The chickens which have feathered feet have feathers on their legs which are fluffy and fuzzy. To some, it might appear to be unique, but some mark them as ugly. However, still, they are chosen to be pets and often used for show purposes.
Based on the environmental conditions and requirements, you can choose to raise any of the breeds mentioned here.
The 10 Chicken Breeds with Feathered Feet
Feather-footed chickens are of various breeds and can easily adjust to be part of your backyard coop. They are also of different sizes, such as bantam and standard and serve the dual purpose, of meat and eggs. The most popular ones are:
1. Belgian D’Uccles Chicken
Origin: Belgium
Belgian D’Uccles is one of the oldest chicken breeds with a large body structure, feathered feet, long feet and with fluffy and hairy appearance. They weigh 1.65 to 1.35 lbs. These chickens are also good layers and produce 90 brown eggs in a year. They have a lifespan of 8 years. This is not a broody chicken and is also quite fussy.
2. Booted Bantam Chicken
Origin: Netherlands
Booted Bantam chickens are small in size, fluffy and hairy in appearance and they have feathered feet. They do not have any feathers on the shank or toe and are also known as good layers. They have the capacity to lay 6 eggs every week with a tinted shell color. The Booted Bantam are quite friendly and can be tamed easily. These chickens weigh 1.25 lbs to 2 lbs and have a lifespan of 10 years.
3. Brahma Chicken
Origin: United States
Brahma is one of the heaviest known chickens and quite large in appearance. They have feathered feet and weigh around 12 to 10 lbs. They are fully covered with feathers except the tip of the lower leg and they are not much vulnerable to cold weather. These chickens are quite friendly and easy to tame. However, they should not be kept together with other chicken breeds. They lay 150 to 200 big-sized eggs a year. They have a lifespan of 5 to 8 years.
4. Cochin Chicken
Origin: China
Cochin are the easiest to raise chicken and they are one of the feathered-footed breeds, with fluffy and low feathers on the upper and lower legs. They can fall sick easily, most chicks. So, they require appropriate handling and medical attention, otherwise, there is a possibility of spreading diseases. It is also necessary to keep this breed separate from the rest of the breeds. They are good layers and produce 100 to 150 large-sized eggs every year. They have a lifespan of 8 to 10 years and weigh 26 to 30 ounces and the even larger ones can go up to 11 lbs.
5. Croad Langshan Chicken
Origin: China
Croad Langshan are large black chickens with feathered feet, they are mostly popular for their meat as they have a muscular body. These chickens are also good layers and lay 150 heavy brown eggs every year. It weighs 8 to 11 pounds and has poor tolerance to heat and humidity. They might even die after hatching due to extremely cold weather, so extreme care is required during the brooding period.
6. Faverolles Chicken
Origin: France
Faverolles are quite hardy chickens and are covered in feathers including their feet. However, the feathers are unable to protect them during the cold weather. They are also good layers and produce 200 to 250 pure white or tinted creamy yellow eggs in a year on average. The egg size can vary based on the species. They weigh around 6 lbs to 8.5 lbs and based on the care and attention provided by the owner, their lifespan can range from 4 to 8 years.
7. French Marans Chicken
Origin: France
French Marans are large, multicolored hairy feathered feet chicken. They have different patterns of feathers on their body and are known to be the most beautiful chicken breeds with black, red, golden, white and silver coloured. They are known to be an excellent choice for meat production due to their large and robust body. The feathers are not quite fluffy and are dense. However, they are hard to tame, have an attitude problem and other chicken breeds should not be kept around them. They lay nutritious medium-sized brown eggs and can develop into a healthy chicken lot based on the treatment provided by the owner. They have a lifespan of 7 to 8 years. They weigh 7.5 lbs to 4.25 lbs whereas the females are lightweight about 2.25 lbs to 1.75 lbs.
8. Pekin Chicken
Origin: China
Pelin chickens are also known as Long Island chicken breeds and their legs are completely covered in fluffy feathers. They are quite popular for their meat as they are not suitable for egg production. These chickens are large and weigh 20 punches to 25 ounces. Based on the type of care and maintenance, these chickens have a lifespan of 6 to 8 years.
9. Silkie Chicken
Origin: China
Silkie are visually different from other breeds of chicken, they have unique characteristics, which include black and white coats, rendering a fur-like appearance instead of being feathery. They are covered throughout with feathers from head to feet and look pretty. These chickens are quite susceptible to falling sick and so need care and attention and also protection from predators. They can lay 150 to 200 eggs in a year and look white with a tinted creamy yellow appearance. They have a lifespan of 8 to 9 years and are known to be the longest-living chicken breeds. They weigh around 32 to 36 punches and the standard size is 3 to 4 lbs.
10. Sultan Chicken
Origin: Turkey
Sultan is popular for backyard chicken farming and among the chicken hobbyists. They have thin soft fluffy feathers on their lower legs. Otherwise, these birds are entirely covered in feathers and also quite large, which protects them from freezing temperatures and predators. Compared to other feathered chickens they lay fewer eggs, around 200 eggs every year on average, which have a white and tinted creamy yellow appearance. These chickens weigh 25 to 30 ounces and the larger ones are 4 to 5.8 lbs. Even though the chickens show a premature ageing tendency, they have a lifespan of 4 to 6 years.
11. Malaysian Serama Chicken
Origin: Malaysia
Malaysian Serama are feathered chickens with fluffy feathers covering their feet. They are not quite popular for their meat but can produce more eggs on average, 180 to 200, when compared with others. The eggs are white or yellowish based on the type of chicken species. Even though they are covered in feathers, it is not enough to protect them against the cold winter days. They are considered for raising in the backyard and have a lifespan of 7 to 8 years, based on the care given by the owners. These birds weigh around 1.1 lbs and 2.4 lbs.
Why Should You Have a Feather-Footed Chicken?
Here are the common reasons that make feathered feet chickens a better option in terms of egg laying, meat production or as a pet:
- Some of the breeds such as Cochins were developed to survive better in the cold and the feathers also keep them protected from rain and snow.
- Due to the physical traits of the feathered footed chickens, with a large body, pea comb on the head and hardness, it makes them difficult prey and they can also fight back the predators.
- These chickens are good egg layers and they have fully feathered feet which helps to trap the heat and produce more heat.
- The feathers on the feet act as an insulation material as they can trap the air bubbles which helps them to stay warm even in winter, and also they have less amount of exposed skin.
What are the Problems Associated with Feathered Feet in Chickens?
However, feathered feet chickens come with their own share of problems, such as:
- Cleaning the feathers of the chicken can be time-consuming, as they have long feathers which can reach up to a half foot and it also becomes quite challenging.
- When the feathers are cleaned with water, being soft and fluffy, it takes too much time to dry and if they remain moist, it can lead to bumblefoot.
- If the water stays in their feathers, then it can also form a breeding ground for bacteria, fungi and parasites making the chickens susceptible to infections. This problem can get exaggerated during the rainy season when the moisture content of the air is too high.
How Can You Deal with the Feathers on the Feet of the Chicken?
To deal with the feathers on the legs of the chicken, you can clip them so that it gives easy access to cleaning or removing mites and detecting parasites. Any kind of debris caught in the feathers should be removed to prevent skin injury. The flooring of the coop should be made of rubber so that the chicken’s feet do not get hurt while it is running or walking around. A high level of hygiene should be maintained so that the chicken’s legs and toes don’t get dirty to prevent disease.
