Hamburg Chicken Breed – Origin, Traits & Facts

Hamburg

The Hamburg, Dutch: Hollands hoen, German: Hamburger, is a breed of chicken which is thought to have originated in Holland sometime prior to the fourteenth century. The name may be spelled Hamburgh in the United Kingdom and in Australia.

Habitat

Hamburg chickens are well-suited to free-range environments where they can forage for insects and other materials. They are adaptable to a range of climates but prefer moderate temperatures. They thrive in open areas due to their active nature and enjoy having plenty of space to roam.

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Characteristics

SizeApproximately 40-45 cm

Wing Span60-75 cm

Male Weight2.5 kg

Female Weight1.8 kg

Life Expectancy8 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 3/5

Useful to know

Hamburg chickens are known for their active and flighty nature, making them less suitable for confined spaces. They come in a variety of colors including silver-spangled, gold-spangled, and black. They are excellent foragers and are often admired for their attractive appearance and energetic disposition.

Gallery

Citron spangled bantam cock

Behaviour

TemperamentActive and flighty

FlightinessHigh

Foraging AbilityExcellent

Confinement Tolerance

Hamburg chickens do not tolerate confinement well. They prefer open spaces and are known for their ability to escape enclosures easily. Their active nature requires a spacious and secure environment to prevent them from wandering off.

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Identification

Comb Type

Plumage Description

Feather Color

Leg Color

Earlobe Color

Eye Color

Feeding Habits

Diet

Preferred Environment

Requires Supplement

Population

Conservation Status

Species Status

Wild Population

Total Known Population

Egg Characteristics

Egg Color

Egg Size

Laying Frequency

Egg Production / Year

Start Laying Age (weeks)

Naked-neck

The Naked Neck is a breed of chicken that is naturally devoid of feathers on its neck and vent. The breed is also called the Transylvanian Naked Neck, as well as the Turken. The name "Turken" arose from the mistaken idea that the bird was a hybrid of a chicken and the domestic turkey. Naked Necks are fairly common in Europe today, but are rare in North America and very common in South America. The trait for a naked neck is a dominant one controlled by one gene and is fairly easy to introduce into other breeds, however these are hybrids rather than true Naked Necks, which is a breed recognized by the American Poultry Association since 1965, it was introduced in Britain in the 1920s. There are other breeds of naked necked chicken, such as the French naked neck, which is often confused with the Transylvanian, and the naked necked gamefowl.

Niederrheiner

The Niederrheiner is a German breed of chicken. It is named for the Niederrhein or Lower Rhine region where it originated in the early twentieth century, and derives principally from the Dutch North Holland Blue meat chicken. It was recognized in Germany in 1943. In the twenty-first century it is an endangered breed.

Ramelsloher

The Ramelsloher is a German breed of dual-purpose chicken. It was bred in the 1870s by A.D. Wichmann, a Hamburg shipowner, and is named for the village of Ramelsloh, which lies some thirty kilometres south of Hamburg. In the early twentieth century it was an important utility chicken; in the twenty-first century it is an endangered breed. It is recognised in only two colours, white and buff; there is no bantam Ramelsloher.

Frizzle

The Frizzle is a breed of chicken with characteristic curled or frizzled plumage. While the frizzle gene can be seen in many breeds, such as the Pekin and Polish, the Frizzle is recognised as a distinct breed in a number of European countries and Australia. In the United States, frizzled chickens are not considered a breed, and at shows are judged by the standards of the breed they belong to.