Shanbei

The Shanbei chicken is a Chinese local breed or landrace associated with Shanbei, the northern part of Shaanxi Province on the Loess Plateau. It is generally described as a hardy village chicken shaped by dry, cold winters, hot summers, and low-input farm conditions. Plumage and body details can vary among flocks, but birds are typically valued as dual-purpose chickens for household meat and eggs rather than as highly uniform exhibition stock.

In practical keeping, Shanbei chickens suit semi-scavenging systems where birds can forage while still receiving grain, shelter, and predator protection. Conservation and breeding work usually centers on maintaining regional adaptation and avoiding dilution by fast-growing commercial hybrids. Anyone trying to source them outside China should expect limited availability and should verify the origin of stock, since the name may be used more as a regional population label than a widely registered breed.

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