Golden Comet chickens have become a popular choice amongst backyard chicken keepers and for good reason!
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the origins of the Golden Comet, their egg-laying capabilities, broodiness tendencies, temperament, suitable environments for raising these chickens, and much more.
Whether you’re a seasoned chicken keeper or a beginner, this guide will provide you with all the information you need to successfully raise a flock of Golden Comet chickens.
I’ve included a quick reference table for you below!
| Characteristics | Information |
|---|---|
| Breed | Hybrid breed created by crossing New Hampshire Rooster with White Rock Hen |
| Origin | Developed for the commercial poultry industry in the early 1990s, but now popular among small farms and backyard chicken raising |
| Purpose | Raised for both meat and eggs |
| Feather color | Warm, reddish-brown with white speckling |
| Egg-laying | Excellent egg-laying capabilities, laying consistently throughout the year |
| Number of eggs | As many as 300-320 eggs per year, averaging 5-6 eggs per week |
| Egg color | Light brown |
| Start laying | Usually around 4-5 months old |
| Broodiness | Rarely go broody |
| Temperament | Docile, friendly, and calm |
| Integration | Friendly with other chicken breeds, making integration into an existing flock easier |
| Environments | Tolerates both hot and cold temperatures, but prefers mild to moderate climates |
| Comb | Single comb that is susceptible to frostbite in cold climates |
| Free-range | Excellent free-range chickens, active foragers, self-sufficient when allowed to free-range |
Origins of the Golden Comet Chicken Breed
The Golden Comet chicken is a hybrid breed, which means it was created by crossbreeding two different chicken breeds. So then, which two chicken breeds result in Golden Comets? Golden Comets are created by crossbreeding a New Hampshire Rooster with a White Rock Hen. You may be asking yourself now, what’s a White Rock chicken, and are they the same as the White Leghorn? In fact, these are two different breeds of chickens. To learn more about their differences, I’ve written an article for you here: White Leghorn or White Rock: What’s the Difference?
Anyway, back to the origin of the golden comets! Although originally developed for the commercial poultry industry in the early 1990s, the Golden Comet has since become a popular choice for small farms and backyard chicken raising. Golden Comets are a dual-purpose breed, meaning they are raised for their meat and eggs. Their feathers have a warm, reddish-brown color with white speckling throughout.
In the next sections, we will go into more detail on each of their characteristics!
Egg-Laying Capabilities of Golden Comet Chickens
Golden Comet chickens are known for their excellent egg-laying capabilities. They are a prolific breed that lays consistently throughout the year, with some hens laying as many as 300-320 eggs per year. This comes out to 5-6 eggs per week. The eggs are typically large in size and have a light brown shell color.
Golden Comets start laying eggs at a relatively young age, usually around 4-5 months old and will continue to lay consistently for several years. Overall, if you’re looking for a breed that will provide you with a steady supply of high-quality eggs, Golden Comets are an excellent choice!
I’ve personally raised hundreds of these chickens thanks to being a member of the 4H. As a kid, I would get 100 of these delivered to me less than a week old every year. This breed is truly a fantastic egg layer and is only rivaled by White Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds!
Broodiness in Golden Comet Chickens
In total, golden comet hens rarely go broody. On one hand, it means that Golden Comets are less likely to stop laying eggs to focus on raising chicks, which can be beneficial for those who want a consistent egg supply. On the other hand, if you are interested in hatching your own chicks or expanding your flock through natural means, you may need to consider other breeds or think about using an incubator.
During my experience with golden comets, if they go broody at all, I find that they tend to go broody after 2 years of age. I will say, once one of them does go broody, it’s quite hard to stop.
Temperament of Golden Comet Chickens
Golden Comet chickens are known for their docile and friendly nature. They are generally calm and gentle birds that are easy to handle and enjoy human interaction. This makes them an ideal choice for families with children or for those who are new to raising chickens.
While raising these chickens, I had no issues with them being aggressive toward each other or people.
Golden Comets are also known to be friendly with other chicken breeds, which can make integration into an existing flock easier. I always had older chickens around while raising my golden comets, usually White Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, and Buff Orpingtons. I never had an issue with golden comets causing a problem around these other breeds of chickens.
Suitable Environments for Raising Golden Comet Chickens
Golden Comets are a hardy breed that can tolerate both hot and cold temperatures, although they do prefer mild to moderate climates. While excelling in warmer climates, golden comets can also handle the cold quite well. The hens weigh 4-7 pounds and the roosters weigh 6-8 pounds. This makes them a medium-sized breed, which do well in cooler climates.
Although Golden Comets are suited to cooler climates, they do have a single comb which is more susceptible to frostbite. If you’re in a cooler climate raising Golden Comets, make sure to use petroleum jelly on their combs during winter to help prevent frostbite!
I’ve raised golden comets in temperatures ranging from 15-103 degrees Fahrenheit and never ran into any issues. Make sure your chickens have access to fresh cool water, especially in the summer so they can cool down if temperatures get above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. In winter months, a shelter is the best means to keep them warm.
To see a complete guide on winter care for chickens, I’ve written an article on How to Keep Chickens Warm in Winter.
Are Golden Comets Good Free-Range Chickens?
In total, Golden Comets are excellent free-range chickens. Golden Comet chickens are active foragers, which means they require less maintenance and are self-sufficient when allowed to free range.
This makes them an excellent choice for novice chicken keepers in backyard or small farm settings, as they are relatively easy to care for and do not require as much attention as other breeds.
While Golden Comets are great free-range chickens, they are no match for predators. I highly recommend you keep a close eye on your chickens and only let them out at the proper time of day. I’ve written an article based on how long you should let your chickens free range if you’d like to check it out!
Can You Incubate Golden Comet Chickens?
Yes, you can incubate Golden Comet Chickens! However, remember that you’ll need the New Hampshire Rooster and the White Rock Hen eggs. Unfortunately, you can’t use Golden Comet hens and roosters in order to breed more Golden Comets.
White Rock hens aren’t known for their broodiness, so you’ll definitely want an incubator! I’ve written an article based on still air incubators vs circulated air incubators if you’d like to check it out!
Also, golden comets are sex-linked chickens, which means you can tell which chickens are roosters or hens after hatching. The hens will be golden buff with stripes, while the males will be pale yellow. This is amazing since you won’t waste any feed on roosters if you’d prefer not to raise them.
How Long Do Golden Comets Live?
On average, Golden Comets live for 4-5 years. Unfortunately, golden comets were bred to be super layers, which takes a toll on their body. The average lifespans of most breeds of chickens are usually 5-10 years.
I tend to keep my Golden Comets for 2-3 years then replenish the flock. You can either choose to use your hens for meat or rehome them. I’ve written an entire guide on how to rehome your unwanted chickens if you’re interested!
Golden Comet Advantages and Disadvantages
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| High Egg Production (Up to 320 Eggs Per Year) | Lifespan Less Than Average (4-5 Years) |
| Sex-Linked (Can Tell Sex at Birth) | Single Comb Can Frostbite in Extreme Cold Weather |
| Great in Most Environments | Must have New Hampshire Red Rooster and White Rock Hens to Breed |
| Great Free-Rangers | |
| Docile and Friendly | |
| Integrates Well with Other Breeds | |
| Rarely Goes Broody |
This article was originally published on farmapt.com. If it is now published on any other site, it was done without permission from the copyright owner.
Conclusion: Are Golden Comets Right For You?
I believe golden comets are one of the best egg-laying chickens in existence. They are easy to handle and are very friendly. They are great at free-ranging and can excel in most environments. I’d say the only downside to a golden comet is its short lifespan and inability to produce more Golden Comets. In order to get more golden comets you must have two other breeds – New Hampshires and White Rocks. All in all, I believe Golden Comets are an excellent choice if you decide to give them a try. I’ve raised hundreds, and I’m sure I will end up raising hundreds more!