Considering Hamburg chickens? The 16 things you must know first
Hamburg chickens are wild, spirited, and, most notably, beautiful.
These birds are active, full of energy, and love adventure. They love to forage, explore, and even like to fly. They also have an opinion on everything and make sure that you know it. And to top it all off, they lay a whole lot of eggs! These are special birds for sure.
But they’re not for everyone. Hamburgs aren’t easy to handle. They need a big yard, and they can be aggressive if they’re not raised in ideal conditions.
There are many things you need to know about Hamburgs before committing to adding them to your backyard flock. In this article, I cover them all for you. You’ll learn:
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What are Hamburg chickens?
Hamburg Chicken facts
Alternative names: Hamburgh, Holland
Category: Hobby & eggs
Origin: Northern Europe, Britain
Egg-laying ability: Good
Broodiness: Low
Cold tolerance: Good
Heat tolerance: Moderate-good
Predator evasion: Exceptional
Foraging ability: Good-exceptional
Toleration for confinement: Low
Temperament: Flighty, active
Aggression toward flock members: Moderate-high
Noise level: Moderate-high
Why are they called “Hamburgs” and where do they come from?
Hamburg chickens have a murky history. Many European countries have claimed the birds as their own creation, and some poultry historians think they may have actually originated in the Eastern Mediterranean, perhaps Turkey, many centuries ago.
And even within a country, poultry fanciers traditionally couldn’t even agree on the name of the breed. A late 19th century writer summed the situation up this way:
“It has masqueraded under a great variety of names, such as Pencilled Dutch, Everlasting Layers, Dutch Everyday Layers, Bolton Grays, Creoles, Corals, Creels, Bolton Bays, Silver Pheasants, Silver Mooneys, Silver Moss, Golden Pheasants, Golden Mooneys, Copper Moss, and the like; but under whatever name, it has always won a host of admirers.”
Poultrymen eventually settled on the name of “Hamburg,” coined by the English Reverend E.S. Dixon in 1848, as he believed the birds were originally imported from Hamburg, Germany.
What is known for sure is that the Hamburg breed was developed to its present forms in Holland and Britain. Holland perfected the Penciled varieties, whereas Britain perfected the Black and Spangled varieties.
The 16 things you must know before getting Hamburg chickens
Here’s everything you need to know:
Hamburgs are most valued for their beauty.
Hamburg chicks can be fragile.
Hamburgs are rare.
They lay lots of eggs.
Hens continue laying as they age.
Hens don’t like to go broody (i.e., hatch and raise chicks).
Hamburgs are incredibly hardy.
They love to fly.
They love to free range.
They are predatory-savvy.
Hamburg roosters are exceptional at protecting their hens.
Hamburgs suffer in confinement.
They are spirited.
They aren’t tame or cuddly.
They may get aggressive with other chickens.
They’re noisy.
Now let’s get into the details!
#1 Hamburgs are most valued for their beauty.
You can find better egg layers out there, and you can certainly find friendlier birds.
But Hamburgs have a certain look to them that you just can’t find anywhere else. And most Hamburgs today are bred for their beauty (rather than their egg-laying ability, as they were in the past). These are small, graceful-looking birds with gorgeous plumage.
Plumage colors and patterns
Hamburg chickens come in several different plumage varieties. The American Poultry Association recognizes the following 6 varieties:
Black
Golden Penciled
Golden Spangled
Silver Penciled
Silver Spangled
White
You may also find Hamburgs in these varieties (although most are very rare):
Blue
Yellow White Penciled
Lemon Penciled
Golden Blue Penciled
Cuckoo
The most common variety in the United States is the Silver Spangled Hamburg. Below, you can see a video of a Silver Spangled rooster with an amazing tail. Notice his tail is totally white with spangles at the tips.
And here, you can see Silver-Spangled hens.
Be aware that the white feathers on Silver-Spangled Hamburgs can get brassy looking after they’ve been exposed to sunlight for an extended period of time. After your Hamburgs go through their annual molt, their new feathers will be bright white again.
Check out the video slide show below for examples of other varieties of Hamburg chickens. You’ll see videos of Gold Spangled hens, a Gold Penciled hen (and 2 minutes into the video, the rooster), Silver-penciled hens and rooster, and a Black Hamburg hen, respectively.
Other notable features of Hamburg chickens
“Hamburgs are stylish and graceful birds.”
Hamburg chickens have feathers that stick close to their bodies, grayish blue shanks (except for the Black variety), and reddish bay eyes.
They have red rose combs, small- to medium-size wattles, and moderately large earlobes that are either white in color (for show-quality birds) or a beautiful bright blue.
The rose combs of Hamburg chickens will ideally have a leader (a point) that sticks straight backwards, up and off their heads, as you can see in these show-quality birds below.
And below, you can see a video of a backyard Hamburg rooster shaking his head in slow motion—this guy has a different-looking rose comb. You can also see that he has some of the brassiness mentioned above in his hackle feathers. This little guy may not be a show-quality bird, but he is no less stunning.
How big do Hamburg chickens get?
Hamburg chickens are a light breed. They come in both a standard and a bantam (i.e., miniature) size.
Roosters: 5 lbs
Hens: 4 lbs
Bantam roosters: 26 oz
Bantam hens: 22 oz
What do Hamburg chicks look like?
Hamburg chicks vary in appearance depending on their variety—but all are adorable!
In the video slideshow, you can see Silver-Spangled, Golden-Penciled, and Black Hamburg chicks, respectively.
#2: Hamburg chicks can be fragile.
Full-grown Hamburg chickens are incredibly hardy, but chicks have a reputation of being more delicate than other breeds. If you decide to get Hamburg chicks, do all that you can to keep their stress as low as possible.
#3 Hamburgs are rare.
Hamburg chickens are not a common bird—this is likely due to their wild temperament (more on that below). Although not endangered, The Livestock Conservancy has listed the breed on their “Watch” list.
If you want to help conserve a rare breed (or show one off to your friends), you’ll definitely want to consider the Hamburg.
Although, all varieties of Hamburg chickens are rare, some are much harder to find than others, such as the Black Hamburg.
“…the Black Hamburg is so scarce that unless more breeders are found, it may soon disappear completely.”
#4 Hamburgs lay a lot of eggs.
Egg color: White
Egg size: Medium
Age of lay: 4-5 months
Eggs/week: 4
Eggs/year: 200
Hamburg chickens are an excellent breed to get if you want eggs. The hens mature early (typically around 4-5 months) and lay about 200 medium-size, white eggs a year.
#5 Hamburg hens continue laying as they age.
All chickens lay fewer eggs as the years go on, eventually stopping altogether. Hamburg egg production, however, doesn’t always decline as rapidly as other breeds.
“The breed’s true gift is not in number of eggs per year, but in continued laying of a large number of eggs over several years.”
#6 Hamburg chickens don’t want to be mamas.
Hamburg hens don’t have a tendency to go broody. This is great if you don’t want to hatch your own chicks. If you do want to hatch your own chicks, don’t count on your Hamburgs to incubate your eggs or raise their babies.
Of course, there are always individual exceptions. Below is a video that shows Silver Spangled Hamburg mama, Dotty, happily tending to her chicks.
#7 Hamburgs are hardy.
Hamburg chickens are a weather-tolerant breed. They fare well in cold temperatures and even in wet climates.
One chicken keeper said of her Hamburgs, “They are the ones still out scratching when the rain picks up enough to send the others back to the run.”
And another chicken keeper said that on a day when she’d just gotten 4 inches of snow, “…I looked out the window and saw the two Hamburgs strolling back towards the house across the lawn. The snow was deeper than their legs and snow was falling on their heads and they looked quite comfortable and undisturbed by the whole affair.”
Because Hamburgs spend so much time out in inclement weather, you need to be extra sure that you have draft-free, dry coop. These birds will need a safe place to dry off and warm up. Sweeter Heaters over the roosting bars will be much appreciated.
You can find small Sweeter Heaters here on Amazon, medium Sweeter Heaters here, and large Sweeter Heaters here. I use them in all my coops and recommend them for all breeds.
The Hamburgs’ rose combs do offer the breed some additional protection against the cold. Rose combs are much less prone to frostbite.
#8 Hamburgs love to fly.
Hamburg chickens are excellent fliers and can also jump very high.
If you are trying to confine your Hamburgs to a run, you’ll need to put a roof on it (but think twice about confining them in too small of a space—more on this below).
If you’re trying to confine them to a backyard, you’ll need a very tall fence and you’ll need to clip their wing feathers. However, be aware that if you do clip their wings, they will have a much harder time escaping from predators.
Hamburgs can fly high enough to roost in trees (or on your roof), and they are notorious for doing so. If you don’t have a covered run or yard, you may need to spend some time training them to roost in the coop overnight. Roosting in trees is very dangerous for chickens, both in terms of being vulnerable to predators and to the elements.
#9 Hamburgs love to free range.
Hamburg chickens are exceptional free rangers. They are predator-savvy (more on that below) and they are outstanding foragers. As smaller birds, they eat less than most other breeds to begin with, but they’re also excellent at foraging for a lot of their food.
Hamburgs have a bit of a wild spirit. They like to fly, roam, and explore. They were meant for the great outdoors and thrive in an environment of freedom.
#10 Hamburg chickens are predatory-savvy.
Hamburgs are small, active, great fliers, smart, and alert. And they are very noisy when they sense danger, making sure to warn the entire flock.
One chicken keeper said of her Hamburg hen, “I value Avalon as a ‘watchbird’ for our flock, as it seems that she is always the first to spot ground/aerial predators and alert all the rest with a call. This is a valuable trait that comes in handy for our flock of diverse sizes and shapes that might not enable some to escape as quickly.”
Another keeper told this story about her Hamburg hen in her mixed flock:
“She is a better watch chicken than the three [non-Hamburg] roosters I have. She is always the first to alert if a strange dog or hawk is in the area. She can fly really well and she will if threatened. I lost about 4 chickens to hawks last summer and so far she has survived.”
However, Hamburg chickens are smaller than your average breed, which means that they are more attractive to birds of prey. Additionally, some of the Silver Spangled Hamburgs have a lot of white in their feathers, and, therefore, stick out more in their surroundings. One chicken keeper said of hers, “Their coloring makes them hawk bait.”
If you live in an area where birds of prey are a threat, you may want to consider one of the many other varieties of Hamburg chickens, rather than the Silver Spangled variety. The Gold Spangled variety is also fairly common, and this plumage blends in well with most surroundings.
#11 Hamburg roosters are exceptional at protecting their hens.
Hamburg roosters have a reputation for being very protective of their hens. Part of this is due to the fact that they are such an alert and lively breed to begin with.
One chicken keeper said that her Hamburg rooster “warns [the flock] about hawks. He will even chase straggler hens into the coop when a hawk is out. I have never had a better rooster.”
Another tells a similar tale about her rooster: “He keeps such an eye on the whereabouts of the flock and if one is too far off, he runs like mad, fusses at her, and brings her back, every time! Great birds!”
#12 Hamburgs don’t thrive in confinement.
“Thanks to their excellent foraging ability, they do very well in backyard and barnyard settings, but they perform poorly in close confinement.”
Hamburgs need their freedom. They are too active and inquisitive to be cooped up in a small run or backyard. They are highly stressed in confinement and can become very aggressive with each other and the rest of their flock.
This Hamburg chicken keeper said it best:
“They seem best and happiest in a free-range situation, and it is a pleasure for me to see them running in the yard with their wings outspread, squawking with joy.”
#13 Hamburgs are spirited.
I think the word “spirited” is the best term to describe the Hamburg breed. You may prefer “wild,” but these birds have a real spunk to them.
One Silver-Spangled Hamburg keeper put it this way, “They are really close to wild birds. They like to lay their eggs outside the coop in a corner away from everyone else. They attempt to roost right before sundown, so we have to be alert because they can jump really high and like to try to roost on the fence! They are high fliers…”
Another keeper described them this way, “Very good at sticking together in a tight flock, very self-reliant, and very opinionated as far as where they want to go and what they want to do… Sleep in our mulberry tree…”
#14 Hamburgs aren’t tame or cuddly.
You’re not going to cuddle with this breed. Okay, maybe you’ll find a rare sweet individual or you’ll train your birds to the hand at a young age, but this is not a naturally affectionate bird.
One Hamburg chicken keeper described her hens like this, “There is a certain wildness to them that I haven’t experienced with any other breed. They’re often termed as flighty, but mine just don’t seem to care to be around people. They’re just too busy off in the pine forest foraging.”
Many Hamburg chickens won’t even let you get close to them. One keeper said of her Silver Spangled Hamburg hen, “I kid you not when I say that you can’t get closer than 7 feet from her, otherwise she’ll go into a panicked frenzy trying to get away. Won’t be getting this breed in the future for pet qualities…”
#15 Hamburgs may get aggressive with other chickens.
Hamburg chickens have been described as “bossy and loud,” but really these birds just need their space. If they aren’t given free range, they may indeed get very aggressive with their flock mates. This a stress reaction.
If you’re going to get Hamburgs, consider getting a larger coop than you otherwise would and make sure your birds have lots of outside space.
This is true for the brooder as well. One keeper said of her Hamburg chicks, “The smallest of my birds, they were the most ‘nasty’ to the other birds in the brooder…”
Make sure your Hamburg chicks have plenty of space and consider providing some items in your brooder for entertainment. In my brooder, I’ve used wooden bridges, roosting bars, and mirrors with success.
#16 Hamburgs are noisy.
Hamburg chickens are one of the noisier breeds. As very active and spirited chickens, they like to talk.
One chicken keeper said this, “We have one little Silver Spangled Hamburg and she is easily the most entertaining hen in my flock! She is very loud, so you know when she’s laid an egg or is excited about something that’s going on in the yard.”
Others have said that their Hamburgs “make very wild noises” that sound different than the noises made by their other chickens.
Hamburg roosters are also known to be particularly loud and they love to crow. Below, you can see a video of a Silver Spangled Hamburg rooster crowing—fast forward to about 13 seconds in.
And here’s a Golden Penciled Hamburg rooster crowing.
And what about the tiny Hamburg Bantam? Check out his adorable crow below—see it at 28 seconds in.
Breeds you may want instead of Hamburgs
If you like the small, flighty ornamental breeds (that can also give you some eggs), you’ll want to consider Sicilian Buttercups, Campines, and Appenzeller Spitzhaubens. You can read more about these breeds in my articles below:
If you want an ornamental breed that’s less wild, better tolerates confinement, and likes to be held, consider Faverolles, Polish, or Bearded Belgian d’Uccles. Find out more about these breeds in these articles:
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Hamburg sources
Bassom, Frances. Mini Encyclopedia: Chicken Breeds and Care. Dorking: Interpet Publishing, 2011.
Damerow, Gail. Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2017.
Damerow, Gail. The Chicken Health Handbook. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2015.
Ekarius, Carol. Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2007.
Verhoef, Esther and Rijs, Aad. The Complete Encyclopedia of Chickens. Lisse: Rebo Publishers, 2005.