The Hamburg is a small, elegant European breed — established in Holland by the 14th century — prized for its refined carriage, rose comb and eye-catching patterns, especially the unique Silver Spangled. It's a prolific layer of glossy white eggs and an outstanding forager, but decidedly a "look, don't touch" bird: active, alert and flighty, intolerant of close confinement. That same nervy energy makes it a savvy predator-dodger. Best for keepers with space to free-range who value beauty and eggs over a lap pet.
Cold hardy
Heat tolerant
Flighty
Egg colorWhite
Egg production150–220 / year
TemperamentFlighty
BroodinessRare
ClimateCold hardy, Heat tolerant
PurposeEggs
Weight
Large fowl (Standard size)
Hen4 lb
Rooster5 lb
Bantam (Miniature size)
Hen1.4 lb
Rooster1.6 lb
How to spot it
CombRose
Rose comb ending in a long upswept spike
Earlobes
Distinct round white lobes
Legs & feet
Clean slate-blue legs, four toes
Look for
A small, tidy, upward-tilted bird with white lobes and a spiked rose comb — spangles are round, not V-shaped
Rose
