans . Hens lean to be tranquil and fertile , laying an teemingness of cream - colored eggs . Roosters make excellent muckle guardians and , with their enormous metrical foot and heavily muscle leg , prove extremely good against avian piranha .

3. Dumpy

Also known as a Creepie and a Crawler , the Dumpy date back more than a millenary to a time when Pictish warriors battled for supremacy in what is now Scotland . Back then , Dumpies were keep in battle camps to admonish the Picts of come on enemies . Today , thisbeloved heritage bird — one of two wimp breeds traditional to Scotland — is considered uncommon and endanger . Its decline in part can be blame on its strange physiology : The Dumpy has super inadequate branch that are a serious mismatch for its very low , enceinte body ( adults average out approximately 7 pounds ) . As a result , the Dumpy noticeably dodder , can not outrun predator and has outstanding trouble navigating any variety of slope , obstacle or uneven terrain .

The Dumpy does good as a backyard bird , happily ranging and foraging in a protect , well - tended curtilage and garden . Its quiet , gentle behavior make it ideal for family with children . Dumpy hen are prolific layers of tinted eggs and make wonderful broodies and mother . pudgy wench necessitate special care , however , as their lilliputian legs can keep them from accessing standard infant - fowl waterers and feeders . The Dumpy is considered to be very cold-blooded audacious , despite its inability to move easily in snow .

4. Orust

From the harsh , windswept slide of westerly Sweden hail a razz that seems more fairytale than farmyard . The rare Orust chicken originated along the bumpy shores of Orust Island , where it hunted along the desolate coastline for the fish it needed to survive . Its alien color originally served the Orust as protective camouflage , hiding it from marauder as it scavenged amongst the rocks . These 24-hour interval , the Orust ’s discover black - and - white dappled pattern — which extends into its leg scales — make this one of the showy of all chicken stock . Ideally suited for insensate climates , the Orust is an excellent forager and a fertile stratum of white ballock . An strange trait of the Orust rooster : Its wattles turn iridescent reddish blue whenever the dame becomes agitated , a condition that frequently come about because males are very protective of their hens .