The Comet Chicken was Developed as a Commercial Dual Purpose Cross Breed
BREED NAME: COMET or GOLDEN COMET BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The Comet chicken was developed as a commercial dual purpose cross breed by using White Leghorn and Rhode Island Red. Chicks can be color sexed at hatching since all males will be white and females will be gold with some white.
Hens may lay 250 – 300 brown eggs per year, but tend to become layed out and suffer from old age related problems by age 2. Egg production is high, but they must be replaced near the end of their second year. In commercial uses hens may be replaced after their first year of laying and used for meat. This is one of the earliest laying chickens.
The Facts:
Size: Standard Male: up to 9.5 Ibs. / Standard Female: up to 7.5 Ibs.
Comb, Wattles & Earlobes: Red
Color: White roosters, red, brown or golden hens with some white feathers.
Place of Origin: US
Conservation Status: common
Special Qualities: The Golden Comet Chicken is one of the most common commercial layers of large brown eggs. Hens mature and lay early producing many eggs in their first 2 years. Such high egg production leads to health issues usually making replacement necessary before their third year when they are likely to become layed out.
They are a calm chicken that has been designed to grow quickly and do well in the confinement of the chicken industry. Hens are not usually broody.
The quality of being able to color sex the Golden Comet at hatching enables hatcheries to easily separate pullets for sale as starter laying flocks or replacements and these fast growing cockerels are raised for meat.
Legs may be a greenish color, but are most often yellow. There may be much variety in feather coloring of hens, some more red or brown with some white feathers inherited from their White Leghorn parent.
Golden Comets are often available in feed stores in the spring or may be shipped from hatcheries and are quite common. Though not a pure breed, the Comet chicken might be a good choice if you are looking for a lot of eggs from a small number of hens.
They would be ideal for someone with a limited amount of space, but if you want to make pets of your hens you will be disappointed in their short life span.
Not admitted into the APA since it is a cross breed.
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