Altsteirer

Altsteirer, also called the Old Styrian chicken or Styrian hen, is a traditional dual-purpose chicken from Styria in Austria and neighboring Slovenian areas. It is a medium-sized farm fowl with an alert carriage, a small feather crest behind the comb, clean legs, and a practical body rather than a heavy exhibition build. The best-known color is wild brown or partridge, with white and other varieties maintained in some countries; the breed was shaped for eggs, table birds, and the ability to work a farmyard.

Smallholders keep Altsteirers for their range sense and steady laying of light-shelled eggs, especially where birds can forage through orchards, grass, and mixed yards. They are usually hardy in temperate Central European climates, but still need dry housing, predator-safe roosts, and enough space to keep their active temperament from becoming restless. Because the breed is uncommon outside its region, conservation-minded buyers should look for stock selected for body type, crest, vigor, and productivity, not only for a rare color label.

Colors: Barred, Birchen, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Chamois, Columbian, Crele, Cuckoo, Duckwing, Gold, Gold Laced, Laced, Lavender, Mille Fleur, Mottled, Partridge, Penciled, Porcelain, Red, Silver, Silver Laced, Spangled, Splash, Wheaten, White