Derbyshire Redcap facts for kids
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| Conservation status | RBST (UK): at risk |
|---|---|
| Other names | Redcap |
| Nicknames | Coral |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Use | eggs, meat |
| Traits | |
| Weight |
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| Skin color | blue-grey |
| Egg color | white |
| Comb type | rose |
| Classification | |
| APA | English |
| ABA | rose comb clean legged |
| PCGB | soft feather: light |
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The Derbyshire Redcap is a special type of chicken that comes from the English county of Derbyshire. It gets its name "Redcap" because of its super large, bright red comb. This comb sits on top of its head like a cap!
This special comb is called a Rose-type comb. It can be more than 7 centimetres (3 inches) long. It has many small, bumpy points and a spike at the back called a "leader." The Redcap's wattles (fleshy bits under the beak) and earlobes are also a bright red color.
Contents
What Makes Redcaps Special?
Size and Looks
Redcaps are known as a "light fowl" breed. Male Redcaps, called cocks, usually weigh about 3.4 kilograms (7.5 pounds). Female Redcaps, called hens, weigh around 2.75 kilograms (6 pounds).
You can tell a Redcap apart from other similar chickens, like the Hamburg, by its red earlobes and its very large comb. Their beaks are usually a horn color, which is a brownish-yellow.
Feathers and Colors
Derbyshire Redcaps come in one main feather pattern. They have different shades of dark red, brown, and black feathers. Male Redcaps often show more colors than females. Both male and female Redcaps have black tails. Most of their body feathers have a cool black crescent shape on the edge.
Living Conditions and Use
Redcaps are strong and active chickens. They love to roam freely outdoors. This makes them great for farms where chickens can explore. They are a "dual-purpose" breed. This means they are good for both laying eggs and for meat.
Redcap hens usually lay a good number of large, white eggs. They don't often get "broody," which means they don't usually sit on their eggs to hatch them.
History of the Redcap Chicken
Where Did They Come From?
No one knows exactly which chicken breeds helped create the Derbyshire Redcap. However, some experts think that breeds like Golden Spangled Hamburgs, Dorkings, Old English Pheasant Fowl, and Black-Breasted Red Game chickens might have been involved. The Redcap also looks a lot like some old chicken breeds that are now gone, such as the Yorkshire Pheasant and the Lancashire Moonie.
Redcaps Through Time
Derbyshire Redcaps were very common on British farms until the mid-1900s. They were especially popular around the southern Pennines hills. These chickens were never really used in large, factory-style farms. They were always more of a traditional farmyard chicken.
Today, Derbyshire Redcaps are quite rare. Most of them still live in their home country, the United Kingdom. The Rare Breeds Survival Trust in the UK lists them as "Vulnerable." This means their numbers are low and they need protection. In the United States, the American Poultry Association officially recognized Redcaps in 1888. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy lists them as "Critical," meaning they are very rare there too.
