Sulmtaler
Gallus gallus domesticus
✨ Fait Amusant
Sulmtaler chickens were the centrepiece of Austria's 'Styrian Chicken' festival held each November in Styria, where top specimens were auctioned to Viennese restaurant owners. A single prize cock could fetch a month's farm wages.
An Austrian meat breed of outstanding quality from the Sulm valley (Sulmtal) in southern Styria, developed in the late 19th century to produce premium table birds for the Viennese market. Sulmtalers are heavily built birds with striking buff-wheaten plumage, a small walnut comb (inherited from Houdan ancestry), and a calm, tame disposition. Their slow growth produces well-marbled, flavourful meat that once commanded premium prices at Viennese poultry markets. The breed nearly disappeared and is now a conservation priority in Austria.
🏷️ Race
Sulmtaler
💭 Tempérament
Calm, docile, friendly, easy to handle
📏 Taille
Large (3.2-4.1 kg)
⏳ Espérance de vie
4-7 years
🎨 Couleurs
Wheaten buff (hens) with golden hackle; Cocks: red-gold with wheaten body
🌍 Origine
Austria — Sulm valley, Styria; developed 1870s–1890s
🏠 Habitat
Free-range or enclosed run; tolerates varied conditions
🍽️ Alimentation
Grower and finisher pellets for meat birds; good forager
🎯 Usage
Meat
🥚 Couleur des œufs
Tinted
👑 Type de crête
Walnut
🏅 Classe EE
Large Fowl