Bergische Kräher

The Bergische Kräher^[a] is a German breed of domestic chicken from the Bergisches Land, in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in western Germany.^[2][5] It is named for its unusually long crow, up to five times as long as that of other breeds, and belongs to the group of long-crowing chickens, which are found from south-east Europe to the Far East.^[6]

Bergische Kräher

Cock bird
A hen
Conservation status	FAO (2007): endangered[1]: 51  GEH: I, extremely endangered
Country of origin	Germany
Traits
Weight	Male: 3–3.5 kg[2] Female: 2–2.5 kg[2]
Egg colour	white
Comb type	single
Classification
EE	yes[3]
PCGB	rare long crowers[4]
Chicken Gallus gallus domesticus

A typical crow

History

Illustration by Jean Bungartz, 1885

The Bergische Kräher has been bred in the Bergisches Land for hundreds of years, and there are various myths about its origins.^[7] It was probably brought there from south-east Europe or the Middle East at the time of the Crusades, and may have been spread through the area by Cistercian monks.^[6] It is closely related to the Bergische Schlotterkamm^{[8]: 14 [9]: 134}. Crowing contests were held for the birds, and they were selectively bred for their crowing ability.^[6] A breed association, the Kräherzüchtervereinigung, was founded in 1884,^[8] and the first breed standard dates from 1885.^[10]: 333

Today the Bergische Kräher is a rare breed. In 2001 it was an "endangered breed of the year" of the Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen,^[11] and is listed in category I: extrem gefährdet, "extremely endangered", on the Rote Liste of that organisation.^[12] In 2009, 77 cocks and 337 hens were recorded;^[13] in 2013 the total population was 329.^[5]

Characteristics

Only one plumage colouring is recognised, gold-laced black.^{[3][10]: 333} Hen birds are black with some gold markings on the wings and breast; cocks have gold neck-hackles and maroon markings on the wings. The black colour variety is extinct, black-silver coloured birds are extremely rare.^[8] Like the Bergische Schlotterkamm, the Bergische Kräher shows typical broad lacing (German: Dobbelung) of the breast feathers.^[7] Cocks weigh 3–3.5 kg and hens 2–2.5 kg. The comb is single, the earlobes are white and the legs are slate-blue.^{[7][10]: 333}

Use

The Bergische Kräher is a dual-purpose breed, with good meat qualities. Hens lay about 130 white eggs per year, with an average weight of 56 g;^[2] they have little tendency to broodiness.^[6]

Cock crowing contests with the Bergische Kräher have been a sport in the Bergische Land for centuries.^[14] Since 1923, the breed society has organised annual crowing contests on Ascension Thursday^[8]. In these – unlike in most traditional cock crowing contests in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium – the crow is judged for its length and beauty, rather than for its frequency.^[15]

• 
  Cock bird
• 
  Bantam cock and hens
• 
  The typical broad lacing (Dobbelung) of the breast feathers

Notes

1. pronounced [ˈbɛʁɡɪʃə ˈkʁɛːɐ]; translatable as "crower of the Bergisches Land"