Purebred Poultry Show Botanical Garden Solingen

Solingen-Ohligs — Botanical Garden and Poultry Breeding

Solingen-Ohligs is one of Solingen's districts, located southwest of the city center. It is home to the Botanical Garden Solingen at Vogelsang 2a—an almost 3-hectare site with plant collections, show houses for tropical and Mediterranean plants, themed gardens, and active community life. Themed exhibitions are held in the show houses several times a year—and one of the established events is the Purebred Poultry Show by the nearby Poultry Breeding Association Fauna Ohligs, which utilizes the proximity and the weather-protected show houses for its autumn exhibition.

120 Years of Poultry Breeding Association Fauna Ohligs

The Poultry Breeding Association Fauna Ohligs was founded 120 years ago and celebrates its 120th anniversary in 2026. This makes it one of the oldest active purebred poultry breeding associations in North Rhine-Westphalia. As a member of the Rheinländischer Geflügelzüchterverband (Rhineland Poultry Breeders' Association), the association practices traditional purebred breeding—not industrial mass farming, but the preservation of historical chicken, bantam, and pigeon breeds that would have long disappeared without the association's efforts.

What You Will See at the Show

The 8th Purebred Poultry Show features a wide range of breeds from the association members' breeding stock:

• Purebred Chickens in numerous historical breeds—from Sundheimer and Bielefelder Kennhuhn to Cochin and Marans, as well as Zwerg-Vorwerk and Bantam club specialties
• Bantam Breeds—smaller versions of the large breeds with their own distinct breeding profiles
• Pigeons—from racing pigeons and tumbler varieties to breeds with unique plumage
• Information on Color Varieties—many breeds are shown in multiple color varieties, each with explanations of breeding goals
• Egg Exhibition—a selection of eggs from different breeds, often with a surprising color palette (from creamy white to green, blue, chocolate brown)

Accompanying Program Formats

• Expert Lectures on species-appropriate keeping, incubation and rearing, disease prevention
• Q&A Sessions with experienced breeders—particularly valuable for beginners
• Information Stands on association work, membership, youth programs
• Refreshments—coffee and homemade cake, waffles with ice cream or warm cherries—as befits a traditional club show

Why It's Important Now

Purebred poultry breeding associations have come under significant pressure in recent years—due to avian flu regulations, declining membership, increased hygiene requirements, and the general displacement of traditional animal husbandry. Associations like Fauna Ohligs are guardians of historical breeds that would have long vanished in industrial mass farming. Visitors to the show support this conservation work—and get to know animals not found in the supermarket's chicken aisle.

Discover the Botanical Garden Solingen

The Botanical Garden Solingen itself is worth a full day: plant collections from around the world, themed gardens (herb garden, apothecary garden), show houses for tropical and Mediterranean plants, a café. The Stiftung Botanischer Garten Solingen e.V. (Botanical Garden Solingen Foundation) manages the grounds on a voluntary basis. Admission to the grounds is free (donations appreciated).