Appenzeller Spitzhauben are small to medium-sized chickens native to the Appenzell canton of northeast Switzerland near the German and Austrian borders. (Switzerland is comprised of 26 districts called cantons.) Appenzell is an alpine region with a strong tradition of herding and other agricultural enterprises. Spitzhauben are ceremonial hats worn as part of elaborate costumes by the women of the region, and they sport a large crest on the top of the bonnet.

The exact origins of the Spitzhauben remain unclear. However, historical records suggest that by the 1500s, a distinct chicken breed with a forward-facing crest began to emerge in the monasteries of Appenzell. Given its unique appearance, it was naturally named the Appenzeller Spitzhauben, a name that reflects both its regional heritage and characteristic feather crest. In 1935, the Spitzhauben were officially exhibited in a national poultry show. However, by the 1950s, the breed was on the brink of extinction. In 1983, the Swiss Foundation for the Cultural and Genetic Diversity of Plants and Animals initiated a recovery project, successfully hatching an impressive 230 chicks that year. By 2019, the recorded population had grown to 243 hens and 153 cockerels, marking significant progress in the breed’s conservation.

Following World War II, a German prisoner of war who spent time in a military detention camp in Alabama returned to his native country and acquired some silver Spitzhauben. With the help of his friend, Dr. Albert McGraw, the German brought some hatching eggs to the United States when he returned to gain citizenship to this country. These eggs hatched what was to become the foundation stock of Spitzhauben in the United States. The Spitzhauben is completely unrelated to the much larger and differently-shaped Appenzeller Barthuhner chicken breed that was also imported by Greenfire Farms. The sole link between these breeds is that they were developed centuries apart in the same region of Switzerland.

Appenzeller Spitzhauben are classified as large fowl, though they typically range from small to medium in size. They are highly active foragers and, despite their compact stature, produce relatively large white eggs in substantial quantities. This breed is known for its exceptional fertility and strong cold-hardiness, making it well-suited to various climates.

Today Spitzhauben are very rare in the United States, and many members of the American gene pool have defects. For example, frequently the crest on the birds –which should be a forward-raking mohawk according to the breed standard– is instead often like a miniature version of a poofy Polish crest or sweeps backward. Other common defects include non-standard leg color (they should be blue), and a comb on the rooster that is not properly separated into the ideal split horn-type comb. Also, some American birds may have suppressed immune systems from inbreeding, and lymphoid leukosis, a disease that kills chickens, is common in the existing American Spitzhauben gene pool.

In 2013, Greenfire took an unusual step: We imported silver Spitzhauben even though this variety has been established in America for more than a half century. We made this extraordinary effort to help cure the defects in and fortify the limited gene pool of silver Spitzhauben in this country. We were lucky enough to import the offspring from a pair of silver Spitzhauben that recently took top honors at a national poultry show in Europe, and they meet the breed standard in a way that addresses many of the defects found in some American flocks. We’ve found that a 1:10 rooster-to-hen ratio works well with the Spitzhauben. Given their scarcity, striking beauty, and propensity to produce lots of eggs, any poultry hobbyist should give serious consideration to keeping Spitzhauben in their backyard coop. You won't be disappointed.

Both roosters and hens of the Spitzhauben breed feature a distinct V-shaped comb, prominent cavernous nostrils, a forward-facing crest, and white earlobes. They are characterized by large, dark eyes and should have grey legs. The silver variety displays a white base color with black spangling, while the chamois variety has buff-colored base feathers with white spangling. The gold variety is distinguished by its rich, reddish-brown base feathers adorned with black spangling.

For a detailed look at their standard of perfection, visit this link: The Breed Standard - The Appenzeller Spitzhauben

We incubate at 99.5F and 55% humidity. The Spitzhauben typically have outstanding viability and hatch extremely well. We normally see a 90 to 95% hatch rate from eggs that are set into the hatcher. Most chicks hatch right at day 21 but we have seen a few chicks hatch a day or 2 late. So definitely plan to keep eggs in the hatcher an extra day or 2 just to make sure all of the chicks have time to hatch.

When hatching eggs from the chamois Spitzhauben, some chicks may hatch with dark brown or black and brown plumage. These chicks will develop a gold pattern rather than the desired chamois pattern and should not be included in a chamois Spitzhauben breeding program. However, they may be suitable for a gold Spitzhauben breeding flock. Similarly, in the silver variety, chicks that hatch with excessive black or an overall dark greyish-yellow coloration typically do not develop a well-defined spangled pattern and should not be used for breeding.

The merits of every bird should be assessed as they reach adulthood.

The Spitzhauben are recognized by the EE Standard Commission in the following colors: silver-spangled, gold-spangled, lemon-spangled, chamois-spangled, pure black and pure blue. Greenfire Farms only offers the silver, gold, and chamois-spangled as of now.

Import Notes

Greenfire Farms first imported the silver Spitzhauben in 2013 and then the gold and chamois color varieties in 2019.