The Vorwerk is a

breed A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...

of chicken originating in Germany. Though it is unrelated to the German company which produces the Vorwerk vacuum cleaner, it is the only chicken to share its name with a brand of

household appliance A home appliance, also referred to as a domestic appliance, an electric appliance or a household appliance, is a machine which assists in household functions such as cooking, cleaning and food preservation. Appliances are divided into three ...

. A rare fowl, it has distinctive black-and-gold plumage.

History

Beginning in 1900, poultry breeder Oskar Vorwerk began to create a medium-sized, utilitarian fowl with the belted plumage pattern of the

Lakenvelder The Lakenvelder or Lakenfelder is a breed of domestic chicken from the Nordrhein-Westfalen area of Germany and neighbouring areas of the Netherlands. It was first recorded in 1727. History The origins of the Lakenvelder are not clear. Two dif ...

. The key difference in appearance would be the Vorwerk's dark golden base color, rather than the white of the Lakenvelder. Thus, his chicken is sometimes incorrectly called the Golden Lakenvelder, especially in North America. The Golden Lakenvelder, a plumage variety, is a separate breed from the Vorwerk. Breeds used to create the Vorwerk included the Lakenvelder,

Buff Orpington The Orpington is a British breed of chicken. It was bred in the late nineteenth century by William Cook of Orpington, Kent, in south-east England. It was intended to be a dual-purpose breed, to be reared both for eggs and for meat, but soon bec ...

, Buff Sussex and

Andalusian Andalusia is a region in Spain. Andalusian may also refer to: Animals *Andalusian chicken, a type of chicken *Andalusian donkey, breed of donkey *Andalusian hemipode, a buttonquail, one of a small family of birds *Andalusian horse, a breed of ho ...

. By 1913, the Vorwerk was standardized. However, it never really gained widespread use, and is rare or non-existent outside Continental Europe.

Vorwerk bantam

In 1966, a U.S. man named Wilmar Vorwerk of New Ulm, Minnesota, developed an interest in the breed, but it had not been exported to North America. Thus, he created a bantam version from scratch using Lakenvelders, Buff and Blue Wyandottes, Black-tailed Buff and Buff Columbian

Rosecomb The Rosecomb is a breed of chicken named for its distinctive comb. Rosecombs are bantam chickens, and are among those known as true bantams, meaning they are not a miniaturised version of a large fowl. Rosecombs are one of the oldest and most ...

s. European fanciers have also independently miniaturized a bantam Vorwerk. Though the large fowl Vorwerk has never been accepted in the American Poultry Association's

Standard of Perfection The ''American Standard of Perfection'' is the official breed standard for the poultry fancy in North America. First published in 1874 by the American Poultry Association, the ''Standard of Perfection'' (commonly referred to as "the ''Standard''" ...

, the American Bantam Association has recognized the U.S. version of the Vorwerk Bantam.

Characteristics

Vorwerks are a dual-purpose chicken suitable for both meat and egg production. Standard size males weigh 2.5–3.2 kilos (5.5–7.5 pounds), and females weigh 2–2.5 kilos (4.5–5.5 pounds). However it is very important to note that the European bantam standards are different from the US standards, which is understandable as they were produced using different breeds. In particular Bantam males in the US are 765 grams (27 ounces), and females in the US are 650 grams (23 ounces) but in Europe the breed is heavier at 910 grams for males and 680 grams for females. If you are showing in Europe it is well worth seeking out that standard rather than go by the US version. Large Vorwerk hens are good layers of cream-colored eggs, and will produce approximately 170 in a year. Bantams are also dual-purpose, but (like all bantams) lay smaller eggs and fewer of them. Vorwerks are hardy, adaptable birds with economical appetites. In temperament, they are alert and active, but not necessarily flighty. In terms of plumage, their head, neck and tail are solid black, with the rest a buff color. The ideal of breed standards call for no black spotting in the buff areas, but in practicality this is very difficult to breed. Vorwerks sport a single

comb A comb is a tool consisting of a shaft that holds a row of teeth for pulling through the hair to clean, untangle, or style it. Combs have been used since prehistoric times, having been discovered in very refined forms from settlements dating ba ...

, slate grey underfluff, and white earlobes.

Footnotes

References

* * {{Chicken breeds of Germany Chicken breeds Chicken breeds originating in Germany Animal breeds on the GEH Red List