One of the most ancient chicken breeds is the Croad Langshan. Originating from Rudong, China, an area where chickens were domesticated and bred 7000 or 8000 years ago, Langshans are now a rare endangered breed and listed on The Livestock Conservancy as under a watch status. The Croad Langshan is very large and gentle chicken that is curious by nature and slow to physically mature. They are excellent foragers and can adapt to confinement as well. Roosters on average weigh 9+ pounds and it’s not uncommon for them to get up to 15 pounds. Hens average 7+ pounds. Classified as a dual-purpose bird they are both good for their egg production and meat. The Croad Langshan has white skin, full breasts, and large amounts of white meat rich in flavor. The Langshans are good egg layers as well, laying 150-200 large brown eggs per year. They are both cold and heat tolerant and lay through the winter. Egg color varies from a medium to dark brown and sport a rose to plum colored bloom. The American Poultry Association recognizes three color varieties: Black and White were recognized in 1883, and Blue in 1987. Our Blue Croad Langshans hatch either blue, black, or white splash colors. If you want more details about this breed go to CroadLangshan.org .