Calm, gentle, and easygoing. Malines chickens are truly gentle giants. They’re a fantastic addition to a dual-purpose flock because they are a plump heritage roaster and a decent laying hen.
Malines chickens hail from Malines village in Belgium. They were developed to be primarily meat birds, but they are also moderate layers, generally producing about 160 eggs yearly.
Malines are mild-mannered, sweet-tempered chickens. They’re easy for beginners to handle and fun for kids.
Malines Basics
We were given a sweet rooster named Mr. Furry Feet a few years ago. He was huge – towering above our little Norwegian roosters. His previous owners had lost the rest of their small flock to a fox and brought over Mr. Furry Feet and his sole, remaining hen to us.
Initially, I was a little worried about how well such giant birds would integrate into our coop. They were almost double the size of most of our other birds, and adding roosters is always a challenge.
Well, it’s almost always a challenge.
Mr. Furry Feet wasn’t a challenge at all. He was incredibly polite, gentle, and sweet. He had one quick scuffle with our lead rooster and then settled in perfectly. His hen, Mrs. Furry Feet, never wrestled with anyone.
She walked through the coop in solemn dignity, and the other hens were respectful. After all, she outweighed them by at least three pounds.
It was adorable to see my young kids carrying around these giant, placid birds.
That was my introduction to Malines chickens.
Malines can come in up to nine different colorations, but the most common and the easiest to find in America is the black-and-white cuckoo pattern.
Because they were developed primarily as meat birds, Malines chickens are large. But, unlike more modern meat breeds, Malines aren’t grotesque. They’re healthy, active birds that can live long, happy lives.
Malines were developed in the 19th century by crossing oriental chicken breeds, like Cochins and Brahmas, with local birds that had attractive, cuckoo-patterned coloring.
The resulting bird ranges between seven and 12 pounds, with a tall comb and feathery legs and feet.
Temperament
Malines chickens get along with everyone in and outside the coop. They integrate into chicken coops and hold their own with the other birds in the barnyard.
Because of their size and low-key personalities, my Malines haven’t had any squabbles with the geese or guineas in my yard. They welcome visits from children and dogs and don’t mind being scooped up by a gentle child.
Coloration
In their home country of Belgium, Malines chickens can be found in nine different colorations, from the traditional black and white cuckoo pattern to solid blue, solid white, and beyond.
Because they’re primarily a table bird, Malines are bred to have white skin as well. But occasionally, a Malines bird will have yellow-toned skin instead.
Their legs are white, with some feathering on the legs and feet. Maline combs are single, tall, and bright red. Their wattles and earlobes are the same bright red color. They have broad, muscular chests and straight backs.
Auto-Sexing Chicks?
According to some hatcheries, Malines are an auto-sexing breed. But many hatcheries say the cues that should be easy to see are often lacking. So, for all practical purposes, Malines are not an auto-sexing breed.
If you hatch your own batch of Malines, or order chicks, look at them to see if you can identify any common markers that could distinguish males from females.
Males should be lighter than females.
Egg Production
Malines lay regularly but not abundantly. They can produce about 160 eggs yearly, which is a little less than an egg every other day.
They tend to lay consistently throughout the winter at about one to two eggs each week and pick up the pace a bit in the spring and summer. They stop laying completely during molting.
Maline eggs are jumbo-sized. If a baking recipe calls for three eggs, you can often get away with just two Malines eggs. The eggs are a light, creamy tan.
Malines Meat
While these chickens make decent layers, they’re fabulous as meat birds. Unlike modern meat birds, Malines can live healthy, happy lives for years without crushing themselves under their own weight.
When they’re butchered, Malines produce a large, meaty roaster with white skin and rich flavor.
Malines are great for dishes that are flavor-forward and unique. While they make a great roast chicken or basic pot pie, they’re even better in curries, coq-au-vin, or yogurt-chicken because of their naturally deep, nuanced flavor.
Foraging
Malines are decent foragers, but due to their size, they will always need to get a significant amount of their calories from grain as well. These are big birds, and big birds need more food than smaller, lighter breeds.
Because of their size, Malines chickens are easy to keep contained. They can’t fly as well as the lighter breeds, and a simple, four-foot-high fence is enough to keep them in the chicken yard.
They need more space than smaller birds, but they’re content with a roomy yard and rarely try to escape.
Hardiness
Malines are extremely cold hardy. Their heavy, densely feathered bodies can keep them cozy throughout cold winters. But in the summer, Malines can struggle to keep cool.
Their heavy bodies and dense feathers make it hard to handle the heat. In temperatures over 75°F, ensure your Malines have plenty of shade, dust to bathe in, and cold, clean water to drink. For other tips on keeping your chickens cool, visit our guide.
If you live in an area of the country with scorching summers, Malines may not be the bird for you.
In the winter, Malines are at risk of frostbite on their large combs despite their dense feathers. Ensure your coop is snug, and keep your birds well hydrated to reduce the risk of frostbite.
Health and Wellness
Malines are generally healthy birds. They don’t have any health concerns particular to the breed, but keep an eye out for general chicken health concerns like sour crop and coccidiosis.
Of course, all chickens will suffer if they don’t have the right conditions. Remember to keep your coop clean, make sure your chickens have access to fresh, clean water, and watch for common coop pests and diseases like mites, infections, Avian flu, and respiratory issues.
Also, keep your birds safe from predators by building a secure coop with solid doors and no holes for predators to sneak through. An invading raccoon can wipe out a healthy flock in one night.
Malines Chickens Pros and Cons
Malines chickens are enormous, beautiful, sweet birds that bring a calm energy and a friendly attitude to your coop. They’re also great beginner birds and restful companions for long-term chicken raisers.
Positives
Malines chickens are consistent layers that can lay slowly but steadily throughout the winter. Their eggs are large and flavorful. Though they don’t produce a lot of eggs each year, they tend to lay for longer than production breeds. You can expect to get eggs from your older Malines as well.
They are exceptionally sweet, easy-going birds. Malines get along well with flock mates, yard mates, and family members. They’re an excellent family chicken. Their sweet, quiet personalities fit in well in suburban coops and country barnyards.
Malines are fantastic, heritage meat birds. They produce a large, flavorful table bird ideal as a family roaster or a restaurant-level main dish. Because Malines grow so large – up to 12 lbs – they are fantastic birds to raise if you want to feed a family on heritage meat.
Malines chickens are also easy to keep contained. Keeping them penned behind a simple fence is easy because they’re large birds that can’t fly high. Unlike smaller chicken breeds, Malines can’t lift their bodies over a four-foot-high fence, so you can keep them in a suburban backyard.
Cons
No bird is perfect. Malines chickens are sweet and pretty, but they aren’t for everyone.
If you’re looking for an egg a day from each of your birds, don’t get a Malines. They’re never going to be production layers.
But if you have a small flock of Malines, you’ll be able to get enough eggs to provide for a small family. If you mix a few Malines into a flock of more abundant layers, you’ll be all set, even with a large family.
Because of the roosters’ large combs, they can struggle with frostbite in the winter. If you live where temperatures dip below 0°F in the winter, insulate your coop well and ensure your birds have enough food and water to fight off the chill. Chopped pumpkin, fed in the evening, is also a great way to help your birds keep warm.
They are unreliably auto-sexing, though some hatcheries claim they’re easy to auto-sex. It might depend on the color of the birds. This might lead to some confusion if you’re raising your own Malines.
Because they’re extra large birds, Malines chickens need more food and space than smaller breeds. Keep that in mind if you’re adding Malines chickens to an already crowded coop.