Chicken with poofy hair? The poofy hair makes it look cuter and more adorable when the chicken is growing up. The poofy hair can also play a role in protecting the chicken. Outlandish chicken varieties are the result of selecting for a specific trait and then mating two lines together.
Poofy chickens are adorable chickens. Their hair is made of soft feather-like material that gives them a softer look and feel. It also helps protect them from predators as they grow. The fuzz that covers unusual chicken breeds body can serve multiple purposes. Not only does it act as a way to keep the chicken warm during the winter, but it can also protect the bird from harmful bacteria and parasites. Below are someof the benefits of breeding chicken.
Chicken With Poofy Hair
The forms, sizes, and colors of chicken breeds are diverse. Others may have feathers that resemble a fluffy cotton ball, while some may have feathers that seem like a rainbow exploded on their heads. What distinguishes one breed from another may be something you’re interested in learning. What is the origin of these unusual-looking birds? Find out by reading on!
Appenzeller Spitzhauben
This Dutch breed has feathers that look like they’ve been combed—in a forward direction. This chicken breed has dark brown feathers and chickens with red earlobes.
Barnevelder chickens are friendly, active, and will make their presence known when they want food! They’re also well suited to cold climates because of their long legs and extended feather coverage (Schell).
Barnevelder
The feathers of this Dutch breed have an appearance of having been combed forward. This type of chicken has red earlobes and dark brown feathers.
Barnevelder chickens are sociable, lively, and obtrusive when they want to eat! Their long legs and extensive feather coating make them suitable for chilly areas as well (Schell).
Brahma Chickens
This huge breed is well-liked by backyard chickens because of its friendliness, serenity, and the ability of both the hens and the roosters to successfully incubate eggs. Brahmas have soft feathers covering every inch of their bodies and can weigh up to 13 pounds. The wattles of the roosters are typically a vivid blue color, while those of the hens are typically more muted.
Cochin Chickens
Large, wacky-shaped fluff balls on this breed’s heads are what make them most famous for their plumage. Cochin chickens have a distinctive “coconut” or top-knot, which was once used to make elaborate hair accessories. They also have fluffy feathers, and when you add in their red earlobes, they resemble toy drumsticks.
Cochins get along nicely with other hens and are amiable creatures. They make excellent pets for kids because of their calm disposition (Schell).
Crevecoeur’s
These hens have white breast feathers and dark grayish-blue feet and legs. A ruffled collar of feathers forms around the bird’s neck, and its huge, pointed comb sits atop its head. From a distance, Crevecoeur’s may resemble roosters, but up close, you’ll notice that their combs are flesh-colored.
Chickens from Crevecoeur mate for life and make wonderful mothers. They don’t often lay eggs but are happy to take chicks from other chickens (Schell).
Dorking Chickens
One of the earliest varieties of domesticated chickens, it originated in England. Dorkings are a well-liked choice for backyard chickens because of their lengthy history as a farm chicken that has helped them adapt to various climates and lifestyles. They enjoy sifting through the dirt for delicious scraps thanks to their sturdy legs. Hens can weigh a maximum of 5 pounds, and roosters can reach up to 7 pounds.
Crevecoeur Chickens
Chickens called “Crevecoeur” have feathery crests.
This breed was originally documented in the 18th century in the French province of Normandy. The Crevecoeurs were initially raised as decorative chickens, and according to French legislation, roosters could only crow in the morning.
Lakenvelder Chickens
German-bred Lakenvelder chickens, so named because of their delicately white leg feathering, were brought to England in 1860. The reason Lakefield chickens have such a distinctive style of feather on their legs is that: Along the majority of its length, a band of brighter feathers divides darker ones above and below it. Depending on where in Germany they are from, these birds come in a variety of colors, with some being virtually entirely white and others having a significantly higher amount of black.
Easter Eggers
Easter Eggers chickens are descended from chickens that can lay a variety of colored eggs. These chickens, which you may know as Ameraucanas, are actually an Easter Egger breed with blue legs and beaks and legs with flecked patterns (common among many Easter Eggers chickens).
Barnevelder Chickens
The Netherlands, where they have been bred since the 12th century, is where these chickens are from. They were first raised for their meat in the town of Barneveld in the province of Gelderland, hence their name. Once clothed, hens weigh about 7 pounds, and roosters up to 9 pounds.
Polish Chickens
When feeling threatened, the Polish chicken may push out its head’s crest. They are among the biggest chickens, with average hen weights of 6 1/2 pounds and average rooster weights of 7 1/2 pounds.
Outlandish Chicken Varieties
Anywhere you go, you’ll be able to identify a chicken by its distinctive profile, which consists of a full, heavy-bellied body between a smooth, rounded head and a pointed, upturned tail. These chicken variations, however, break the standard.
1. Polish Chickens
Polish chickens are distinctive for their outrageous poofy “hairstyles.” This chicken sports a coloring called “silver laced.”
2. Sumatra Chickens
These birds from Indonesia have been used for cockfighting but are now usually show birds. The most common coloration is black, although their feathers show an iridescent green in the sunlight.
3. Silkie Chickens
Silkies are popular backyard chickens because of their friendly personalities and soft, silky feathers. They are also known for having black skin and blue earlobes.
4. Appenzeller Spitzhauben Chickens
This chicken is named after the pointed hat worn by women in the Appenzell region of Switzerland, where the birds originate.
5. Yokohama Chickens
These birds, which originated in Japan, are quiet and gentle birds suitable for exhibition or use as laying hens. Like many Japanese breeds, they have spectacular long tail feathers.
6. Frizzle chickens
Frizzle chickens have feathers that curl outward, giving them a frizzled appearance. In some countries they are considered a separate breed, although not in the United States.
7. Naked Neck Chickens
You can guess why they’re called “naked neck”—they have no feathers on their necks. They’re also sometimes called “turkens” because they resemble turkeys. These chickens are both heat-and cold-tolerant.
8. Fayoumi Chickens
These chickens come from Egypt, and the hens have white heads and barred black and white bodies. They are also known for having blue skin.
9. Sultan Chickens
Although they’re crested like Polish hens, these chickens also look like they’re wearing feathered boots. They’re bred for their decorative qualities rather than their laying abilities.
10. Houdan Chickens
France is where houdans first appeared. They are currently more frequently employed as show chickens, despite having historically been raised for meat and eggs.
Unusual Chicken Breeds
Not Your Average Chicken…
5 Interesting Chicken Breeds
- The Silkie
- The Phoenix
- The Polish
- The Frizzle
- The Crevecoeur
Contrary to popular belief, there exist a variety of chickens. There is little doubt that their disparities go beyond “This one’s red” and “This one’s white.” We have created chickens that are fantastic egg layers, enormous and terrific meat birds, and pretty darn good at doing both of those things through selective breeding over thousands of years.
What about hens with odd appearances, who may actually make better pets than agricultural animals? We also have those, as you have probably already surmised.
These individuals may not grow large enough to consume in less than five months and may not produce eggs very well, but they are fascinating to look at!
Here is a helpful list of only five of these “unique” chicken breeds. Enjoy!
1. The Silkie
These hens, also called “Silky,” almost appear to have hair rather than feathers. But don’t let their fluffy appearance fool you—those are actually feathers.
These weirdos are actually incredibly gentle chickens that make wonderful pets. They may be foolish, but it’s probably just my callousness speaking when I say that. Despite how fluffy and adorable they are, foxes and raccoons are stronger than them. In addition to not providing you with much in the way of meals, these little chickens don’t lay as frequently as other types of hens.
Silkie chickens are peculiar because, in addition to having unusually puffy feathers, their flesh is blue and they have five toes on each foot (like the Dorking chicken). Most chickens only have four toes, which is kind of strange in and of itself.
What’s it good for? Again, I guess I can make fun of these silly birds all I want, but they are so darn cute! The hens also have a propensity to go broody, so maybe there’s room in a practical flock of chickens for a Silkie to be a mother hen to the eggs of maternally-challenged chickens like Leghorns. In fact, the Silkie is often used to hatch the eggs of waterfowl such as geese and ducks.
Egg-Laying Frequency: 3-5 days
Egg Size: Small
Hen Size: 2-3 lbs liveweight
Concerns: Can’t fly, like, at all
2. The Phoenix
These birds won’t be rising from the ashes, in my opinion; instead, they will probably freeze to death! These chickens’ long tails may be attractive, but they make them unsuitable for cold climates since the tail feathers can freeze and kill the animal.
The Phoenix is an ancient breed of chicken that is thought to have come from Japan, where they were prized for their decorative qualities. The modern-day chicken known as the Phoenix was created through more careful breeding on the part of Europeans.
You may buy these gorgeous hens in conventional size or as “little chickens,” or bantams, in a few other color variants, including gold, black, and silver. I can’t say these birds serve much of an use other than to have a nice-looking chicken running around; they’re also not known to be particularly gregarious.
But even I have to admit that I’m tempted to get one because they appear so intriguing.
What’s it good for? Well, they’re pretty to look at! Beyond that, I can’t say. If you have some experience with a practical purpose for the Phoenix, feel free to share what you know in the comments section of this article!
Egg-Laying Frequency: Once per week, maybe
Egg Size: Medium
Hen Size: 4 lbs liveweight (standard-sized hen)
Concerns: Not suitable for cold climates
3. The Polish
The delicate crest of feathers the hens wear on their heads helps to identify this peculiar breed. Both roosters and hens have crests; normally, roosters have longer, more elaborate tail feathers.
Despite their name, these chickens are widely thought to have originated in the Netherlands rather than Poland. Regardless of where they came from, they have been bred for hundreds of years (at least) to keep their silly-looking feathery crests.
Unfortunately, the Polish tend to have visual problems because of their attractive headdress. Because Polish chickens can’t see as well as other birds, predators like foxes and hawks find it simpler to prey on them.
Cold temperatures can cause the Polish chicken’s feathered crest to freeze, which can lead to the chicken’s demise.
I have a handful of these “weirdos” roaming the farm without any fault of my own. The hens only sometimes lay eggs, and the eggs are generally little. The roosters are also quite little, and I regret to say that, as far as I can see, the majority of their attempts to breed with the larger hens only succeed in producing a dissatisfied Polish rooster.
What’s it good for? Here are two good things about the Polish: They’re kind of cool to look at (obviously) and the roosters are the most aggressive roosters that I have; they even attack my dog. This means that when Mr. Fox comes prowling, these Polish roosters tend to make a bait of themselves, which suits me just fine because I might not lose a more “valuable” chicken.
Bad news for Mr. Polish, though.
Egg-Laying Frequency: 3-7 days
Egg Size: Small
Hen Size: 3-4 lbs liveweight
Concerns: Limited vision; not cold weather hardy
4. The Frizzle
The Frizzle is more of a type of chicken than a specific breed of chicken. Feathers that are “frizzled,” or curve out rather than lie flat against the body, are a hereditary feature.
This implies that the Frizzle variation can be produced by almost any breed of chicken. In reality, the genetic trait that allows for curly feathers is dominant, thus you’re likely to have Frizzle children if you breed a Frizzle to a Non-Frizzle!
The birds may have existed earlier, as the Frizzle was referenced in history as early as 1600. It’s not hard to locate and buy some of these hens in the twenty-first century. The Cochin breed of frizzles is arguably the most popular; other breeds include Barred Rock, Leghorn, Polish, and others.
What’s it good for? Because the Frizzle is a variety and not a breed, the traits of a “frizzled” chicken will be determined by the breed and not by her curly feathers. I’m not aware of anything that suggests that being a Frizzle has any effect on a chicken’s ability to produce eggs or to grow meaty and tasty. However, the curly feathers of the Frizzle variety can break or be damaged more easily than normal chicken feathers, so a little extra care may be needed for these birds.
Egg-Laying Frequency: Determined by breed
Egg Size: ” “
Hen Size: ” “
Concerns: Curly feathers can break or be damaged easily
5. The Crevecoeur
Although these chickens are strange, their French origins are not actually what set them apart. Their feathered crests remind one of the Polish, and their fluffy beards are similar to those of the Araucana chicken.
They are a pretty old kind of bird, dating back in France to before the 18th century; in fact, they are France’s oldest breed of chicken. So don’t confuse these guys and ladies for a cross-breed. Around 1850, when distinguishing between different cattle breeds first gained popularity, they were publicly described for the first time.
The Crevecoeur, which was once a breed with some aptitude for producing both meat and eggs, is now a smaller breed that doesn’t lay as frequently as some other breeds.
What’s it good for? These French chickens are considered a rare breed, and are usually kept by breeders for show purposes. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (ALBC) lists the conservation status of the Crevecoeur as “critical.” The chicken’s status as an endangered animal might be enough to convince some backyard farmers to keep a few around. Personally, I agree with any practice that helps to preserve genetic diversity in livestock animals, no matter how “weird” those diverse genes may be.
Egg-Laying Frequency: 3-5 days
Egg Size: Small-Medium
Hen Size: 3-4 lbs liveweight
Concerns: Critically endangered, therefore limited gene pool
Benefits of Breeding Chickens
1. LOW MAINTENANCE, HIGH REWARD
There is a reason why beginning farmers and livestock owners frequently start with hens. Chickens are resilient animals that take good care of themselves. The majority of upkeep consists of keeping the coop clean and keeping an eye out for symptoms of illness or predators after the initial work of setting up the coop, feeders, and waterers. Naturally, you’ll need to ensure that your flock has adequate space to live comfortably without breaking out in fights. Additionally crucial is a secure run. In order to prevent them from becoming bored and fighting, your chickens will also require amusement. For example, you may hang a head of cabbage from a string, install a chicken swing, or provide the animals stumps or other tiny objects to perch on in the run. Keeping chickens is a low-maintenance chore that has numerous advantages over keeping other livestock.
2. EGGS AND OTHER PRODUCTS
Of course, the eggs are one of the most well-known advantages of keeping chickens in the backyard. Better than any eggs you can buy at the supermarket are farm fresh eggs. There is no need to be concerned about an extensive shelf life or what happened to the eggs during handling or delivery. Additionally, you are completely aware of the living and feeding conditions of the chickens, so you don’t have to worry about unethical farms or harmful additives. Fresh eggs are also more vibrant and flavorful. In comparison to store-bought eggs, they also have less harmful cholesterol and saturated fat.
However, your backyard flock can produce more than just eggs. Additionally, you can grow hens for their meat and buy a chicken plucker. Similar to freshly laid eggs, meat from your backyard hens is safer and healthier than anything you could possibly get from a store. You can stock up on chicken without needing to buy from unhealthy or immoral factory farms since you have control over what your birds eat and how they live. Many chicken keepers sell their chickens’ feathers or fertilizer in addition to their meat and eggs. You may even market your own chickens to other farmers who would buy them.
3. BACKYARD ENTERTAINMENT
Your backyard can be made more lively by chickens. You and your family may have hours of fun with a charming coop and an inquisitive flock. Chickens are fascinating creatures that, like us, like to explore and have fun. Take your morning coffee outside and observe them searching for seeds and bugs to eat. While your birds are hopping around on their roosts, playing on a chicken swing, or fiddling with any toys you’ve placed in the coop or run, relax in the afternoon. Even everyday instincts and behaviors, like creating and upholding the pecking order, are fascinating to see.
4. GARDENING PERKS
Your garden will reap the rewards of a backyard coop if you maintain it close to the range or run where your chickens are kept. For your garden, chickens can perform a lot of work. As they roam the yard and eat grasshoppers, snails, and other pests that could harm your garden, they serve as effective pest management. Additionally on the menu are ticks and mosquitoes, which adds a little summer warmth to your lawn. In addition, chickens will aid in weed control in and around your garden. Your flock’s pecking and scratching as they investigate your surroundings will unearth and scatter weed seeds, which they’ll also eat. They receive a pleasant treat, and you receive a lush garden area where your preferred fruits and veggies can grow.
5. FAMILY FRIENDLY PETS
For some backyard chicken owners, their flock is more like a family of pets than a herd of animals. After all, chickens are wonderful household pets for all age groups. Chickens are bold individuals. We’ve already highlighted how entertaining it may be to do nothing but relax while observing your flock interact with one another in the backyard. Choose a breed of chicken that has a kinder, friendlier disposition and accept them into your household. You’ll immediately develop a bond with these adorable critters once you give your birds names and spend some time outside with them.
6. SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Keeping backyard hens in your efforts to live more sustainably is a terrific start. By growing or raising your own food, you can reduce the country’s overall greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to serving as a natural garbage disposal, chickens will eat a lot of the food scraps from your kitchen that you don’t want to waste. Your flock will love softened fruit, vegetable peels, and various extra nuts and seeds.