“Possibly my smartest birds. They lay even on the hottest days of the year and have never gone broody which is a huge bonus compared to my Marans girls. They're completely identical and banding them would likely freak them out unnecessarily so they're simply referred to as the "Two Pennies"
They lay beautiful deep red/mahogany eggs one of which puts a heavier bloom that can give it an almost terra cotta pottery look--you get them wet in the sink washing them and the color is just gorgeous. The Marans eggs we get look like the chocolate dark brown (from our Birchen girls, some with speckles) But the Penedesenca girls are RED brown, I wish I could get a photo that shows how rich they are next to my other colored layers!
These girls are not ones to be cuddled, they are independent and super smart. They're most likely to investigate something I put in the run, always one of the first birds to check out the new route on the chicken-tunnel and are very excited about treats like watermelon or lettuce... but if you try to touch them they will scream like you're an ax murderer. I have literally scared an egg out of one of them on accident, If you're amused by those cat videos of cats flipping into the air and spazzing out over nothing these are a breed that will crack you up. My boys think they're hysterical (because they are).
If you live in a hot humid climate and want healthy hardy birds you should absolutely add these to your flock even if you cant cuddle them--these birds are the champs of hot weather. It can be 100 degrees with 90+ humidity and my other birds are standing under box fans panting and these girls are still scratching around the yard or sun bathing!
In Short: Get them for the egg color and Amazing heat tolerance!”
What an amazing endorsement for the Penedesenca chicken! They are known to lay beautiful eggs, but your description is fantastic, as is your explanation of their personality. Good to know they are active and smart, but absolutely not lap chickens. We hope that you have many years of beautiful eggs and funny stories from the Two Pennies!
“I got one Penedesenca chick 7 months ago with some other chicks. She has turned out to be one of the friendliest of the group. A very inquisitive and smart little hen now. She was the first in the group to start laying. Love the color of her eggs. So far they are not large eggs but more medium sized.”
Thank you, Anne, for the great review of the Partridge Penedesenca chick! This chick is very active but I have also found them to be very friendly! The eggs will become darker and larger as she becomes a mature hen. We are so glad you are enjoying her!
“I agree with what everyone said. I wish I would have read more about the skittish nature and to top it off, mine is a rooster and now I have to rehome him because I am not allowed roosters where I live. He is a beauty...a real show stopper, but sadly, he has to go.”
Thank you for taking the time to review the Partridge Penedesenca chick! They are adorable little ones and yes, this breed does tend to be a bit flighty compared to others. As our breed page says, if you are looking for a feathered BFF, this is not the breed to add to your flock :-) We are very sorry that a sexing error happened on your order, our vent experts do their best in checking the 15 teeny tiny shapes to determine if they are male or female before we ship them to our customers. So far, we have a 95% sexing accuracy rate but if the unfortunate mistake does happen, we have our guarantee to ensure you are properly refunded for the error. Your report is currently being processed and you should see your refund very soon! We are thankful that you found My Pet Chicken and will always do our best to make your experience the best it can be!
“(Full disclosure, I'm going by a sample size of 1.)
My penedesenca is a lovey hen (I love the patterns around her eyes!). She's small, and heat hardy ( out of all my flock she seems the least bothered by the heat) and relatively quiet.
However I wish I did a bit more research first as I would not recommend this breed as a casual backyard chicken. She likes to roam, and does not want to be handled. She runs far away from human contact when my other chickens rush to me for treats.
Id recommend this chicken for those who want a self reliant breed but not as a specific pet bird, and if you have a lot of space for them to roam.”
“Got one on a whim a couple years ago, and I have to say she's one of my favorites. Not scared of us at all and is the first to ask for treats!! The eggs are absolutely beautiful as well. Second only to my marans eggs. Highly recommend.”
