Holland

Dual purpose · United States · 🌱 Beginner friendly

The Holland was developed at Rutgers University to solve a specific Depression-era problem: farmers wanted a meaty dual-purpose bird that laid the white eggs markets paid more for. It succeeded quietly and then nearly disappeared, making it one of the rarest American breeds today.

Eggs per year

200–240

Egg color

White

Egg size

Large

Hen weight

6–7 lbs

Temperament

Calm and adaptable

Broodiness

Sometimes broody

❄️ Cold hardy☀️ Heat tolerant

Did you know?

Despite the Dutch name — a nod to some of its foundation stock — the Holland is thoroughly American, admitted to the Standard in 1949.

Is the Holland right for your flock?

Expect roughly 200240 white eggs a year from a healthy hen in her prime — production dips during molt and the short days of winter, and eases off as she ages. Planning space? A Holland hen runs 67 lbs, so size the coop with our coop size calculator and estimate the feed bill with the feed cost calculator.

The Holland shows up in

More breeds to compare

Keeping Hollands?

Give every bird a profile in PoultryPal — track their eggs, weight, and life events, and see who's really your best layer.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play