Lamona

The Lamona is an American chicken developed in the early twentieth century by Harry Lamon while working with the United States Department of Agriculture. It was intended as a practical dual-purpose breed with white plumage, yellow skin, and white eggs, combining traits from breeds such as Leghorn, Dorking, and Plymouth Rock. The idea was to create a farm bird that could lay well while still producing a marketable carcass.

Lamona chickens are rare today, so they interest conservation breeders more than ordinary hatchery buyers. A serious Lamona program should preserve the breed's unusual combination of yellow skin and white egg production, because that was part of its original purpose. Flocks need the same balanced management as other dual-purpose chickens: enough protein during growth, clean housing, and room for exercise. Buyers should ask about line history and selection goals, since rare American breeds can drift quickly if maintained from too few birds or crossed without clear records.

Colors: Barred, Birchen, Black, Blue, 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