Bergische Kraeher

The Bergische Kraeher, more properly Bergischer Kräher, is an old German long-crowing chicken from the Bergisches Land of North Rhine-Westphalia. It was developed as a large, hardy farm fowl, but its defining feature is the rooster's drawn-out crow, traditionally judged in regional crowing contests. The usual exhibition color is black with rich golden-brown markings, and birds have an alert, upright carriage, strong legs, and a long body compared with many modern utility breeds.

Rural space is important for this breed because males are loud and the crow is deliberately prolonged; it is a poor match for close suburban neighbors. Hens can provide a useful number of white or light-colored eggs, while the birds also retain some table value, but preservation breeding now matters as much as production. Breeders select for sound size, vigor, characteristic color, and the quality of the crow without sacrificing fertility. As with other rare German landrace-derived breeds, sourcing from established conservation flocks helps maintain type and genetic breadth.

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