Chickens have been a staple in farm life since the dawn of time—so to speak. These creatures are multi-purpose, supplying owners with meat and eggs. Of course, each chicken breed came from somewhere around the globe.
When you think of Russia, you might envision blustery winds and desolate tundra, but it has farm animals just like any other country. As you might imagine, these animals need to be quite adaptable. So, if you’re on the hunt for Russian chickens to add to your flock, three picks match that criterion. But you might not be able to find them outside of their home country. Let’s learn more about this trio of birds.
Farm Life in Russia
Certain areas of Russia have low populations due to harsh conditions. But like anywhere else, Russia has tons of farm life that people need to thrive nutritionally. They have many of the same farm animals as the United States, including poultry, cows, sheep, pigs, and horses.
Russia might not have had the most significant influence on chicken breeds. However, Russians would hold competitions among chickens—mostly for long crowing.
The 3 Russian Chicken Breeds
1. Pavlovskaja Chicken
The rare and lovely Pavlovskaja is a fancy, full-feathered chicken that has their own special look. This chicken breed is so old that there isn’t a definite date on breed creation. However, we know that they date back to the 1700s.
Today, this breed is almost extinct and does not exist outside of Russia. Many poultry historians speculate that the Pavlovskaja was the foundation for many modern-day chicken breeds. Some chicken enthusiasts are trying to revive the breed, but there’s no exact data on how the numbers are climbing.
Appearance
Pavlovskajas have a big following because of their awesome feather growth on their crests and feet. They also come in a wide variety of colors, so you never quite know what you’re going to get. The visual differences between the males and females are quite drastic too.
Hens
Hens come in various interesting colors, but one telltale sign is their plumes of sprawling crest feathers. They also sport these fancy feathers on their legs.
Roosters
Roosters and cockerels are flashy—ready for the disco! They also have large crest feathers, producing a wild-looking updo. They have muscular thighs and iridescent tail feathers.
Egg Production & Broodiness
Today’s Pavlvskajas don’t have an incredibly high egg production, nor are they the best meat birds. They are categorized as ornamental chickens, meaning their stellar personalities sell the package.
Egg Production
Pavlovskajas don’t have a high yield of eggs, averaging about 100 per year. These chickens lay tinted white eggs that are relatively big, considering that they are medium birds.
Even though their egg production isn’t necessarily high, they are steadfast in their laying, producing consistently throughout their lifetime.
Broodiness
Pavlovskajas do tend to go broody. So, if you’re lucky enough to own one, they might hatch their own eggs—along with a few others in the flock. This trait can be especially beneficial if you’re looking to increase the population of this rare breed.
Purpose
Since these birds are so rare, they should only be ornamental—meaning no eating! If anything, try to conserve the authenticity of this gorgeous breed.
Personality
Pavlovskajas love people and flock mates alike. They tend to be social, following owners around the yard and begging for treats.
2. Orloff Chicken
Orloff chickens are the only Russian chicken breed that you can buy all over the place. Initially, they got their name from Russian Count Alexei Grigoryevich Orlov. Even though Count Orlov was the primary promoter of this breed, they started in Persia.
By the 21st century, this breed really caught on for poultry lovers, and you can find them all over the world.
Appearance
The Orloff’s appearance might be one of the most intriguing things about them. They are heavily feathered around the head and neck, making them extremely cold hardy and adaptable. They have small combs and wattles and much resemble a wild grouse in that they’re multi-toned and neutral colored.
Hens
Hens come in a broad bouquet of colors like black, white, cuckoo, red, spangled, mahogany, and black tailed. They are large birds that are heavy and hardy.
Roosters
The male version of the Russian Orloff looks remarkably like the female, just with slight differences. The tail feathers are higher and the neck feathers are thicker. But they can come in the same color variations as the hens.
Egg Production & Broodiness
Orloffs tend to produce fewer eggs than many other breeds, which is why they are processed as meat more often than not.
Egg Production
Orloff hens don’t have too high of production of eggs throughout the year, topping out at around 104. They lay light-brown, medium-sized eggs, totaling one to two eggs per week.
Broodiness
It is an uncommon event that an Orloff hen goes broody. An incubator is your best bet if you’re counting on Orloff chicks.
Purpose
Orloffs are mainly meat birds because of their heavy wild game-like bodies and low egg production. Since they are common birds, you can serve one for a rotisserie dinner.
Personality
Orloffs tend to be calm members of the flock. They don’t cause a lot of commotion or get into too much mischief. They might not be too adventurous either; they’re fine just scratching around the yard for nearby treasures.
3. Yurlov Crower Chicken
The Russian Yurlov Crower is an ancient chicken breed that was once a record-holding crower. Many used these birds in crowing competitions, as they could hote notes for 7–9 seconds.
They were fading in popularity for a while but started rising again in Germany. There is a firmly held belief that these birds came to be by crossing many Chinese meat breeds.
Appearance
Yurlov Crowers are sturdy, stable chickens and work well as meat birds because of it. The roosters and hens vary slightly in size and color.
Hens
Yurlov Crower hens can come in various colors, but they are most often black with a green cast to their feathers.
Roosters
Roosters are vibrantly colored, with iridescent tail feathers and white patterned middle. They have long wattles and high combs. Their upper neck is mostly white, and they have black underbellies and iridescent tail feathers.
Egg Production & Broodiness
Egg production is an essential factor if you plan to keep this chicken for laying purposes only.
Egg Production
Yurlov Crower hens are considered good, steady layers, producing up to 160 eggs per year. They lay large, cream-colored eggs. They tend to be consistent too.
Broodiness
There is little information regarding broodiness in Yurlov Crower hens. Having an incubator handy might work better if you plan to hatch cockerels or pullets.
Purpose
These birds are excellent dual-purpose chickens, having robust builds and terrific egg-laying abilities. If you need an extra wake-up call in the morning, this breed will give you an extra-long, drawn-out crow to start the day.
Personality
Yurlov Crowers are moderately docile birds that are great foragers.
- Related Read: Most Aggressive Chicken & Rooster Breeds (With Pictures)
Wrapping Up
Even though Russia doesn’t have an exceptionally high number of original chicken breeds, it definitely provides a few exciting picks. Russian chickens have rockin’ hairdos, interesting color forms, and extraordinary crowing abilities. Rare and wonderful, these chickens put their own unique spin on the poultry world.
Featured Image: Maksim Shchur, Shutterstock