Feathery legged chicken breeds are renowned for being some of the best personalities of the chicken world.
So before you consider adding this breed to your backyard there are a few things you need to consider, just as you would for a long haired dog or fluffy cat.
Most of the feathered leg breeds are excellent for children or for noise sensitive neighbours. So many pluses!
Feathered Feet Chicken Breeds
Brahma
Incredibly friendly, calm, peaceful and great reliable layers.Tame and huggable. Reasonable good sitters and mothers.
Belgium D'Uccle
These are also known as a booted and bearded breed. Beautifully friendly, loving human company.
Cochin
Sweet personalities, very friendly but are not the best of layers, but they do make fantastic mothers.
Faverolle
Another bearded breed with five toes on each foot. With shy and sweet natures are best not mixed with other breeds.
French Wheaten Maran
These are the super dark egg layers of the chicken world. The British version is featherless on the legs. They are hardy, quiet and calm and cope with confinement.
Langshan
Prone to broodiness, sweet, elegant, great layers, non-aggressive. Very upright body like a compacted Australorp.
Pekin
Of Chinese origin, known as a true bantam. Low egg out put. Ideal family pet for regular handling. Docile and gentle.
Silkie
A backyard family favourite. Black to dark blue skin underneath all their fluff with five toes on each foot. Great mothers, prone to broodiness.
Sultan
Fancy breed, poor egg layers, too small for eating. Friendly, docile, copes well in confinement. Great with children.
So before you consider adding this breed to your backyard there are a few things you need to consider, just as you would for a long haired dog or fluffy cat.
Most of the feathered leg breeds are excellent for children or for noise sensitive neighbours. So many pluses!
Feathered Feet Chicken Breeds
- Brahma
- Belgium D'Uccle - booted/bearded
- Cochin
- Faverolle
- French Wheaten Maran
- Langshan
- Pekin
- Silkie
- Sultan
Brahma
Incredibly friendly, calm, peaceful and great reliable layers.Tame and huggable. Reasonable good sitters and mothers.
Belgium D'Uccle
These are also known as a booted and bearded breed. Beautifully friendly, loving human company.
Cochin
Sweet personalities, very friendly but are not the best of layers, but they do make fantastic mothers.
Faverolle
Another bearded breed with five toes on each foot. With shy and sweet natures are best not mixed with other breeds.
French Wheaten Maran
These are the super dark egg layers of the chicken world. The British version is featherless on the legs. They are hardy, quiet and calm and cope with confinement.
Langshan
Prone to broodiness, sweet, elegant, great layers, non-aggressive. Very upright body like a compacted Australorp.
Pekin
Of Chinese origin, known as a true bantam. Low egg out put. Ideal family pet for regular handling. Docile and gentle.
Silkie
A backyard family favourite. Black to dark blue skin underneath all their fluff with five toes on each foot. Great mothers, prone to broodiness.
Sultan
Fancy breed, poor egg layers, too small for eating. Friendly, docile, copes well in confinement. Great with children.
4 Problems for Feathered Leg Chickens
There are four main problems that feathered leg chickens might have. Precautions can help keep these issues at bay.
Leg Mites
More difficult to see and treat. Mites are more able to hide due to the feathering. Application of Vaseline can be preened off.
Muddy Legs/Feet
Your type of yard can help assist to keep their feathers clean. Avoid muddy, dusty runs. Opt for free range grass areas, concrete/paver runs or deep litter/clean litter runs. Pretty in pictures but not practical in all types of yards.
Picking
When non-feathered leg chickens wonder WHY there are feathers on their legs and start to peck at them. Its not certain to occur but in situations where chickens have a high level of boredom due to confinement, picking is likely to start.
Frostbite/Chill
Wet feathers can freeze hard and cause frostbite especially on the bantam varieties which feel the cold even more.
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