Grade Eh Farms' Spitzhaubens, Canada

I am very proud of our preservation efforts, more so this year than all the others. Yet another year of raising Spitzhaubens has almost gone. I suppose it would have, with or without me. But I like to think that I make a difference in people's lives as well as the chickens. I know that raising poultry has filled some of the gaps missing from years gone by for quite a few of us. It should be fun. Just like these birds. Sometimes that's easy to forget.

For one reason or another I've always disliked crested birds, I've selectively bred against it in Swedish Flowers, White Sulmtalers, and was hoping that Cream Uncrested Legbars would gain in popularity as the flocks gained in size... 

It has taken a few years to finally realize how thoroughly I enjoy these Spitz.  I've been swayed by their puffy cool forward raking crested mohawk charms that also serves to provide clear vision.  I think I never really got into the crested Polish type birds for the reason that they can't see predators and are prone to suffer brain damage at the beak of other more aggressive breeds. 

These Appenzeller Spitzhaubens definitely have a fight or flight mentality, we find this in about 50% of our birds.  The other 50% are loving and good natured.  Both have earned themselves a place here for life.  What I really appreciate from this bird is their cleanliness, they are meticulous housekeepers always tidying the coops and on constant bug patrol.  Rarely do I see a dirty egg from these gals. If you order hatching eggs I can prove that as fact.  The medium to large chalk white eggs look like the classic white leghorn store-bought egg we have all become accustomed to finding on our grocers' shelves.  We have refined our colour of eggs to the true white chalk colour that is representative of the breed. It was a challenge to trap nest the gals but we felt it was worth the time to ensure no more off white eggs made it into our breeding programs going forward.  We are currently keeping birchen, silver spangled, gold spangled, blue, black, and other stunning blends of colour.  You just never know what you will get when you order these.  We hope that more people get involved in this enjoyable breed and the interesting colours.  We don't take special requests for colours but you won't be disappointed with what you get.