What color eggs do White-Faced Black Spanish lay?

Large, chalk-**white** eggs — a bright, clean white shell with no tint or brown coating. Hens lay roughly **160–180 white eggs a year**.

Are White-Faced Black Spanish good for showing?

Yes — they are a distinctive exhibition breed shown in the APA's **Mediterranean class**, judged above all on the large, smooth **white face**. The catch is patience: the face only develops fully after the first molt (past a year old), and frost blemishes can disqualify an otherwise good bird, so they reward experienced exhibitors.

How hard are White-Faced Black Spanish to hatch?

The eggs themselves hatch like any chicken egg — **99.5–100°F, lockdown day 18, 21-day hatch**, no special quirks. The real difficulty is that hens are **non-sitters**, so you must use an incubator or a broody hen of another breed.

When does the white face develop?

Slowly. Birds usually need to go through their **first annual molt — past a year of age** — before the full white face fills in, and cockerels often develop it faster than pullets.

Are White-Faced Black Spanish rare?

Yes. The Livestock Conservancy lists the breed as **Critical**. Once one of the best-known breeds in 19th-century America, its numbers collapsed and much of the surviving population is closely related, so it is very much a conservation breed today.

Are White-Faced Black Spanish cold hardy?

No — this is a warm-climate Mediterranean breed. The big comb, wattles, earlobes, and white face are all frostbite-prone, and cold can leave permanent dark spots on the white face. They need frost-protected winter housing.

White-Faced Black Spanish: The Original Mediterranean Breed

Verified September 2026White eggs

The short version

The White-Faced Black Spanish is a Critical-status heritage breed and one of the oldest breeds in the APA's Mediterranean class, admitted to the Standard in 1874. It is instantly recognized by its large, drooping chalk-white face set against glossy black plumage and a bright red comb, and it lays large white eggs (roughly 160–180 a year). Hens are non-sitters, so plan on an incubator. The trademark white face only develops fully after the bird's first molt — usually past a year of age — which is exactly what makes this breed a long game for exhibitors.

APA class: Mediterranean

Egg color: White

Broodiness: Rarely broody

Varieties: 1

Egg-color genetics

Like the other Mediterranean-class layers it is closely tied to, the White-Faced Black Spanish lays a large, chalk-white egg — the classic bright white shell with no brown coating and no blue pigment. There is only the one shell color to breed for, so selection work goes into size, lay rate, and the bird's signature white face rather than egg color.

Why the white face takes so long

The White-Faced Black Spanish is a slow-maturing breed, and its trademark feature is the last thing to arrive. Chicks and young birds look like fairly ordinary black chickens with red faces; the smooth white facial skin only fills in as the bird matures, typically after its first annual molt at over a year of age. Keepers often notice hens developing the white face more slowly than roosters.

For a breeder this means patience: you cannot fully judge a bird's show potential — or its breeding value for face — until it is mature. It also means buying started or adult stock is far more informative than buying chicks if the white face is your priority.

A cold-weather warning

This is not a breed for harsh winters without preparation. The large comb, wattles, earlobes, and the white face itself are all highly susceptible to frostbite. Beyond the welfare issue, cold exposure can cause permanent dark spots to form on the white face — a blemish that cannot be undone and will follow the bird into the show pen. If you live where temperatures drop hard, think carefully before adding this breed, and provide dry, draft-free, frost-protected housing.

Breeding notes

The oversized white face is the signature show trait and the whole point of the breed — but it is slow to arrive. Birds usually need to go through their first annual molt (past a year old) before the smooth white facial skin fills in, and cockerels tend to develop it faster than pullets, so judge breeder prospects on mature birds, not youngsters.
Select for smooth, clean white facial skin that hangs below the wattles without excessive folding or coarse texture, while keeping the black plumage tight and glossy. Historically, breeders pushing for ever-larger faces also bred away hardiness, so balance face size against overall vigor rather than chasing face alone.
This is often called the oldest breed in the Mediterranean class and is closely related to the Minorca and Castellana Negra — keep a single-variety flock and avoid outcrossing to those relatives if you want faces and type to stay true.
The white face, large comb, wattles, and earlobes are all frostbite-prone. Frost damage can leave permanent dark spots on the white face that ruin a show bird, so heated, draft-free winter housing is a breeding-program decision, not just a comfort one.
Much of the surviving population is a narrow, somewhat inbred gene pool. Track pedigrees, bring in unrelated bloodlines when you can, and hatch generously to keep numbers up — this is a conservation breed.

Showing notes

Exhibited in the APA's Mediterranean class as a single black variety; the defining feature judges look for is the large, smooth, white face hanging lower than the wattles, contrasted against a bright red single comb and glossy greenish-black plumage.
Only mature birds show their best — a bird still developing its face before that first molt will not present the full aristocratic head, so time your grow-outs so key birds peak in condition for the show, not before.
Dark frost blemishes on the white face, coarse or heavily folded facial skin, purple or gypsy comb color, and any white or off-color feathering in the black are common faults to cull against.

Hatching & incubation

No breed-specific incubation requirements — treat the eggs like any chicken egg: about 99.5–100°F forced-air, lockdown day 18, 21-day hatch.
Because hens are reliably non-broody, always plan on an incubator or a foster broody of another breed; do not count on a Spanish hen to sit her own clutch.

Recognized varieties

Black (with white face)

Frequently asked questions

What color eggs do White-Faced Black Spanish lay?: Large, chalk-white eggs — a bright, clean white shell with no tint or brown coating. Hens lay roughly 160–180 white eggs a year.
Are White-Faced Black Spanish good for showing?: Yes — they are a distinctive exhibition breed shown in the APA's Mediterranean class, judged above all on the large, smooth white face. The catch is patience: the face only develops fully after the first molt (past a year old), and frost blemishes can disqualify an otherwise good bird, so they reward experienced exhibitors.
How hard are White-Faced Black Spanish to hatch?: The eggs themselves hatch like any chicken egg — 99.5–100°F, lockdown day 18, 21-day hatch, no special quirks. The real difficulty is that hens are non-sitters, so you must use an incubator or a broody hen of another breed.
When does the white face develop?: Slowly. Birds usually need to go through their first annual molt — past a year of age — before the full white face fills in, and cockerels often develop it faster than pullets.
Are White-Faced Black Spanish rare?: Yes. The Livestock Conservancy lists the breed as Critical. Once one of the best-known breeds in 19th-century America, its numbers collapsed and much of the surviving population is closely related, so it is very much a conservation breed today.
Are White-Faced Black Spanish cold hardy?: No — this is a warm-climate Mediterranean breed. The big comb, wattles, earlobes, and white face are all frostbite-prone, and cold can leave permanent dark spots on the white face. They need frost-protected winter housing.

Sources

Spanish Chicken (breed profile, status & production facts) — The Livestock Conservancy (Reference)
White-faced Black Spanish (history, class & egg facts) — Wikipedia (Reference)
White-Faced Black Spanish chickens (white-face development & frostbite) — The Featherbrain (Reference)

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