Hamburg at a glance
| Egg production | 200–225 eggs/year |
|---|---|
| Egg color | white |
| Size | light; hen weight 4 lb |
| Temperament summary | Very active, very flighty |
| Housing class | laying hen |
Strongest documented traits
Predator awareness
Excellent predator awareness
good at avoiding predators
Source confidence: High
Egg production
Strong egg production
200-225/year in TLC chart; MSU rates good
Source confidence: High
Foraging
Good forager
good forager / likes to roam
Source confidence: High
Cold tolerance
Very good cold tolerance
winter hardy
Source confidence: High
Heat tolerance
Very good heat tolerance
does well in warm and cold climates
Source confidence: High
Things to consider
These are traits that may be a drawback depending on what you want from your flock. Individual birds can vary.
Temperament
Very independent or difficult to handle
very active/flighty
Source confidence: High
Flightiness
Very flighty
very flighty
Source confidence: High
Broodiness
Rarely broody
Source confidence: High
Confinement tolerance
Poor in confinement
does not like confinement
Source confidence: High
How the planner uses this breed
The flock planner does not rank Hamburg from a single overall score stored in the database. Instead, it weights individual traits differently for each household. Cold hardiness matters more in harsh winters; heat tolerance matters more in hot climates; docility receives additional weight when children will handle the birds; and housing size can prevent a breed mix from being recommended even when its preference score is strong.
Sources used for this record
- Mississippi State University Extension: Poultry Beginnings: Raise Your Own Backyard Chickens
- The Livestock Conservancy: Hamburg Chicken
- The Livestock Conservancy: Quick Reference Guide to Heritage Chickens
Last database review: 2026-10-03. Trait values are normalized to a 1–5 planning scale; see the methodology for how uncertainty is handled.