Are you looking for a hen that’s unusual in appearance, entertaining, and, at the same time, stunningly gorgeous?  Introducing the Sicilian Buttercup!  These girls are strikingly beautiful with a unique comb, shaped like a cup or flower, and striking gold and black plumage, and delicate forms.  The buttercup comb is one of the most unusual and a conversation starter for sure! The comb may stand upright, or can flop to the side. Sicilian Buttercups are good layers of approximately 180 medium WHITE eggs per year, and start laying at 5-7 months of age. Sicilian Buttercup hens rarely go broody. As they were originally developed for egg laying, the broodiness traits have been mostly eliminated.  Like all Mediterranean breeds, Buttercup chickens were bred for the heat. However, because they are so darn hardy, they will survive very cold temperatures. My hens do fine here at 6800 feet, and do not need supplemental heat in winter in our insulated coops. Buttercups fare better in predator-rich areas than many other chicken breeds. They are very alert, and blend into environments well. If one senses danger, the others will hear about it. They also are good fliers, which helps greatly with predator evasion. Sicilian Buttercup chickens are great at foraging. They will forage for a good chunk of their food if they are allowed to free range.  They also love to scratch and dig, more so than your average chicken. They are excellent workers for the compost pile. This breed does not do well in small confinement areas like just a run. They need at least some free range time or a large backyard.  Sicilian Buttercups get along very well with other chickens. They do great in mixed-breed flocks. Ours are in with some of our Polish hens and do very well with even the crested breeds. Sicilian Buttercups can live to 7-8 years old if they are living in excellent conditions. Many can live longer.