Black Shumen

The Black Shumen is an old breed of chicken originating in Shumen region of Bulgaria. In the middle of the 20th century it was crossed with Minorca chickens and later, briefly, with Rhode Island Red birds.^[2]

Black Shumen

Black Shumen cockerel, 20 weeks old
Conservation status	rare
Other names	Bulgarian: Черна шуменска кокошка[1] Cherna shumenska kokoshka[1] Black shoumenska hen
Country of origin	Bulgaria
Use	eggs, fancy
Traits
Weight	Male: 2–2.5 kg[2] Female: 1.5–1.8 kg[2]
Skin color	white
Egg color	white
Comb type	single
Classification
Chicken Gallus gallus domesticus

It is considered a rare breed. In 2013 the population was reported as 350.^[1] It is kept by the Bulgarian Poultry Institute in Stara Zagora and by a few members of the Bulgarian Poultry Breeders Association.

Characteristics

The Black Shumen is black with a greenish sheen; it has a single comb, white skin and red earlobes. It is early-maturing, and lays 160–170 greyish-white eggs weighing 53–55 g per year.^[2]