Penedesenca

About Penedesenca Chickens

In the Spanish region of Catalonia, dark egg-laying chickens were raised by many backyard chicken keepers. In 1932, near Vilafranca del Penedès, keepers used selective breeding and worked towards refining these egg layers. After a few years of work, breeders created what is now known as the Penedesenca chicken. A breed standard was created and accepted in 1946.

Penedesenca Characteristics

1. Size and Weight

This is not a large chicken by any means. Their small size helps them to stay cool, part of why Penedesencas do just fine in hotter climates. Penedesenca roosters weigh in somewhere between 5 and 6 pounds while hens tip the scales at about 4.5 pounds.

2. Temperament

As with most Mediterranean breeds, the Penedesenca is not a chicken you would pick out to be your pet. Penedesencas are flighty and choose to avoid people and stick to their own kind. This chicken definitely does not make a good broody mother.

3. Egg Production

Another thing that Mediterannean breeds are not the best at is egg production. However, it isn’t exactly the worst either. You can expect this small hen to lay about three eggs per week, with an annual egg production of around 156 eggs.

4. Meat Production

Penedesencas are not a dual purpose breed and would not be considered for meat production. If you’d like a good egg layer and meat producer in one breed, Wyandottes or Orpingtons would be good breeds to look into.