Ancona Chicken Breed History and Characteristics
The Ancona chicken is a chicken breed that originated near the city of Ancona, Italy, from early Leghorns and other breeds. Its mixed ancestry gives it extreme hardiness and prolificacy. Anconas were originally known as Black Leghorns because of their color, which is black with evenly white-tipped feathers.
As with Leghorns, Anconas are known primarily for producing large numbers of white eggs. They were once one of the prime egg-producing breeds in Europe and joined American farm flocks in the 19th century. Active and busy birds, are good foragers and are said to be indifferent to the climate.
The Ancona is a typical Mediterranean breed of chicken, rustic, lively, and hardy. These are the common fowls that inhabit central Italy. Named after the port of Ancona these birds range w...