Golden Comet Information
There is a breed of chicken known as the Golden Comet chicken. A golden comet chicken is not just an every day breed of chicken that you see pecking around in your yard. This chicken breed is actually considered a crossbreed between two other birds and is also referred too as a sex link breed. The golden comet chicken is created by getting a white rock hen and a New Hampshire rooster and mating them together. The resulting baby chick that comes from the two chickens is the golden comet chicken.
Golden Comet
Rating
| Egg Laying |
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| Meat Production |
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| Show Status |
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| Aggressiveness |
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| Broodiness |
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| Space Needs |
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| Bantam Version? |
no |
| Preferred Climate |
Warm or Cold |
Golden Comet History
The Golden Comet breed of chickens is actually a hybrid. They are bred from a New Hampshire rooster and a White Rock hen.
These chickens are known as sex link breeds which is a term that basically means crossbreed. Some other common names this breed goes by are Gold Sex Link, GOlden Buff, Red Star and, Cinnamon Queen.
Originating in the United States, this breed was developed as a commercial crossbreed. Hens can lay 250-300 brown eggs per year but often stop laying by age 2 due to old age related issues.
This breed is not part of the APA since it is a cross breed.
Golden Comet Qualities
As we stated above, golden comets are a smaller chicken breed only weighing four-six pounds on average. Below are a few of the other characteristics of a golden comet so you know what you are looking for when buying them so you can be sure to get the right type of chicken.
- The hens typically weigh between three and four pounds when they are fully grown
- Roosters grow to be between five and six pounds at full maturity
- Their feathers are different shades of white and light brown and coppery red- giving them the nickname of cinnamon queens
- Their beaks are a yellow/brown color
- legs are always a bright yellow
- the eyes are typically yellow and orange
Golden Comet Temperament
Every animal breed from dogs and cows right down to the humble chicken is known for their particular unique behaviors. For instance, when you think of dogs you think of happy pets that love to play fetch and cuddle up with you every chance they get. Cats are known for their stand-offish personality; they can be grumpy but when they are in the mood you can count on them to come to get in your lap and give you cuddle time.
Then you think about birds such as geese. Let’s be honest, no one really likes geese. They are known to have a more aggressive temperament and they always seem to hiss or get very territorial whenever people get too close to them.
So, what then is the temperament of a golden comet chicken like? From the experiences of most people, these chickens are actually a very laid back breed of bird. They rarely fuss or get riled up when they are picked up. They are actually very curious birds and if they know you as the person that takes care of them, then they are typically very friendly as well. Most owners or breeders find that if they treat their golden comet chickens well, they walk right up to them and greet them just out of pure happiness of seeing them there.
Golden comets have been known to live in harmony with other chickens, even those of a different breed. When they are put around chickens in a flock, they very rarely get involved in any type of scuffle, in fact they often try to get away from any conflicts as fast as they can. Hens from other breeds are known to peck or get in conflicts with one another from time to time, but it is very rare that you will find a golden comet hen in any type of scuffle with another hen.
They are the chickens that always seem to be trying to make peace with everyone else so the coop is a peaceful environment…at least that is what it looks like from a human perspective of course.
Golden Comets Around Children
As mentioned above, golden comets are a very gentle breed and have what is actually considered a very sweet and endearing personality. This means that this breed of chicken is a great choice for people who are either starting out to raise chickens and have never done it before or for the little kids that live in your house who you plan on having out in the coop with you learning how to handle the hens right along with you.
The comets are very gentle and do not easily get stirred up or rattled meaning your child can get in the coop and be a typical child and play, and for the most part the comet will take it in stride and not bother them. Most chickens out of this breed do not mind being man-handled and they are typically not territorial so if your child gets in their space you do not have to worry about them getting aggressive with your child. As long as you teach your child to be gentle and respect the space and life of the chicken, the Comet will, in turn, be gentle and respect your child’s space as well and there will very rarely be any problems.
Golden Comet Health
All chicken breeds will have the possibility of carrying worms, contracting lice (which can be spread to you if you do not care for them properly), and mites. However, the good thing about golden comet chickens is that in their first three years of life, they rarely have any real health issues other than the odd ones out. They were specifically bred to have a high production of life meaning they were bred to produce a lot of eggs. As a by-product of the way they were bred, the golden comets very rarely have a long lifespan. They typically only live to be about four-five years old or less.
Since they are a high-production breed, they most often pass away as a result of reproductive tumors, a condition found in hens known as egg yolk peritonitis, or another type of reproductive issue. There are very few other issues that they will pass away from or contract which means that they are a more low-maintenance breed of chicken than others that you could choose from.
Golden Comet Appearance
Once this breed of chicken is born, the resulting male and female are very easy to tell apart. They have a distinctively different color as soon as they hatch out of the egg. The males and females look so different from the moment that they are born that you can 100% guarantee what you are getting. This is an important thing to know for people who only want a hen so that they do not end up with a crowing rooster by accident.
The color of the chicks ensures which of the chickens you are getting: a hen or a rooster in each flock. This aspect of this chicken breed alone makes them a very safe and constant breed to buy for yourself or someone else you know that raises chickens because it is almost an absolute certainty that they will not get what they are not expecting.
Sizes:
- Standard Male: up to 9.5 lbs
- Standard Female: up to 7.5 lbs
Golden Comet Upkeep
This breed of chicken is one that you can raise and take care of anywhere in the world really. No matter where you live, you can raise them in a way that they will thrive and do well. They are able to adapt very well and very quickly to just about any climate.
They can quickly adapt to cold weather as long as you do your part and make sure that you give them enough hay or straw in their coops so that they are well insulated. This will help them nestle down and their feathers keep them additional warmth so that they can generally survive even in the coldest of winters. In the wintertime or in climates that are typically cold, you will more than likely notice that your chickens do not perch on top of the roof like chickens are known to do. They are more likely to roost and sleep down in a bustle of hay or straw so that their feet and their legs are protected from suffering from frostbite.
If you are raising your golden comets in a cold environment then it is important to check and replenish their nesting area every day or at least a few days a week so make sure that they are properly insulated. Then, take time every day and check your chicken’s comb and make sure that there are no signs of frostbite.
They can also acclimate very well in hot and humid temperatures. They do well in the heat as long as they have enough water to help them stay hydrated. It is important to put a farm bath or a large shallow metal bucket of water into the coop so that they can splash in the water if they get hot and cool their core temperatures down.
One thing that is important to check on a daily basis is the condensation levels in the coop. Too much condensation can gather in a coop and grow mold or mildew which can lead to sickness and even death in the chicken. Make sure that you are monitoring the humidity and condensation levels in any coop to make sure your chickens are taken care of no matter what type of climate you are raising your chickens in.
For people who are just starting out on their bird-keeping journey or for those who have other farm animals to care for and not much extra time to put into caring for new chickens, one of the first questions that they will probably ask is how easy it is to take care of this chicken cross-breed. Golden comets are very low-maintenance for the most part. They take care of themselves and keep to themselves as long as there is food and water readily available.
They do not seem to mind or suffer when they are confined even if their coop is on the smaller side. They typically do very well in confinement when they have a place to roost and hay or straw to get comfortable in and as long as you ensure that the chickens can walk around and not be on top of each other. They also do well when they are allowed to be a free-range chicken. They typically enjoy walking free and pecking the ground foraging for their own grain and food. Their low maintenance ways make it easy to take care of them and allows you to have the freedom in knowing that they are fed and watered and will otherwise be happy little birds.
Golden Comet Noise Level
A lot of people are wary about getting a chicken, and a rooster in particular, because of the noise that they know they can bring with them. Of course, everyone knows just how loud and noisy a rooster can be, but hens are not known for being quiet either! Thankfully, golden comets are actually fairly quiet.
They are not known for being particularly noisy and are happy quietly roosting or grazing throughout the day. As they are very laid back, they do not mind being left alone to do their own thing as you live your life, and will not squawk or cluck loudly to get your attention as long as they are taken care of!
Golden Comet Egg Laying
Since golden comets are not large birds, they were clearly not bred for the purpose of being a meat bird. They were actually bred for the specific reason of producing a high volume of eggs every time they go to lay eggs. Golden comet hens will typically go to lay at least 1-2 eggs every single day in her young peak laying years when she is most fertile.
Most hens can and will start to lay eggs when they are still fairly young birds themselves. They can start laying eggs when they are about sixteen weeks old. When they start laying eggs at this young age, their eggs are actually very small, and not typically the eggs that you harvest and use. As time goes by and the hen gets older and more mature, the eggs get larger. You will know when the hens are starting to get ready to lay their eggs when their comb turns into more of a pink color, they start to waddle more, and their feathers turn dark red. The change can actually happen very quickly and they can begin laying eggs fairly quickly.
The peak egg-laying time for a golden comet hen is from the point when they start to lay eggs and until they are about three years old. After they reach about three years of age, the hen will continue to lay eggs, but how many eggs they lay and how often they go to lay will slow down quite a bit. If you get used to having a lot of eggs or a good production, then you will need to always replenish your coop with younger hens so that they are making up what the older hens are no longer able to do.
Just as it is important to feed and take care of hens with any other breed, it is very important to take care of your golden comet hens. It is vital that you are giving them a good, healthy diet and plenty of water so that they stay hydrated. When they have the right nutrition and a lot of fresh water, then they are more likely to have better egg production.
If you notice that your hen is laying a good amount of eggs, and then see that their production starts to taper off then the first thing that you need to look at is what the nutritional value of the food your flock is that you are feeding them. If you are having a problem, then you might need to add some fresh vegetables to their diet and give them a better quality feed with more nutrition.
You can also add in oyster shells to their diet so that you can give them some additional calcium into their diet. A lot of times, that added calcium can also help boost the nutrients that they need and restore your golden comet hen back to giving you a good production.
Golden comet hens lay eggs that are typically brown in color on the shells and they are typically large or jumbo-sized in size. They lay eggs so well that this is definitely a breed that farmers use a lot of times to supply commercial large-sized brown eggs to grocery stores all over the world. Rhode Island Red chickens are the top egg layers in the world at this time, but the Golden Comet chicken comes in a very close second and gives them a run for their money for laying large, tasty, beautiful brown eggs.
Golden Comets for Sale
You may want to rush out and buy some colorful Golden Comet chickens to add to your flock. They are quite common and easy to find. You can buy chicks locally quite often, but we’ve also heard that Cackle Hatchery has them for sale. They have great reviews and many people have bought Golden Comet Chickens from them.
Golden Comet Photos
Golden Comet Videos
Conclusion
The golden comet hybrid chicken is a great chicken to have for commercial purposes such as to harvest and sell their eggs, or to have as pets or family farm animals. They will give you all the eggs you could need as long as you have some in the coop in their prime egg-laying years. They’re perfect for a small backyard and really do not require a lot of space for them to be happy.
People who have golden comets and spend time with them and take care of them like they should say that they really enjoy having them and the bond that they are able to build with them. People say that they are a delightful breed and a friendly type of bird to have around in general! If you are considering getting a new flock of chickens, the golden comet is the best way to go and you will love your new birds!
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