The Ancona is a small, highly active Mediterranean laying breed from Italy's Marche region. The Livestock Conservancy lists it as Watch, puts laying at about 220 white eggs a year, notes that pullets often start laying at five months, and says Anconas lay better in winter than Leghorns. Hens do not go broody, and the birds fly easily and like to range widely.
| Conservation Priority List status | Watch |
|---|---|
| Origin | Marche region on Italy's central east coast, named for the port city of Ancona |
| APA Standard of Perfection | Single comb 1898, rose comb 1914 |
| Weight | Males 6 lb, females 4.5 lb |
| Eggs | About 220 white-shelled eggs a year, medium to large |
| Broodiness | Non-sitters (not broody) |
| Climate | Stands frost and snow well; single combs need frostbite care |
Source: The Livestock Conservancy, Ancona Chicken breed profile, read 2026-10-08. Individual lines and strains vary, so ask each breeder about their own stock.
You can request Ancona Chicken through FastPoultry, which matches buyer requests with breeders. Choose from 3 request pages for hatching eggs, day-old chicks, and adult birds, then tell us your quantity, preferred age, and delivery state in the form on this page. Matched breeder options arrive within 1 business day, and you arrange payment, pickup, or shipping directly with the breeder you choose.
Prices for Ancona Chicken are set by each breeder and change with season, line quality, age, and quantity, so FastPoultry does not publish a fixed price. Submitting a request is free. Matched breeders reply with current pricing, and you should ask whether the quote includes boxing, shipping, and vaccinations before you pay the breeder directly.
The Livestock Conservancy puts the Ancona at about 220 white-shelled eggs a year, with pullets often starting to lay at around five months of age. Anconas lay fewer eggs over a full year than Leghorns but outlay them in winter, and both the single comb and rose comb varieties are non-sitters, so hens rarely go broody. Single-comb birds need protection from frostbite in hard freezes.
The Ancona Chicken is part of the FastPoultry Chickens catalog, with request pages for hatching eggs, day-old chicks, and adult birds. We do not yet publish a full care profile for this breed, so ask matched NPIP-certified breeders about temperament, climate fit, space needs, and the purpose of their line before you commit.
The Ancona Chicken can be requested as hatching eggs, day-old chicks, and adult birds. Hatching eggs are the most affordable start, ship USPS Priority, and should be set within 7 to 10 days of lay. Day-old birds ship USPS Express and need a 95 F brooder ready on arrival. Adults are proven layers or show birds at point of lay or beyond. Pick the age that matches your brooding setup and how soon you want eggs or breeding stock.
The USDA NPIP state importation table (May 20, 2026) lists VS Form 9-3 as required for shipments into 44 of 50 states, and 31 states list a permit, approval number, or other entry requirement, so check your state's location page before you order. VS Form 9-3 is the NPIP report of sales that the shipping breeder completes, and some states add a permit number, a Pullorum-Typhoid or avian influenza clean-flock rule, or a health certificate. FastPoultry does not ship to Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands through standard requests.
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