Appenzeller Barthuhn
# Appenzeller Barthuhn

The Appenzeller Barthuhn is a Swiss breed of bearded chicken originating in the historical Appenzell region of Switzerland. It is one of two chicken breeds from that area, the other being the Appenzeller Spitzhauben; the only other Swiss breed of chicken is the Schweizer.

## History

The Barthuhn was bred from about 1860 in the historical Appenzell region of Switzerland. It may derive, at least in part, from Italiener, Polverara and Russian Bearded $stock.^{:36}$ Much of the breeding was done by a man named Züst in the district of Vorderland in the Canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, who hoped that a bearded and rose-combed bird might have a better resistance to frost than other chickens. The breed was recognised in 1898.

A bantam version was bred in the 1990s by E. Meier of Bottenwil, in the Canton of Aargau.

A flock-book was started in 2005; in 2019 the recorded population consisted of 334 hens and 205 $cocks.^{:12}$

## Characteristics

The Barthuhn is a light chicken: hens weigh some 1.6–1.8 kg, cock birds about 2.0–2.3 kg.

It is recognised by the Entente Européenne in three colours: partridge, black and blue-laced; other sources list only the first two $colours.^{:305}$ The Poultry Club of Great Britain allows any colour seen in any breed of game $fowl.^{:41}$

Ring size is 18 mm for cocks and 16 mm for $hens.^{:4}$

## Use

Hens may lay some 150 white-shelled eggs in their first year, with an average weight of 55 g.

