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The Wheaten Pendesenca is a dark reddish-brown egg laying breed. Their personality is somewhat flighty, with a preference for free ranging or large pens. They are a thrifty, very productive and fertile breed. They are not especially broody, keeping egg production high. Unlike Marans, a Penedesenca hen's eggs do not lighten in color throughout the laying cycle. Eggs from the end of the year are just as gorgeous as eggs from early Spring.
This Spanish breed is the exception to the rule that birds with white earlobes lay white eggs. This breed was nearly extinct in the early '80s, but has not only been brought back but four varieties now exist: Wheaten, Partridge, Crele and Black (the last developed as a meat bird and known as Gall del Penedés).
Penedesencas have a different type of comb than most chickens. It starts as a single comb but expands into several lobes at the rear. In the Catalan language they refer to this as a "carnation comb" (cresta en clavell) or a "king's comb" (cresta de rei).
The Penedesenca breed dates back to 1921 where they were raised mainly in the Catalonia province of Spain. The breed was popular with the local country residents as a backyard chicken that was very prolific at laying very dark reddish-brown eggs. The Penedesenca is the exception to the rule that white ear lobed chickens lay white eggs. To this day the only recognized color of the breed is the Black, and it is only recognized in Spain. The Penedesenca is still not recognized here in the USA, but is fast gaining popularity here.
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