Lincolnshire Buff Chickens

History

The Lincolnshire Buff originally appeared in the 1850s in the county of Lincolnshire in England. It was developed from the Shanghai, which eventually became known as the Buff Cochin, which was crossed with different breeds including the Wheaten Old English Game and the Red Dorking. They are a large, fast growing breed which lay over winter and make excellent table birds. They were never standardised but were a popular breed in Lincolnshire before 1900. However, they had almost disappeared by 1920 as they were replaced in popularity by the Buff Orpington. A redevelopment project was begun in 1980 and the breed has now been standardised. The Lincolnshire Buff differs from the Buff Orpington in that it has a longer back, much closer feathering and the tail is carried lower. They also have a long buff coloured beak, 5 toes and feathered white legs.

Behaviour

The young feather up quickly and pullets will produce their first egg at approximately 24-26 weeks of age. The birds have a calm temperament and hens will produce around 120-130 eggs per year. The eggs are medium to large in size, tinted brown in colour and are laid all year round.