Langshan chickens: A giant breed for the beginner
With their robust and hardy constitutions, copious egg production, striking plumage, and puppy-dog personalities, Langshan chickens are perfect for the beginner keeper. A Langshan flock tends to be a peaceful flock and easy to keep. This is a gentle breed, but also a tough breed that thrives in most conditions.
Most conditions. The one exception here is wet or muddy conditions. If you live in an area with clay-type soil, Langshans are not for you. Their feathered legs can become encased in mud.
Similarly, if you have a coop or run setup that makes it so you are unable to keep your chicken’s feathered legs dry during the cold months, forget about Langshans. All breeds with feathered legs require dry conditions to avoid frostbite and discomfort.
What else do you need to now about Langshans before committing to adding them to your flock?
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about this robust and gentle breed, including:
What Langshan chickens look like in their many different colors and patterns
Everything you ever wanted to know about Langshan egg laying
Langshan meat (how much do they provide and what does it taste like?)
Climate considerations for Langshan chickens (are they a good fit for your region?)
Foraging, space, and predator considerations for Langshan chickens (is your yard the right setup?)
Langshan temperament (are they right for you and your family?)
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Langshan chicken facts
Category: Ornamental, eggs, & meat
Origin: China
Egg-laying ability: Good
Broodiness: Moderate
Meat production: Good
Cold tolerance: Poor-exceptional (require dry conditions)
Heat tolerance: Moderate
Predator evasion: Good to exceptional
Foraging ability: Good
Toleration for confinement: Good
Temperament: Docile
Aggression toward flock members: Low
Noise level: Moderate
Origin of Langshan chickens
Langshan chickens are an old breed that originally hails from China. They are named after the Langshan District or Langshan Hill near the Yangtze River.
Langshan chickens were first imported to England in 1872 by Major A.C. Croad, and from there, were imported to America in 1876 by the ornithologist, E.A. Samuels of Waltham, Massachusetts. Langshans were appreciated in both countries for their eggs, meat, and beauty.
Langshan chickens are no longer a common breed, and they have been given a conservation status of “Watch” by The Livestock Conservancy. However, some major hatcheries are now breeding Langshans, so they are available to backyard chicken keepers in the U.S.
What do Langshan chickens look like?
If you Google “Langshan chickens,” you may come across images of chickens that look very different from each other. That’s because Langshans have been developed into 4 distinct types (of which, only 1 type is recognized in the U.S.). The 4 different types are:
Langshans of the shorter-legged type. These were bred to look more like Cochins in type, and were used in the development of the Black variety of Cochin chickens and the Orpington breed.
German Langshans. Developed by German breeders with a focus on prolific egg-laying, this type of Langshan was crossed with Plymouth Rocks and Minorcas. German Langshans have longs legs with no feathering and smaller breasts.
Modern Langshans. Developed by English breeders, this type of Langshan was developed for long legs and a smaller breast, similar to Modern Games.
Croad Langshans. This is the original Langshan and the most common variety. These chickens have long, feathered legs, a large breast, and a large body. Croad Langshans were used in the development of the Jersey Giant, a popular American breed of chicken.
The only type recognized in America was developed from the Croad Langshan, although the “Croad” has been dropped from the name. They are just referred to as “Langshans” here.
American Langshans are particularly tall, full-bodied, and have thick and stunning plumage.
Langshan feather colors and patterns
Langshan chickens come in both regular and bantam (i.e., miniature) forms.
There are 3 “official” varieties of Langshan in the U.S. (i.e., those recognized by the American Poultry Association or American Bantam Association). These varieties are Black, White, and Blue.
Below is a table summarizing the characteristics of these varieties.
| Langshan variety | Beak | Shanks and feet |
|---|---|---|
| Black | Dark horn, shading to pinkish horn at tip | Bluish black |
| White | Slaty blue, shading to pinkish white | Bluish slate |
| Blue | Dark horn, shading to pinkish white at tip | Bluish slate |
(Table information is from Storey’s Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds.)
All 3 varieties have a pinkish tint between the scales on their legs, and feet bottoms that are pinkish white in color.
In the video below, you can see what the Black Langshan variety looks like.
The video below shows a rooster and hens of the White Langshan variety.
And this last video shows a Blue Langshan of the German type. Remember, unlike American Langshans, German Langshans have smaller body types and clean shanks and feet (i.e., no feathering on legs and feet).
Some Langshans have been bred in colors or patterns not officially recognized in the U.S.
Below, you can see a Barred Langshan Bantam of the German type.
What is notable about the Langshan chicken’s appearance?
Langshan chickens are gorgeous. They are very tall, full-bodied chickens with dense and stunning plumage, long necks, and long tails. Langshans have a characteristic “U” shape in profile. You can see this U shape very clearly in the video below showing a beautiful, White Langshan rooster.
You can see from the video above that Langshan chickens are big. And their long and thick feathers only add to their stature.
Roosters have particularly thick and long tail feathers, up to 17 inches in length. In the video below, you can see just how dense tail feathering is in the Langshan rooster. He is gorgeous!
And Langshans are, of course, unusual in that they have feathering all the way down their legs and onto their feet. This is a feature shared by other Asiatic breeds, such as the Brahma and Cochin. However, this leg feathering is considerably less dense than these other breeds.
Langshans have upright, single combs that are small in females and medium-sized in males. They have medium-sized wattles and somewhat large, red earlobes. Langshans have dark brown eyes.
How big do Langshan chickens get?
Langshan chickens are a very large breed. Although not the heaviest breed, they are the tallest of the non-game chicken breeds.
Roosters: 9.5 lbs
Hens: 7.5 lbs
Bantam roosters: 36 oz
Bantam hens: 32 oz
What do Langshan chicks look like?
The appearance of Langshan chicks varies, depending on the variety. Below, you can see videos of Black Langshan chicks and White Langshan chicks, respectively.
Below is a video of a Black Langshan hatching in an incubator.
Langshan chicken growth
Langshan chickens, like many other heritage breeds, are slow to mature, and roosters may take a little longer than hens to fully mature.
One Langshan chicken keeper said of his cocks, “The roosters get very large and take awhile to do so (they’ll look goofy until about 2, and then they’re stunning!).”
Are you getting Langshan chicks?
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Langshan chickens and egg laying
Egg color: Brown
Egg size: Large
Age of lay: 6-7 months
Eggs/week: 3-4
Eggs/year: 150-200
Some Langshans from the Croad type lay very dark brown eggs, some with a purplish tint. However, these are very rare in the United States. Most Langshans lay brown eggs that aren’t particularly dark.
Broodiness: Do Langshan hens want to hatch their eggs?
Langshan hens are moderately broody.
“They often do not become broody until April or May, are not too determined sitters, but are most faithful mothers.”
Meat production of Langshan chickens
Langshan chickens are slow to mature, but if you can wait them out, they do provide a large amount of meat.
Langshans have excellent meat with an abundance of breast meat. They have more white meat than many other breeds, and are said to have excellent flavor.
Langshan chickens have a market weight of 6.5-8 lbs.
Langshan chickens: A hardy breed
How do Langshan chickens do in the heat and the cold?
If kept on well-drained land in dry conditions, Langshan chickens are an incredibly hardy breed. They tend to tolerate the moderate heat well enough as long as they have plenty of shade and fresh, cold water. However, as a heavy breed with dense feathering, they may struggle in extreme heat.
They are incredibly cold-hardy if kept dry—if their feathered legs and feet get wet, they’ll become miserable at best and severely frostbitten at worst.
Also keep in mind that some Langshan roosters may have combs large enough to get frostbitten. Many roosters’ combs are small enough that this shouldn’t be a problem, but some individuals may be larger-combed.
Of course, if you hang Sweeter Heaters over your roosting bars, frostbitten combs are not likely to be a problem in roosters. You can find small Sweeter Heaters here on Amazon, medium Sweeter Heaters here, and large Sweeter Heaters here.
I hang Sweeter Heaters in all my coops, and can’t recommend them enough.
Langshan chickens vs. predators
Langshan chickens tend to fair well against predators in comparison to a lot of other breeds. Because they are large birds, many smaller predators (such as some birds of prey) won’t be interested. These chickens can also run very fast, many can jump high, and most Langshan hens can fly.
What about the roosters? As Christine Heinrichs, the author of The Backyard Field Guide to Chickens, says:
“Roosters do not fly, but it’s not clear whether flying is aerodynamically impossible for them or temperamentally disdained.”
Roosters are, however, reputed to be incredibly brave against predators, showing very little fear and risking life and limb for their hens.
One Langshan chicken keeper said of her roosters, “We call our roosters hero-birds because they will not back down to predators while other roosters hide and cower. We had our champion Langshan rooster take on a bald eagle that had flown into the coop! Of course, he was no match, and it was a good thing I ran out there with a broom, waving it in the air, but his courage was commendable.”
If you do have a lot of predators in your area, keep in mind that white chickens are notorious for being picked off first because they stick out. You may want to consider Black or Blue Langshans instead.
Langshan chickens: Confinement or free-range?
Langshan chickens, truly calm and docile in nature, can live happily in a confined run. However, they will truly thrive when allowed to free-range.
These birds are excellent foragers and enjoy foraging the day away. Below you can see a video of Croad Black Langshans enjoying free-ranging.
Keep in mind that many Langshans can and do fly, so you will likely need a run that is covered to keep them enclosed.
And keep in mind that because Langshans are so large, they will require more space than your typical chicken. They will need more space in the run and coop and more space on roosting bars. And they will need larger nesting boxes and a larger pop hole door.
Langshan chicken temperament: Just what kind of birds are they?
These chickens are sweet, sweet, sweet. They are calm, docile, inquisitive, and friendly. Langshan chickens commonly develop relationships with their keepers and can become quite attached to you. These chickens are known to follow you everywhere.
One chicken keeper said that her Langshan hen “voluntarily jumps up onto my back/shoulder, and will stay there for a while if allowed to… She tends to follow us around…”
Another keeper said that her hen “will follow me around… and always comes running as soon as I call her.”
Below, you can see an adorable video of a Langshan chick who immediately flies to a girl when she calls her.
And another said of her Langshan birds, “They honestly felt more like dogs because they preferred being with people than other chickens.”
You will likely find that you get very attached to your Langshan chickens too. One chicken keeper said that her Langshan hen “has to be hand fed because the stuff on the ground is not good enough. Lol. (Someone’s spoiled).”
And you really may have a hard time not spoiling these chickens. They can easily become a part of your family. Below is a YouTube video of a Langshan rooster “driving” a car.
The video caption reads, “Our Champion Croad Langshan male, Graham, had many skills—driving appears to be one of them… He did have help with the pedals, but it was an automatic car.”
How are Langshan chickens around children?
If you have young children who will be around your chicken flock, Langshan chickens are one of the best breeds you could choose. These birds get along beautifully with children.
One chicken keeper said of her Langshan hen, “She readily eats treats from my 6-year old’s hands—also lets my 6-year old pick her up with no fuss.
Below you can see a video of a boy who easily picks up two Langshan hens at once. Notice how he just scoops them up. There is no struggle on the part of the hens and no attempt to even walk away from him. You can see this happen 41 seconds into the video.
Are Langshan roosters aggressive to people?
Langshan roosters are one of the friendlier breeds of roosters. Like Langshan hens, roosters tend to be calm, docile, and friendly.
One chicken keeper said of her rooster, “He is very sweet and gentle with the girls and the other roosters… He scares people with his intimidating size and dark eyes, but he is a big baby.”
Another said that her Langshan rooster was a “tall bird that looked ferocious, but was tame as a pussy cat.”
And another described her White Langshan rooster as a “gentle giant.”
However, be aware that when it comes to roosters, no matter what the breed, you will find some aggressive individuals. There are no guarantees with any breed.
How well do Langshan chickens get along with other chickens?
In the video in the section above on Langshans and children, you can see two Black Langshan hens, Cory and Betsy, doing great in a mixed flock. This is the norm for Langshan chickens.
Despite their large size, Langshan chickens are very gentle with other breeds. And unlike Cochins and Brahmas (the other giant Asiatic breeds), Langshan chickens don’t tend to be picked on by other breeds. They do stand their ground if another chicken tries to start something with them.
One chicken keeper said that her Langshan hen “is 3rd in the pecking order—quite surprising that she is not the lowest ranking hen in the flock, because she is rather gentle.”
Another said of hers, “She is very large, at least 10-12 lbs, but she is so nice to all the other hens, and never bullies them, even though she’s the biggest.”
And another Langshan keeper said of her birds, “My Langshans lived in a mixed flock and never caused any trouble… No one messed with them because they were so big. They were kind to people and animals alike…”
Langshan chickens: Are they noisy?
Langshan chickens are pretty average when it comes to noise. They aren’t considered to be particularly noisy breed.
Langshan roosters do, of course, like to crow. They have long and beautiful crows. You can hear one of these crows in the video below.
Langshan chicken health problems and life expectancy
You’ll need to keep an eye on your Langshans’ feathered legs. Make sure their leg and feet feathers are in good condition (not caked in mud).
Also, make sure you periodically examine their shanks for scaly let mites. Whereas this condition is fairly obvious in clean-legged breeds, you may have a harder time noticing scaly legs in Langshans because their legs are partially hidden by feathers.
Langshan chickens are, overall, a very robust and healthy breed. You may expect them to live the average lifespan of a chicken, which is 5-8 years.
Breeds you may want instead of Langshans
If you like Langshan chickens, there are two other breeds you may be interested in that are very similar. These are Brahmas and Cochins, Asiatic breeds that are related to Langshans.
Brahmas and Cochins are heavier than Langshans, but not as tall, and their shanks and feet are more heavily feathered. These breeds are very similar to Langshans in temperament.
Below, you can see a video that shows a White Langshan rooster next to a Buff Cochin rooster. Notice how different the two breeds are in shape. The Langshan is tall with a pronounced U-shaped silhouette, and the Cochin is rounded. You’ll need to jump 3 minutes into the video to see them standing side-by-side.
If you love the hardiness, appearance, and temperament of Langshan chickens, but you want a breed that can handle wetter conditions (i.e., a breed without feathered legs), you’ll want to consider Orpingtons and Jersey Giants.
Langshan chickens were actually used in the development of these breeds, and these breeds, therefore, retain some of the Langshan’s best characteristics.
To learn more about these other breeds, check out my articles:
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Langshan 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.