Appenzeller Spitzhauben

Switzerland's national chicken breed, originating from the Appenzell canton and named for the pointed lace bonnets (Spitzhauben) traditionally worn by women there — the breed's forward-pointing crest resembling the bonnet shape. Spitzhaubens are agile, active mountain birds adapted to foraging in alpine terrain, with a V-comb that resists frostbite better than single combs at altitude. They lay white eggs reliably and are energetic, sometimes roost in trees, and are one of the rarest Swiss breeds.