Bergische Schlotterkamm
 Black cock | |
| Conservation status | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Elberfelder |
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Use | dual-purpose[2] |
| Traits | |
| Weight | |
| Egg colour | white |
| Comb type | single |
| Classification | |
| EE | yes[4] |
| |
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The Bergische Schlotterkamm (German pronunciation: [ˌbɛʁɡɪʃə ˈʃlɔtɐˌkam]) is an old and endangered German breed of domestic chicken. It originates from the Bergisches Land, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany, and is one of three chicken breeds from that area, the others being the Bergische Kräher and the German creeper ("Krüper").
History
[edit]The breed has been known since the eighteenth century and is probably the result of crossing imported Spanish birds with local Bergische Kräher stock.[5] At the beginning of the nineteenth century the breed experienced competition from imported multi-purpose breeds such as the Minorca, and became almost extinct. A breed association, the Vereinigung der Züchter Bergischer Hühnerrassen, was established in 1916.[6]
Today the Bergische Schlotterkamm is an endangered breed. In 2001 it was an "endangered breed of the year" of the Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen;[5] it is listed in category I, "extremely endangered", on the Rote Liste of that organisation.[7]: 162 In 2013 the total population was around 250.[5]
A bantam version of the Schlotterkamm was created in the late twentieth century by cross-breeding bantam Bergische Kräher and Thüringer Barthuhn birds. It is found in one plumage colour only, Silver-laced Black, and is even rarer than the full-sized Schlotterkamm.[4][8]
Characteristics
[edit]The Schlotterkamm is a medium-sized dual-purpose chicken. The shape is long and somewhat rectangular. It has a single comb which flops from one side to the other; it is this that gave the breed its name. Four plumage colours – Cuckoo, Silver-laced Black, Gold-laced Black and Black – have been recognised since 1896.[4][9] The old Cuckoo variant had virtually disappeared by 1922,[9] and the white Schlotterkamm disappeared as the Leghorn breed became more popular.[6]
Use
[edit]The Schlotterkamm is a dual-purpose breed, reared both for eggs and for meat. Hens lay about 150 eggs per year; the eggs are white and weigh about 55 g.[3] The hens have little tendency to broodiness.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
- ^ Breed data sheet: Bergische Schlotterkämme/Germany. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed January 2017.
- ^ a b c Rassetafeln: Bergische Kräher (in German). Bund Deutscher Rassegeflügelzüchter. Accessed August 2014.
- ^ a b c Liste des races et variétés homologuée dans les pays EE (28.04.2013). Entente Européenne d’Aviculture et de Cuniculture. Archived 16 June 2013.
- ^ a b c Bergische Schlotterkämme (in German). Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen. Accessed January 2017.
- ^ a b Bergische Schlotterkämme (in German). Vereinigung der Züchter Bergischer Hühnerrassen und deren Zwerge-Kräherzüchtervereinigung seit 1884. Archived 10 November 2016.
- ^ Rote Liste: Einheimische Nutztierrassen in Deutschland 2013 (in German). Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung. Archived 1 February 2014.
- ^ Bergische Zwerg-Schlottekämme (in German). Vereinigung der Züchter Bergischer Hühnerrassen und deren Zwerge-Kräherzüchtervereinigung seit 1884. Archived 10 November 2016.
- ^ a b Schwerpunkt - Geflügel: Bergische Schlotterkämme (in German). Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen. Accessed September 2015.
Media related to Bergischer Schlotterkamm at Wikimedia Commons