Derbyshire Redcap
A rare English chicken with a large red comb.
The Derbyshire Redcap is a breed of chicken originating in the English county of Derbyshire. Its name comes from the breed's unusually large Rose-type comb, which must be more than 7 centimetres (3 inches) long according to British breed standards. The comb is covered in small, fleshy points and has a distinct backward-pointing spike called a 'leader.' Combs, wattles, and earlobes are ideally bright red.
- origin
- Derbyshire, England
- classification
- Light fowl
- cock_weight
- approximately 3.4 kg (7.5 lb)
- hen_weight
- approximately 2.75 kg (6.1 lb)
- egg_color
- white
- conservation_status_UK
- Vulnerable (Rare Breeds Survival Trust)
- conservation_status_US
- Critical (American Livestock Breeds Conservancy)
Lore & Background
The exact breeds that contributed to the creation of the Derbyshire Redcap are unknown, but Golden Spangled Hamburgs, Dorkings, Old English Pheasant Fowl, and Black-Breasted Red Games may have been involved. The breed is very similar in conformation to now-extinct chickens such as the Yorkshire Pheasant and the Lancashire Moonie. Derbyshire Redcaps were common on British farms until the middle of the 20th century, particularly around the southern Pennines. They have never been preferred by intensive farms or commercial operations and have always been primarily a barnyard fowl.
Reader's Guide
The Derbyshire Redcap is a hardy, active breed that does well in free-range conditions. It is well suited for dual-purpose farm flocks, being used for both meat and egg production in addition to its ornamental qualities. Hens do not usually go broody and lay a good amount of large, white-colored eggs. The breed appears in a single variety of plumage, with various dark hues of red, brown, and black. Cocks display a greater diversity of color, but both males and females have black tails and a crescent shape of black on the edge of most body feathers. Redcaps can be differentiated from similar-looking breeds, especially the more popular Hamburgs, by their red earlobes and larger comb. Combs that hang to either side of the face, white earlobes, or a lack of points on the comb are undesirable traits according to breed standards and result in disqualification from poultry shows. In the 21st century, they are a very rare chicken, with the largest numbers still residing in their home country. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust of the UK lists them as Vulnerable, and the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy lists them as Critical.
Did You Know?
- The name 'Redcap' derives from the breed's unusually large Rose-type comb.
- British breed standards require a Redcap comb to be more than 7 centimetres (3 inches) long.
- Redcaps can be differentiated from Hamburgs by their red earlobes and larger comb.
- The breed was admitted to the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection in 1888.
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