The Golden Comet chickens was originally bred for commercial egg production, but this hybrid chicken has become a vastly popular feature in backyard chicken coops everywhere.
When people think of a chicken, an image of a Golden Comet chicken is what usually comes to mind. Perhaps having the most commonly-known look of a chicken (even to your young toddler), the Golden Comet is one of the most popular chicken breeds in the world today; They are undoubtedly the one you can find in the majority of chicken keepers' flocks.
Originally bred for commercial purposes, Golden Comet chickens are hybrid chickens solely bred for their great egg production skills. These golden egg layers are a chicken crossbreed (or a hybrid, if you prefer). They are also referred to as sex-link chickens.
This breed of chicken was developed by crossbreeding the White Rock hen with a New Hampshire rooster. Other red sex-link chickens, much like Golden Comets, include the Gold Sex Link, Golden Buff, Red Star, and the oh-so-regal Cinnamon Queen.
Appearance and Egg Production
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBdPCz6A6Ed/
If you are raising chickens, Golden Comets will be some of the cutest and most-productive birds in the roost. Golden Comets are beautiful birds: While these good egg layers have no breed standard due to them being a hybrid breed, they usually sport a light to medium brownish-red color, with a red single comb and wattles. From the classic look of a Golden Comet Hen to the classic happy yellow Golden Comet chicks, the Golden Comet breed is what people think of when they simply think of a chicken and is usually the breed portrayed in many commercial products around Easter time.
The Golden Comet is, quite honestly, one of the friendliest chickens in the chicken coop. They are docile and laid-back and won't detest to being picked up, making them a great chicken for small children.
They are excellent to lay eggs. Golden Comets lay plenty of medium to large brown eggs, and they are prolific at it: these brown egg layers can lay up to 330 eggs per year! It's no wonder that they are mostly used at hatcheries.
However, Golden Comets rarely go broody, so you can expect to hatch baby chicks in an incubator. Lifespan of both Golden Comet roosters and hens are unfortunately rather short, with them living to about four to five years.
Do you recognize the Golden Comet? Live with one? Share at our Wide Open Pets Facebook!
This article was originally published November 30, 2020.
