pur pose ▁farm ▁f lock s , ▁being ▁used ▁for ▁both ▁meat ▁and ▁egg ▁production ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁their ▁orn amental ▁qual ities . ▁H ens ▁do ▁not ▁usually ▁go ▁bro ody , ▁and ▁lay ▁a ▁good ▁amount ▁of ▁large , ▁white ▁col oured ▁eggs . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁exact ▁bre eds ▁that ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁Red cap ▁are ▁unknown , ▁but ▁Golden ▁Sp ang led ▁Hamburg s , ▁D ork ings , ▁Old ▁English ▁P he asant ▁F ow l ▁and ▁Black - Bre asted ▁Red ▁Games ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁involved . ▁The ▁bre ed ▁is ▁also ▁very ▁similar ▁in ▁con formation ▁to ▁now - ext inct ▁ch ick ens ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁York shire ▁P he asant ▁and ▁the ▁Lanc ash ire ▁Mo onie . ▁ ▁Derby shire ▁Red c aps ▁were ▁common ▁on ▁British ▁far ms ▁until ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁particularly ▁around ▁the ▁southern ▁P enn ines . ▁They ▁have ▁never ▁been ▁preferred ▁by ▁int ensive ▁far ms ▁or ▁commercial ▁operations , ▁and ▁have ▁always ▁been ▁primarily ▁a ▁bar ny ard ▁f ow l . ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 1 st ▁century , ▁they ▁are ▁a ▁very ▁rare ▁ch icken , ▁with ▁the ▁largest ▁numbers ▁still ▁res iding ▁in ▁their ▁home ▁country . ▁The ▁R are ▁Bre eds ▁Sur v ival ▁Trust ▁of ▁the ▁UK ▁lists ▁them ▁as ▁V ul ner able ▁on ▁their ▁watch ▁list . ▁Ab road , ▁Red c aps ▁were ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁P oul