Discussing The Ancona Chicken As An Egg Layer And Pet

History of a chicken? Yes, Ancona chickens used so much around the world began in the Province of Ancona, Italy and the Port of Ancona, the city from which it spread across the world. In the mid eighteen hundreds the popular little chicken arrived in England, being exported in the late eighteen hundreds to America.


The spangled color of the Ancona most likely came from the intermingling of the Original Mottled Leghorn and the Black Leghorn. The Ancona inherited greenish black feathers (some purple tinting) with tips of white. Also got those lovely yellow, featherless legs ending in four well-spaced toes. Yes, toes... And earlobes of white. Yes, earlobes! Of course, toes assist with balance. Very important in chasing bugs... For a chicken. Ears as well! The Anconas in Italy feature colors of reds, browns and white, sometimes showing up with copper color in the hackles on the neck.

Chicken combs on this chicken are of two types... Rose combed and, in the hen, a single tilted comb while the rooster's is straight up. Avoiding chicken killers is the job of the bay colored eyes!

There are Red Australian types, Bantam and many large and smaller kinds. They are pretty common. The Australian variety is red with white specks on the neck area feathers.


Moulting (losing feathers) is natural and as these feathers grow back in, the white tips will grow back larger, allowing the age to be determined quite easily. The six pound rooster is a bit larger than the hen, who weighs in at a mere four and a half pounds. She is a great egg producer and as a pet, living eight years makes them about perfect.

Speaking of eggs, they lay from one hundred sixty to one hundred eighty large white eggs, (about one a day) a year. It has been said that occasionally there will be tinted eggs. They convert feed to egg production quite well. Given an adequate place to lay these eggs will keep them happy... So will the owner!

The hen is not too broody but does raise strong little chickies fast and if a few are hand-raised by the owner, they do make nice pets. They are friendly and will follow around.

The Ancona does not care to be penned up in small spaces. The females are busy little birds, the males being slower. The fact that they are cold hardy will aid the owner in decisions regarding housing. The pet chicken may want to be housed closer to their owner, the regulars in a hen house or coop. Sometimes called a chicken house, this should provide shelter from the elements as well as from predators. Normally this is where the nests would be located as well.


On a humorous note, Ancona chickens have been chosen as a model for a non-combat pet in an online game of magic! In this game it can be summoned and will follow the warrior around. It will not fight, however! Why don't chickens like humans? They beat eggs! Hahahaha!