Once you look previous the truth that they’re the most typical home chicken on this planet, chickens are literally tremendous fascinating. Their conduct, their colours, their physiological variations; there are such a lot of fascinating traits about them you can spend a lifetime learning them.
For hen fanciers like us, this additionally implies that your picture-perfect chicken is on the market ready for you.
When you desire chickens with much more fabulous feathers to like and print, it’s best to take into account a breed with feathered ft. You heard that proper: for some chickens, the feathers don’t cease on the thighs. They may go all the best way down their legs and even cowl their toes!
If that sounds superior to you, maintain studying, and I’ll inform you all about 13 sorts of fowl with feathered ft.
Sultan
This heritage breed is really the stuff of royalty. And I don’t say that with out trigger! Sultan chickens have been as soon as the unique fowl of royalty in Turkey, stored within the gardens and elsewhere on the grounds of assorted palaces and different royal property.
They’ve massive, flowing crests, thickly feathered necks and beards, and more and more thick feathers operating down the shanks of the legs and stopping on the tops of the ft.
That is one other decorative breed, shock, and it’s immediately stored as an exhibition hen…
These birds have a temperament that’s downright serene, and they’re so calm, so averse the battle, that they usually don’t defend themselves from predators or different chickens!
Which may sound like lots of accountability if you happen to’re letting them free vary as a result of they gained’t fare effectively, however so long as you possibly can maintain them protected or in a flock of like variety you possibly can get pleasure from just a little little bit of the excessive life in your individual yard.
Brahma
One of the vital well-known and largest home breeds, Brahmas have been developed in the USA from varied different home chickens imported from Southeastern Asia.
A dual-use breed that’s raised as a succesful egg layer and a large producer of meat, these chickens are recognized for his or her heavy, thick, and voluminous feathering which overflows from their thighs all the best way down their legs and covers most of their foot in sporadic patches.
These are some significantly massive chickens, and roosters can routinely weigh as much as 12 kilos or just a little extra. Regardless of this, they aren’t bullies and are typically calm peacemakers in combined flocks, or get alongside effectively with one another in flocks of their very own variety.
Cochin
One other large and really closely feathered hen, Cochins are recognized for laying a good quantity of very massive eggs, and likewise being a fairly good desk chicken particularly if you happen to’d like a big roast hen dinner.
Cochins are immediately distinguishable by their dimension, massive, ruffled feathers small combs, and, in fact, their feathered legs and ft. It is a hen that’s actually feathered from entrance to again and prime to backside.
And just like the Brahma featured above, regardless of their dimension and power Cochins, are recognized to be extremely docile and really straightforward to tame. Even the roosters have a repute for good conduct.
That’s positively a bonus for a yard flock, however you’ve bought to regulate them in a combined flock; they’ll usually get bullied by extra assertive birds, particularly different roosters.
Easter Eggers
Easter Eggers, like Frizzles talked about elsewhere, aren’t actually a breed. These are hybrid chickens, crossbreeds, developed from the pairing of any hen that lays blue eggs with any hen that lays brown or darkish brown eggs. The ensuing birds would possibly lay almost any shade of egg, therefore the identify!
Consider many Easter Eggers shouldn’t have feathered ft – it is determined by which breeds have been crossbred!
And owing to their standing because the mutts of the hen world, they are going to be seen with almost any shade of plumage, any sample, and varied options, together with beards and muffs, crests, and naturally, feathered legs and ft.
Additionally they occur to be very reliable and wholesome egg layers, in order that they aren’t only a novelty. When you aren’t caught up within the concept of getting a purebred heritage hen, Easter Eggers are wonderful egg layers, have lots of utility, and are very straightforward to look after. Tons to love!
Pekin
The Pekin is a Chinese language bantam breed, and a true bantam that means it has no bigger equal. Identified for its beauty and people-pleasing perspective and all kinds of fabulous plumage colours and patterns, starting from speckled to stable colours and every thing in between.
Pekins have lengthy feathers overlaying their legs together with gentle feathering on the shanks themselves. Their ft have small tufts of feathers rising right here and there, giving them the looks of carrying outsized, saggy pants.
If you need a real feather-footed breed with out an excessive amount of fear of repairs, the Pekin is a good alternative, particularly in gentle of their pleasant attitudes.
Do take be aware that roosters can nonetheless be confrontational and standoffish, although, in stark distinction to different decorative or pet breeds just like the Faverolles.
Barbu D’Uccles
This tiny, bearded, and extremely pleasant Belgian breed is available in many various colours, and all of them have one factor in widespread: the outermost toe on the foot has a sleek, dapper line of feathers rising over it.
Mixed with their most iconic and beautiful shade, the radically speckled mille fleur, these chickens are completely unmistakable.
They appear completely distinctive out of all the birds on our listing, however they carry extra to the desk than simply beauty, and that isn’t a joke about consuming them: they’re extremely affections, and most keepers report that they’re fast to kind bonds with individuals, making them a good selection for a real pet hen.
Nonetheless, they’ve a repute for being excitable and noisy, so they may not be the perfect chicken for you you probably have neighbors shut on both aspect.
Booted Bantam
You would possibly consider the booted bantam as a cousin to the Barbu d’Uccles above. Like these birds, it is a tiny breed that’s stored predominantly as a decorative, they usually supply many attractive plumage varieties to swimsuit any style.
In contrast to a lot of the different chickens on our listing, these have by no means been a utility breed, and have solely ever been stored as pets or showbirds.
Additionally they occur to be very pleasant, however fortunately they’re extra sedate and calm in comparison with the Barbu d’Uccles.
And if you happen to like feathered ft, these chickens have much more to supply, with closely feathered legs and fully feathered ft. They seem like they’re carrying some furry leggings or outsized boots- identical to the identify says!
Silkie
One of many world’s most well-known chickens, and doubtless the one most fantastically feathered one on this listing.
The Silkie is a decorative hen that’s recognized for its frizzy, tender fur-like feathers. They actually have a large, spherical crest of feathers on their heads that appears like an ushanka hat!
As is widespread with many decorative breeds, they arrive in effectively over a dozen completely different patterns and colours.
That is one other chicken that’s actually, phenomenally feathered from prime to backside with extremely thick, luxurious plumes operating all the best way down its legs and fully overlaying every foot. You possibly can’t even see their ft or toes more often than not!
Regrettably, this unbelievable plumage comes with a significant disadvantage: they normally require a number of care and grooming to maintain them trying their finest, and likewise to maintain them from getting sick or injured. However so long as you’re prepared to place up with that, the silky can actually reward you.
Faverolles
One of the vital attractive chickens you’ll ever see, and possessed of a completely distinctive salmon coloring consisting of patches of rippling orange, sienna, and tan over a creamy off-white base shade, the Faverolles is a French breed that was developed from the Houdan, designed to endure lengthy, shut confinement whereas nonetheless being an excellent twin use hen.
Right this moment, although, they normally get the royal therapy by being stored as showbirds or pets because of their lively, curious, and extremely candy personalities.
They’re arguably one of many perfect chickens for yard flocks due to this, although roosters particularly have a surprisingly deep and bassy name. That gained’t endear them to your neighbors, sadly!
As with all birds right here on our listing, they’ve feathering that grows down the aspect of their legs and on the surface of the foot, but additionally lovable muffs and beards which make them look just a little comical.
Marans
One other French breed, the Marans is famous for its beauty, stocky physique form, and alluring colours and patterns, starting from the semi-striped cuckoo to varied shades of blue. These chickens are additionally recognized the world over for his or her chocolate- and mahogany-colored eggs.
Their disposition is variable: Marans are normally pleasant and simple to deal with, however their total personalities can vary from participating and attentive to nervous and flighty. Normally, they’d desire if you happen to didn’t contact them.
Nonetheless, the standing of their foot and leg feathering can also be considerably variable, since completely different strains are bred in mainland Europe, the UK, and the USA.
Out of the three, solely the French poultry associations and associating breed requirements don’t take into account the feathered legs a defect, and so they’re much extra widespread there, although nonetheless extant within the different international locations.
Croad Langshan
Cumbersome, tall, and imperious, Croadvert Langshans may need a reputation befitting a James Bond villain, however don’t let that idiot you.
These are easy-going birds which can be straightforward to deal with, although not significantly pleasant; in comparison with a few of the different breeds on our listing, they aren’t very cuddling and may do with out lots of petting or shut confinement.
This utility breed has a reasonably distinguished historical past, originating someplace in China sooner or later within the nineteenth century earlier than being introduced into England for an exhibition. They’ve been handed round Europe and developed into varied specialised native breeds ever since.
All colorations have feathered legs and ft, however this feathering is gentle and sparse in comparison with some shaggy specimens just like the Cochin.
Frizzle
Frizzle describes a sort of feathering, not a specific breed. This genetic quirk causes the information of a hen’s feathers to bend and curl outward, giving them a tough pine cone-like look. Some individuals actually prefer it, even when it does compromise the protecting worth of the chicken’s feathers.
Nonetheless, some breeders in the USA have taken to crossbreeding every kind of various home chickens in an effort to persistently produce varied designer Frizzle birds, and they’re advertising them accordingly.
Due to this, the time period has now taken on a context that’s considerably just like the Easter Egger seen elsewhere; it’s a hybrid class, although nonetheless not an precise breed…
That being stated, it’s not unusual to see some Frizzle chickens with feathered legs and ft.
Serama
The Serama has the respect of being the world’s smallest hen, and a real bantam breed. Roosters not often far more than a single pound, and most hens gained’t even weigh that a lot!
These diminutive chickens make up for his or her small stature with bearing, although: they stand very upright, with their heads excessive, their chests out and their tails flying within the wind. This offers them an virtually “toy soldier” look that’s downright charming!
Their stature together with their attractive coloration, make them common darlings at poultry reveals and competitions. As you may need guessed already, they’re strictly stored as showbirds however you is likely to be stunned to be taught additionally they lay fairly a number of eggs, although their eggs are naturally very tiny.
Seramas have skinny stripes of feathers happening their legs and ft that normally however not all the time disappear after adolescence.
Seems the genetics of the Serama are fairly murky and a few of them maintain their feathery legs and ft into maturity. There are even some particular curiosity teams which can be deciding on Seramas for “boots” now!
