Ostfriesische Möwe

A striking German dual-purpose breed from East Frisia (Ostfriesland), the coastal region of Lower Saxony bordering the North Sea. The Ostfriesische Möwe — literally 'East Frisian Gull' — is named for its gull-like colouring: predominantly white body with black tail feathers and sometimes black wing markings, resembling the herring gulls that follow fishing boats along the Frisian coast. Developed in the early 20th century from local East Frisian farm chickens, it was selected for good egg production and decent meat quality in a hardy, wind-resistant package. Ostfriesische Möwen were common on small mixed farms across the Frisian marshes but declined when the region's agriculture shifted toward large-scale dairy and arable farming after 1950. Rescued by German conservation breeders, the breed is recognised by the EE Europastandard and BDRG.