What are the characteristics of Lancaster chickens?

The Lancaster chicken is a rare heritage breed of domestic chicken from Lancashire in England. Originally considered to be a dual-purpose breed, it is valued for its brown eggs, which have a dark brown shell, but it also has a very distinctive appearance resulting from its crest and beard (muffs) and it is frequently kept as an exhibition breed. They are auto-sexing, which means that the chicks can be separated into females and males at hatching, as the female chicks have white tips to their wings, while the male chicks are all black.

Males typically weigh 8–9 pounds (3.6–4.1 kg) while hens weigh 7–8 pounds (3.2–3.6 kg). They lay around 220 light to medium brown eggs per year. Although they are considered a light breed, they are relatively large and have a good meat-to-bone ratio. They have yellow skin, which is preferred for meat birds.

The Lancaster is a fairly active bird. The hens are prone to broodiness and being good sitters and mothers, they often make excellent broodies.