Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens: An egg-laying breed that thrives in the cold
Aside from having perhaps the best hairdos in all of chickendom, Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens are hardy little birds that do great in the cold. They also lay a decent number of eggs, and, unlike many other breeds, they tend to continue laying through the cold winters.
But the Appenzeller Spitzhauben breed definitely isn’t for everybody. In this article, I’ve compiled information from far and wide so that you can determine if this chicken is right for you and your flock.
You will learn:
What Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens look like in their many different colors and patterns
Everything you ever wanted to know about Appenzeller Spitzhauben egg laying
Appenzeller broodiness (do they want to hatch their babies or not?)
Climate considerations for Appenzeller chickens (are they a good fit for your region?)
Foraging, space, and predator considerations for Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens
Appenzeller temperament (are they right for you and your family?)
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Appenzeller Spitzhauben Chicken Facts
Category: Pet & eggs
Origin: Switzerland
Egg-laying ability: Good
Broodiness: Moderate
Meat production: Poor
Cold tolerance: Exceptional
Heat tolerance: Good
Predator evasion: Good
Foraging ability: Exceptional
Toleration for confinement: Low
Temperament: Flighty, active
Aggression toward flock members: Low
Noise level: High
Origin of Appenzeller Spitzhauben Chickens
The history of the Appenzeller Spitzhauben breed is not well documented, but the breed originated in Switzerland and has possibly been around for centuries.
The breed is named after its home range—the Appenzell region of Switzerland—and its unusual crest. Spitzhauben translates to “pointed hat” or “pointed bonnet.”
“Local lore says their name comes from the resemblance of the crest to the lace bonnets that are traditional for women in that region.”
Appenzeller Spitzhaubens were likely first imported to the United Kingdom in the 1940s and United States in the 1950s.
What do Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens look like?
You might find the unusual appearance of Appenzeller Spitzhaubens to be beautiful or comical. Personally, I find it to be both.
These chickens are distinctive both for their odd crests and their beautiful plumage patterns.
In the book, Storey’s Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds, poultry expert, Carol Ekarius, describes these chickens as “kind of crazy looking in a Cruella De Vil sort of way.”
A bantam (i.e., miniature) type of Appenzeller also exists, but these are exceedingly rare.
Appenzeller Spitzhauben feather colors and patterns
The American Poultry Association does not recognize the Appenzeller Spitzhauben breed, so there are no breed standards. Traditionally, there were three main varieties of the breed: Silver Spangled, Golden Spangled, and Black. More recently, Chamois Spangled and Blue varieties have been added to the mix.
In the United States, the Silver Spangled variety is the most common by far. Check out the video below to get a feel for what this variety looks like:
The Golden Spangled and Black varieties are much less common in the U.S.
In the video below, you can see the Golden Spangled variety.
And in this next video, you’ll see the video opens with Silver Spangled and Gold Spangled roosters crowing, and then quickly cuts to the Black variety.
The more recently developed Chamois Spangled Appenzeller Spitzhauben is still very rare. Below you can see a video of one of these uncommon beauties.
And to see the Blue variety, check out the video below in the section on temperament.
What is notable about the Appenzeller Spitzhauben chicken’s appearance?
Aside from their beautiful plumage, the most notable trait of Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens is their crest, the wild-looking bunch of feathers at the tops of their heads.
Appenzellers are also notable for their V-shaped combs, also called horn combs or devil combs. These combs grow in front of their crests.
These chickens, like most crested breeds, have large and deep nostrils relative to other breeds. They also have medium-sized wattles, dark brown eyes, medium-large white earlobes, and beautiful blue shanks.
How big do Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens get?
Appenzeller Spitzhaubens are small chickens, and the bantam (i.e., miniature) varieties are truly tiny.
Roosters: 4.5 lbs
Hens: 3.5 lbs
Bantam roosters: 24 oz
Bantam hens: 20 oz
What do Appenzeller Spitzhauben chicks look like?
The appearance of Appenzeller chicks varies depending on the variety. Below is a video that shows the Silver Spangled variety. This is by far the most common variety in America.
Appenzeller Spitzhauben chicken growth
Appenzellers tend to be fast growers and mature early, relative to many other breeds.
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Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens and egg laying
Egg color: White
Egg size: Small-medium
Age of lay: 5 months
Eggs/week: 3-4
Eggs/year: 150-180
Appenzeller Spitzhauben hens are unique in that they tend to lay almost year-round. Like all chickens, they do stop laying during their annual molt. However, unlike most chickens, they typically will lay through the winter months.
Broodiness: Do Appenzeller Spitzhauben hens want to hatch their eggs?
Appenzeller Spitzhauben hens are moderately broody. This means that they may occasionally decide they want to sit on their eggs and hatch their chicks.
Appenzellers tend to be excellent and attentive mothers. Below is a video of a Black Appenzeller Spitzhauben hen with her brood of chicks:
Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens: A hardy breed
How do Appenzeller chickens do in the cold?
Appenzeller Spitzhaubens are exceptionally cold hardy. Not only are their combs smaller than many breeds, which helps protect them from frostbite, but their crests also help keep their combs warmer.
“[Appenzeller Spitzhaubens]… are quite cold-hardy, and will remain roosting in a tree (their roost of choice) during snowstorms, apparently none the worse for wear.”
Many chicken keepers have remarked that their Appenzellers love being outside, even in the snow, and that they don’t seem to even notice the cold.
One chicken keeper wrote in a forum, “They did well enough here in Central Manitoba, where it usually gets to -30°C during any given December and January with a week of -40 to -45, and the occasional -50 and a bit lower.” He also remarked that his girls laid all winter.
However, even Appenzellers are capable of getting frostbite on their combs, so if you live in a climate that gets this cold, I highly recommend you hang a Sweeter Heater over your roosting bars. Frostbite is just as painful for chickens as it is for you, and you need to be prevent it at all costs.
You can find small Sweeter Heaters here on Amazon, medium Sweeter Heaters here, and large Sweeter Heaters here.
Appenzellers also do well in cold and rainy climates, relative to other breeds.
How do Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens do in the heat?
Appenzeller Spitzhaubens are one of the few breeds that do well in any weather, including the heat. They even fare well in areas that are both hot and humid.
Appenzeller chickens vs. predators
Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens are fairly predator-savvy. They are active, alert, and they fly well, so they are better able to escape from predators than many other chicken breeds.
Appenzellers have great reflexes and are very fast chickens. And the popular Silver Spangled variety blends in very well with snow.
However, because Appenzeller Spitzhaubens are so small, they may be susceptible to attacks from a wider range of predators than are larger chickens. Some chicken keepers have had Appenzellers killed by hawks and other birds of prey.
Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens: Exceptional foragers
Appenzeller Spitzhaubens are A+ foragers. As small birds, they don’t require as much food as most other breeds to begin with, but they also will eat a large percentage of their food from foraging.
Appenzellers love to roam, explore, and forage, and if you are able to give them a free-range lifestyle, not only will you have very happy birds, you will save on your feed bills.
Appenzeller chickens: Can they handle confinement?
Appenzeller Spitzhaubens do not like to be confined. These are flighty and active birds that were bred to spend their days outdoors.
“[Appenzeller Spitzhaubens] eagerly chase bugs and enjoy their outdoor life.”
Appenzellers can sometimes be a bit wild. They are known to roost in trees if you don’t train them to roost in the coop. And you need to be careful about allowing them to roost in trees when they are young as their breastbones may develop bent.
Appenzellers can also fly fairy well, so if you are keeping them in a run, you may want to consider covering it with hardware cloth or poultry netting. They can scale 6 feet fences pretty easily.
Appenzeller Spitzhauben temperament: Just what kind of birds are they?
All of the information I’ve found about Appenzellers that comes from books says that they are incredibly flighty and wild, that they don’t much care for human contact, and can’t be easily handled.
However, most of the anecdotes I read in chicken forums say that they are quite friendly and personable. One chicken keeper described her Appenzeller hen as “a gentle, quiet, easy-going girl who always loved to pose for the camera.”
Below is a video of a Blue Appenzeller Spitzhauben spending time with her owner inside the house. This is not a wild bird.
I imagine the discrepancies between the books and the anecdotes have to do with the different chicken strains. Some strains are likely wild, whereas others may be calmer.
Before deciding to add Appenzellers to your flock, make sure that you’re able to accept flighty personalities. Don’t count on getting calm chickens from this breed. If you’re not willing to look after birds with wilder temperaments, consider other breeds instead (perhaps the equally adorable Houdans or Silkies).
You can also ask the breeder or hatchery what you might expect with their strain of birds.
Also, if you handle your birds frequently from a very young age, you can sometimes tame even wild breeds.
How are Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens around children?
Historically, Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens have been bred to be flighty and to not want to be around people. This would be especially true with children as children tend to be more energetic and not good at picking up on animals’ cues that they want to be left alone.
However, some chicken keepers have said that their Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens are very good with their kids and enjoy being handled.
One chicken keeper said, “I love my Appenzellers. They are very sweet birds and will fly to my shoulders to say hello and check on me. They don’t mind being picked up at all, even by children.”
So, the temperament of these chickens likely has a lot to do with what strain they’re from and their individual personalities.
Are Appenzeller Spitzhauben roosters aggressive to people?
Any rooster of any breed could potentially be aggressive to humans, but Appenzeller Spitzhauben roosters are certainly not known to be especially aggressive.
In fact, many chicken keepers say their Appenzeller roosters are unusually friendly. One chicken keeper said of hers, “LOVE HIM! Very sweet and loves to have his head rubbed. We plan to get more.”
Another chicken keeper said that his Appenzeller rooster follows him and his family members around everywhere, so much so, that his 7-year old son named him Buddy.
However, Appenzellers have traditionally been flighty and somewhat wild birds, so there’s also a chance you end up with a rooster who has no interest in humans at all.
How well do Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens get along with other chickens?
Appenzeller Spitzhaubens are not known to be aggressive chickens. However, their small size and flighty nature may make them more susceptible to being picked on by other breeds.
If you have a mixed flock, make sure your coop and yard (or run) have plenty of space for Appenzellers to get away from other chickens if they need to.
Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens: Are they noisy?
Appenzeller Spitzhauben chickens do seem to be noisier than other chickens on average. They are one of the chattier breeds.
I personally love chatty breeds myself. They are so expressive and you really get to know your birds. However, if you have neighbors that don’t appreciate chicken talk, then Appenzellers may not be the right birds for you.
One chicken keeper said that her Appenzellers are loud all the time, saying, “They make odd Amazon bird-like calls.”
Appenzeller Spitzhauben health problems and life expectancy
Appenzeller Spitzhaubens are generally very hardy and healthy chickens. If you keep your birds in good conditions, you may expect them to live at least as long as the average chicken (~5-8 years) or longer.
Breeds you may want instead of Appenzeller Spitzhaubens
If you love the looks of crested chickens, you may also want to consider these breeds:
Brabanters. A breed that is sometimes confused with the Appenzeller Spitzhauben is the Brabanter. Brabanters are an ornamental breed with similar crests, but they also have muffs and beards. They are calmer than Appenzellers and they don’t mind confinement.
Polish. Want a calm and docile crested breed? Consider the Polish. Polish chickens tend to be very sweet and friendly. They also handle confinement much better than Appenzeller Spitzhaubens.
Crévecoeurs. The Crèvecoeur chicken is another crested breed that handles confinement much better than Appenzellers. This breed is also quite hardy and they tend to be calm. They also produce good meat, so if you are a homesteader, this may be a better breed for you.
Houdans. These chickens are much better egg layers than Appenzeller Spitzhaubens. The Livestock Conservancy says they can lay as well as Leghorn chickens (the ultimate egg layers) in warm and dry conditions. Unlike Leghorns, though, Houdans have very calm and gentle temperaments. Houdans are also better in confinement than Appenzellers, although they are not as hardy. And, if you’re a homesteader, their meat is said to have excellent taste.
For more information on these breeds, see my articles:
