Mechelse Hrvatica (CCP25)

MECHELSE COLLONCA

Mechelse Collonca

CCP24

The various phenotypes display the characteristics of the twenty-three different breeds of chicken crossed into this generation of the Cosmopolitan Chicken Project. We see recognizable traits from Belgium, France, Great Britain, the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Mexico, Thailand, Brazil, Turkey, Cuba, Italy, Russia, China, Egypt, Senegal, Slovenia, Austria, Indonesia, Detroit, Denmark, Finland, Vatican City, and Chile.

Hrvatica

Hrvatica

Kroatië

The Croatian hen, Kokoš Hrvatica, originated in 1917 in the Croatian region Podravina by crossing domestic chickens with Leghorn roosters. It got its final traits by being crossed once again - with Welsumer chickens - so today's varieties include Black, Black Gold, Gold Partridge, and Red. After winning an egg-laying competition in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1937, the breed officially got the name. Although it is one of the most common Croatian breeds because it produces quality eggs and is adaptive and resistant, the number of Croatian hens is dwindling because of hybridization, the decline in traditional farming, and an increase in industrial agriculture, deruralization, and deagrarization.

Expedition

Locating this species has been no easy feat. The Hrvatica eventually arrived in Belgium two days before the country ended up in lockdown by COVID-19. It's a corona chicken. Had the chicken come a little later, the 25th crossing of the Cosmopolitan Chicken Project could not have occurred.

 

Birthplace of the first chicks

Global Open Farm, Oudsbergen (BE)

First showing

TOUCH ME Festival, Zagreb (HR)

 

The unexpected, the appeal of the chicken...

De Hrvatica is een oud ras dat uit de vergetelheid is gehaald en nu de nieuwe identiteit van het Kroatische volk symboliseert. Het is een veerkrachtig en duurzaam ras. Haar geboorte temidden de pandemie is opmerkelijk. Wat de uiteindelijke serendipiteit zal zijn, is nog afwachten.