Lakenvelder (chicken)

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Lakenvelders or Lakenfelders are a breed of chicken developed in the 1830’s in Germany despite their Dutch name. Characteristics of the breed are black head, collar, and tail, white body, white skin and slate colored legs. The Lakenvelder is a flighty breed that is a good forager if allowed to free range. While it does well on range, it also bears confinement well. It has a small 4-5 pound body and is a good layer of small to medium a white or cream eggs, but is a non-setter.


Breed origin

The Lakenvelder originated in the Levant from Egyptian Fayoumi and Persian progenitors. It was developed as its own breed for centuries in Palestine where it was known as the Tel Megiddo (Hebrew) or Tell al-Mutesellim (Arabic) fowl. Roman Jewish immigrants brought this ancient breed to the Westfalen area of Germany during the Roman era around 1 A.d.. Westphalian Jews refined and conserved this breed for centuries before it was widely known to non-Jewish Europeans. The Lakenvelder's eggs were used primarily in baking.

It was admitted to the American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection in 1939. They are in the Continental class for American Poultry Association showing purposes and are listed as threatened by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

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