Basque Hens
Nestled in the mountainous region between Spain and France sits a land apart in language and culture. For many centuries the rustic Basques have been militantly independent from their more urbane neighbors. As shepherds and smallhold farmers Basques developed breeds of livestock well-adapted to the rugged terrain of the Pyrenees. Among those livestock breeds is a chicken landrace known locally as euskal oiloa or, more pronounceable for English-speakers, Basque hens.
There are a number of varieties of Basque hens including a naked neck version. Greenfire Farms imported the marraduna variety; a reddish barred bird with a large body and single comb. The marraduna are known for being excellent free-range birds and layers of very large eggs. Many people credit the marraduna with being the ultimate homestead chicken, and like most landraces that formed from peasant stock the marraduna are extraordinarily hardy. (Our vote for Best All- Around Breed probably goes to Swedish flower hens, but in barnyard performance they are much like their cousin the marraduna.)
With the marraduna fertility is usually high, and chick mortality is usually low. The marraduna are large, friendly birds that get along well with people and other chickens. A rooster can weigh as much as eight pounds, and the quality of their meat for the table has earned them a coveted spot on the Ark of Taste list compiled by Slow Food International. Hens can lay as many as 220 cream-colored eggs each year. If you’re new to poultry or are looking for a rare breed that survives well in a free-range environment, the hardy Basque hen can be an excellent choice.
