Pita Pintas
Characteristics
Pita Pinta Asturiana chickens are known for being great all-around birds, good for both meat and eggs. They’re not huge like Brahmas or Orpingtons, but they’re still a decent size. Roosters can get up to about 9.5 lbs (4.3 kgs), and the hens usually weigh around 6 lbs (2.7 kgs).
This breed is pretty rare—there are fewer than 3,700 of them in the world. Despite that, they’re still a standout in Spain for their personality and performance. They’re calm, friendly birds, and the hens are strong egg layers, producing up to 250 cream-colored eggs a year. They’re tough too, able to handle different types of weather and environments without much trouble.
Back in the day, people also raised them for their flavorful meat. They’re excellent foragers, making them ideal for pasture-based setups. Pita Pintas were the pride of traditional farms, thriving naturally while keeping the egg basket full.
History
This chicken breed comes from Asturias, a region in the northwest of Spain. People believe it has roots in Asia and was brought over to Europe during the colonial era, possibly traveling along what’s known as the Central-European Route.
It’s actually the only chicken breed native to Asturias, and its name comes from the local Asturian language—“pita” meaning hen and “pinta” meaning painted, which is a nod to the chicken’s speckled appearance.
The Pita Pinta Asturiana is considered rare today and was once on the brink of disappearing. Back in the 1950s and 60s, when commercial egg production started taking off in Asturias, more efficient egg-laying breeds took over, and the number of Pita Pinta chickens dropped sharply.
It wasn’t until the 1980s that efforts to bring the breed back began. A few birds were discovered in the neighboring province of León and used to help revive the population. The breed made its first appearance at local poultry exhibitions in 1997. Then in 2003, breeders in Asturias formed an association to help protect, promote, and improve the Pita Pinta Asturiana.
Egg Production
Pita Pinta Asturiana hens are great layers, cranking out around 250 eggs a year—that’s about four to five eggs each week. The eggs are a nice medium size, weighing in at about two ounces, and have a soft cream color.
One of the nice things about this breed is how well they handle cold weather. They usually keep laying even through the winter, though things might slow down a bit when it gets really chilly.
They don’t often go broody, so if you're planning on hatching chicks the natural way, that’s something to consider. When they do decide to sit, though, they’re very attentive and caring moms. They just don’t tend to get into that nesting mood very often.