The Mugello Hen
Rich in breathtaking landscapes and animals, Mugello is an extraordinary area where nature reigns. In the territory of Mugello a special species of hen, called the mugello hen— “Mugellese” or “Mugginese” in Italian— is bred. Many iconographic representations widespread until the mid 1900s testify to the historical presence of the “Mugellese” hen in the Tuscan countryside.
The Mugello hen is small (1.2-1.5 kg) but nevertheless has a very lively and rustic character that sometimes has aggressive behavior towards other roosters. It is very easy to distinguish males’ from females’ plumage as the former are a dark golden color while females can be wheat-colored, black or gold. The chicks of the Mugello hen instead have a pale yellow plumage.
This type of hen produces a large amount of small eggs and has a great aptitude towards hatching, which is why the Tuscan countryside was the most notable region frequently entrusted with hatching eggs of other breeds of chickens as well. Surprisingly, the “Mugellese” hen favors sleeping perched up on plants or tree limbs, even if the weather is bad.
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