Sicilian Buttercup Chicken is a Rare Mediterranean Breed

BREED NAME: Sicilian Buttercup

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The Sicilian Buttercup Chicken is a rare Mediterranean breed originating from the Italian Island of Sicily. 

Named after its place of origin, rich orange-golden to red-gold color and unique buttercup-like comb, this unusual chicken was primarily developed for egg laying, though is not known for high numbers of eggs, averaging 2-3 small white or tinted eggs per week. 

The American Standard of Perfection says that all Buttercup stock in North America was established from imported fertile eggs just prior to the turn of the century circa 1892.

The breed is available in Standard and Bantam.

BREED NAME, The Facts:

Class: Mediterranean

Size: Standard Male: 5Ibs. / Standard Female: 4Ibs. / Bantam Male: 25-26 oz. / Bantam Female: 20 - 22oz.

Comb, Wattles & Earlobes: Red wattles with a breed unique cup or crown-like or buttercup comb and white ear lobes.

Color: Deep golden orange to red-gold colored roosters with dark iridescent tail feathers. Hens are golden buff with black spangling and dark tail feathers.

Place of Origin: Italy

Conservation Status: Rare

Special Qualities: Sicilian Buttercups are available in standard and bantam sizes. It is clean legged in both varieties and only accepted in one color type. Legs and toes are willow-green and skin is yellow.

Due to being developed in the warm climate of the Mediterranean this breed doesn’t tolerate extreme cold winter temperatures. They’re also intolerant of confinement thriving best in free range settings; considered quite active, but not particularly calm. Hens are not known for going broody, though some will. The Buttercup is an agile chicken able to fly and roost in high places .

The Bantam variety of the Sicilian Buttercup chicken is an exact miniature replica of the standard size, having been bred down in size.

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