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Asturian Painted Hen Chicken Breed Info

Modified: Feb 6, 2023 by Phil · This post may contain affiliate links ·

The Asturian Painted Hen (also called the Pita Pinta Asturiana) is a rare breed that comes from Spain.

An Asturian Painted Hen and An Asturian Painted rooster in a backyard.
Image source: Sunbird Farms

These large, colorful birds are good layers of cream-colored eggs. Hens may or may not go broody, but when they do, they make excellent mothers to their young.

The Asturian Painted Hen is known to live longer than other chicken breeds. They can reach four to five years of age and continue laying for the majority of that time.

They are a dual purpose breed with excellent quality meat, especially when raised free range and allowed to forage for insects and greenery.

Jump to:
  • Asturian Painted Hen Chicken Breed Quick Info
  • Origins of the Asturian Painted Hen Chicken
  • Some Things to Know About the Asturian Painted Hen Chicken
  • How Easy is it to Keep Asturian Painted Hen Chickens?
  • Special Care and Considerations for Asturian Painted Hen Chickens
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Asturian Painted Hen Chicken Breed Quick Info

Asturian Painted Hen Chicken Description

Asturian Painted Hen Type/Size:Standard
Feather Color:Black mottled, red mottled, white, or black
Leg Type:Clean
Leg Color:Yellow
Skin Color:Yellow
Asturian Painted Hen Ease of Raising/Keeping:Easy
Asturian Painted Hen Special Care Needs:No
Is the Asturian Painted Hen breed a common, rare, or protected breed of chicken?Rare

Asturian Painted Hen Use

MeatYes
EggsYes
Dual PurposeYes
Asturian Painted Hen Temperament:Gentle, docile
Asturian Painted Hen Ability/Likelihood to Free Range:Yes

Asturian Painted Hen Egg Production

Egg ColorCream
Egg SizeLarge
Estimated Number of Eggs Per Year140
Likeliness to Brood Eggs/Raise ChicksMedium

Asturian Painted Hen Meat Production

Dressed Weight Male7 ¾ lbs.
Dressed Weight Female5  lbs.

Asturian Painted Hen Climate Tolerance

HeatGood
ColdGood

Asturian Painted Hen Age to Maturity

Number of Months to Reach Full Size5 Months
Number of Months to Start Egg Laying5 Months
Number of Weeks/Months to Reach Meat Harvest Size16 Weeks

Asturian Painted Hen Size at Maturity

Male9 ¼ lbs.
Female6 lbs.

Origins of the Asturian Painted Hen Chicken

A young Asturian Painted Hen near a tree.

The Asturian Painted Hen originated in the Asturian region of northern Spain. In fact, it is the only chicken breed that is native to this area.

See also  When Do Welsummers Start Laying? (Numbers/Life Expectancy)

Their name comes from the Asturian dialect of Spanish; “pita” means hen, while “pinta” means mottled or painted.

They share ancestors with the Basque chicken.

After the industrialization of the Spanish egg industry in the mid-20th century, the Asturian Painted Hen nearly went extinct.

Today, only about 2,000 of these birds exist around the world. There is a breeders’ association committed to saving the breed and bringing up its numbers.

Some Things to Know About the Asturian Painted Hen Chicken

A Asturian Painted Hen with her chicks in a backyard.

Asturian Painted Hens are known for their beautiful, striking feather patterns. They can be found in four colors: black mottled, red mottled, white, and non-mottled black.

They are medium-large birds that have compact frames. They boast a single red comb with five to seven points on it. Their earlobes and eyes are also bright red.

The legs of the Asturian Painted Hen are yellow with black spots, as is the beak. Their tail feathers are quite short compared to other breeds.

How Easy is it to Keep Asturian Painted Hen Chickens?

An Asturian Painted Hen and An Asturian Painted rooster in a backyard.
Image source: Wikipedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Asturian Painted Hen breed is known to be calm and gentle, making them a great choice for pet chickens and being around children.

They are easy to handle, especially if they are around people from a young age.

They are easy to care for, with no common health issues or diseases to worry about. They are also excellent free-range birds. They enjoy foraging and roaming out in the open over confinement.

In fact, this is one of the characteristics that made them popular in Spain before the industrialization of the chicken industry. They were able to live a “natural” life outdoors while still producing a good amount of eggs.

See also  Do Chickens Eat Ants? (Pros & Cons of Eating Insects)

Special Care and Considerations for Asturian Painted Hen Chickens

As with all birds with a single comb, frostbite can be an issue. When the temperature drops, you can help to protect their comb with a little bit of vaseline.

Due to their extremely rare status, the Asturian Painted Hen can be difficult to find. However, there are some breeders who sell chicks in the United States and abroad.

Asturian Painted Hen Chicken Breed Info pinterest image.

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