Bergische Kräher

Bergische Kräher
Cock bird
A hen
Conservation status
  • FAO (2007): endangered[1]: 51 
  • GEH: I, extremely endangered
Country of originGermany
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    3–3.5 kg[2]
  • Female:
    2–2.5 kg[2]
Egg colourwhite
Comb typesingle
Classification
EEyes[3]
PCGBrare long crowers[4]

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]

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

Notes

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

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bergischer Kräher.
  1. ^ Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Rassetafeln: Bergische Kräher (in German). Bund Deutscher Rassegeflügelzüchter. Accessed August 2014.
  3. ^ a b Liste des races et variétés homologuée dans les pays EE (28.04.2013). Entente Européenne d’Aviculture et de Cuniculture. Archived 16 June 2013.
  4. ^ Breed Classification. Poultry Club of Great Britain. Archived 12 June 2018.
  5. ^ a b Breed data sheet: Bergische Kräher / Germany (Chicken). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed August 2014.
  6. ^ a b c d Bergische Kräher (in German). Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen. Archived February 2017.
  7. ^ a b c Schwerpunkt - Geflügel: Bergische Kräher (in German). Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen. Archived 27 July 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d Armin Six (2015). Bergische Kräher (in German). Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen. Archived 2 December 2024.
  9. ^ Edward Brown (1906). Races of Domestic Poultry. London: Edward Arnold.
  10. ^ a b c Victoria Roberts (2008). British poultry standards: complete specifications and judging points of all standardized breeds and varieties of poultry as compiled by the specialist breed clubs and recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 9781405156424.
  11. ^ Die gefährdete Nutztierrasse des Jahres 2001 (in German). Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen. Archived 23 November 2016.
  12. ^ Gemeinsame Liste alter und einheimischer Geflügelrassen in Deutschland der GEH und des BDRG (in German). Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung alter und gefährdeter Haustierrassen. Archived 2 February 2017.
  13. ^ Rote Liste: Einheimische Nutztierrassen in Deutschland 2013 (in German). Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung. Archived 1 February 2014.
  14. ^ Friedrich Wieden (1949). Die Geschichte der Bergischen Kräher. Deutscher Geflügelhof 43. Oldenburg.
  15. ^ Stefaan De Groote (27 June 2011). Hanenzettingen opgenomen in Vlaamse inventaris immaterieel erfgoed (in Dutch). Het Nieuwsblad. Archived 2 April 2025.


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