In the Spring of 1968 we were invited to Italy to tour the Innocenti Factory as part of a top dealer's promotion. I believe there were 50 dealers worldwide invited to this event and the opportunity and exclusivity of it prompted our attendance.
The tour included seeing the production lines, riding one of the original twin cylinder prototypes and seeing early production tests of the upcoming DL line. We day-tripped to Gruppo Bertone and met with Nuccio, where he discussed the design and philosophy used for the next generation of Lambretta scooters. All in all, it was a very informative trip and got us really excited about what the future of Lambretta would bring.
During our down time we toured the Northern Italian countryside, where I discovered a vibrant fancy chicken culture. I knew very little of fancy chickens or show birds in general but the excitement and enthusiasm of the owners was contagious.
The most familiar local breed to North Americans would be the Livorno or "Leghorn". This Handsome bird originated in rural Tuscany and is considered a fantastic producer of eggs. The eggs themselves are the quintessential white variety with good flavor. An adult hen averages about 280 eggs per year, which is just incredible. Hens typically weigh about 4-5 lbs and cocks about 5-6 lbs.
While not as popular as the Livorno, the Padovana Riccia definitely checks all the boxes for Fancy Birds. This beautiful chicken, while hard to find in Italy, really speaks the Italian design language. When you want to show a truly fancy bird, consider this the Gucci or Fendi of birds. The long, luxurious plumes define elegance in a world riddled with lab-engineered Broilers.
Of particular interest, and a popular bird for show during our visit, was the Ancona. This proud chicken is similar in size to the Livorno but the vibrant plumage and hearty egg production is what makes it so desirable as a show bird. High-yield egg birds had a tendency towards popularity for show at the time due to their dual-use characteristics. Enthusiasts could show a bird on Saturday while another family member sells their eggs at the market. It just makes sense.
The oddest breed we saw during our visit was the Collo Nudo Italiana "Italian Naked-Neck". The name really says it all as this peculiar breed has no feathers on it's neck. It is an excellent bird for outdoor rearing and of course another high-yield egg producer, which made it very popular in the rural Italian countryside.
By the time we left I was convinced I would return home and bring a little bit of this new culture with me, which is when we launched our own line of fancy chicken handling equipment for showing prize birds. That was a very successful time for us as we really ushered in fancy chicken competition on a national scale and our line of handling equipment was at the forefront of this passionate industry.