Chickens with feathered feet are very unique to look at. Their feathered feet can be unusual, especially if you’re not used to seeing these types of breeds that often. We have researched the top 10 chickens with feathered feet, their characteristics and the pros and cons of keeping them in your flock.
Chickens with feathered feet are unique and captivating to poultry keepers and enthusiasts alike.
These chickens are prized for their striking appearance, which sets them apart from other breeds.
When choosing a chicken breed for your backyard coop or farm, there are many factors to consider, including the breed’s temperament, egg production, hardiness, and feathering.
Chickens with feathered feet can also ‘hold their own’ in having attributes of hardiness, good egg production and temperament.
Just like any other chicken breeds, they have their own pros and cons.
In this article, we will explore 10 popular chicken breeds that have feathered feet.
What this article covers
This is a long article, so below are some quick links. Click any of them to go straight to that section – or just carry on reading for the full guide!
- Polish Chicken
- Silkie Chicken
- Faverolles Chicken
- Pekin Chicken
- Frizzle Chicken
- Brahma Chicken
- Cochin Chicken
- Sultan Chicken
- French Maran Chicken
- Booted Bantam Chicken
Chickens with Feathered Feet For Sale (where to purchase)
Shopping list of items needed to look after chickens with feathered feet
1. Polish Chicken
The Polish Chicken is a breed that is easily recognizable by its distinctive topknot of feathers on its head. They are also known for their feathered feet, which help to keep them warm in cold weather. This breed is known for its friendly, docile personality and its ability to lay a decent number of eggs each year.
| Pros 👍 | Cons 👎 |
| ✔ Friendly | ❌ Easily frightened |
| ✔ Good layers | ❌ Prone to mite infestations |
| ✔ Feathered feet provide warmth in cold weather | ❌ Sensitive to wet conditions |
| ✔ Unique to look at |
2. Silkie Chicken
The Silkie Chicken is another breed known for its feathered feet, as well as its fluffy, downy feathers that give it a soft and cuddly appearance. This breed is a great choice for families with children, as they are known for their docile and friendly personalities.
Silkies are also known for their ability to lay a decent number of eggs each year.
| Pros 👍 | Cons 👎 |
| ✔ Friendly | ❌ Can be prone to getting bullied |
| ✔ Suitable for families with children | ❌ Not prolific egg layers |
| ✔ Great Pets | ❌ Not suitable for very cold or very wet environments |
| ✔ Unique to look at | |
| ✔ Easy to handle | |
3. Faverolles Chicken
The Faverolles Chicken is a French breed that is known for its feathered feet and its distinctive beard and muffs. This breed is known for its friendly and docile personality, as well as its ability to lay a good number of eggs each year. Salmon is a popular color choice for this breed of chicken.
Faverolles are also known for their ability to be great foragers, which makes them a great choice for free-range chickens.
| Pros 👍 | Cons 👎 |
| ✔ Friendly | ❌ Prone to mite infestations |
| ✔ Great Foragers | ❌ Can be frightened easily |
| ✔ Good layers |
4. Pekin Chicken
These chickens have lovely, long feathers on their legs and feet which come in white, black, buff, and blue.
Their leg feathers will depend on the color of their wings. They come in a wide variety of colors, including white, black, buff, and blue.
This breed is known as a true bantam breed.
| Pros 👍 | Cons 👎 |
| ✔ Friendly | ❌ Can be prone to getting bullied |
| ✔ Tiny and cute birds | ❌ Prone to lice |
| ✔ Easy to handle |
5. Frizzle Chicken
The Frizzle Chicken is a breed that is known for its curly feathers and its feathered feet. This breed is known for its friendly and docile personality, as well as its ability to lay a decent number of eggs each year. Frizzles are also known for their hardiness, making them a great choice for colder climates.
| Pros 👍 | Cons 👎 |
| ✔ Friendly | ❌ Can be prone to getting bullied |
| ✔ Suitable for families with children | ❌ Not prolific egg layers |
| ✔ Gets on with other breeds | ❌ Feathers are delicate and can break easily |
| ✔ Unique to look at | ❌ Not suitable for very cold or very wet environments |
| ✔ Easy to handle | |
6. Brahma Chicken
Brahma chickens are known for their striking appearance, large size, and gentle temperament. They are one of the most popular chicken breeds with feathered feet, and are often used for both meat and egg production.
Brahmas have soft and fluffy feathers that cover their feet and legs, giving them a unique look that is sure to turn heads.
| Pros 👍 | Cons 👎 |
| ✔ Friendly | ❌ Slow growing breed |
| ✔ Suitable for families with children | ❌ Larger breed and need more space |
| ✔ Great Layers with up to 250 eggs per year | ❌ Can be broody |
7. Cochin Chicken
Cochin chickens are another breed of chickens with feathered feet. They are known for their striking appearance, large size, and gentle temperament. Cochin chickens have thick, fluffy feathers that cover their feet, legs, and bodies, giving them a unique look that is sure to turn heads.
They are often used for ornamental purposes and make great pets.
| Pros 👍 | Cons 👎 |
| ✔ Friendly and easy to handle | ❌ Can be overheated in summer |
| ✔ Great layers, up to 200 eggs per year | ❌ Can be prone to wet and muddied feathers in wet and cold conditions |
| ✔ Make great mothers | ❌ Have large appetites |
8. Sultan Chicken
The Sultan is a unique and exotic chicken breed that is known for its stunning appearance and feathered feet. This breed is one of the smallest chicken breeds and is often referred to as a “bantam” due to its small size.
Sultans are known for their striking appearance, with their long, flowing feathers and crest of feathers on their heads.
They are also known for their friendly and curious nature, making them a popular choice for backyard flocks.
| Pros 👍 | Cons 👎 |
| ✔ Friendly and curious | ❌ Can be prone to health issues like lice and mites |
| ✔ Good egg layer | ❌ Can be difficult to find and purchase |
| ✔ Beautiful appearance | ❌ Due to very small size they are extra vunerable to predators |
9. French Maran Chicken
French Marans have a light amount of feathering on their feet. Their feathering is not be as prolific as some breeds, however the French Maran is an excellent addition to your flock. They are a mix of different species and come in colors like Golden Cuckoo, Brown, Red and salmon.
| Pros 👍 | Cons 👎 |
| ✔ Docile and friendly | ❌ Prone to lice and mites |
| ✔ Suitable for families with children | ❌ Prone to frostbite |
| ✔ Great foragers | |
| ✔ Lay chocolate brown eggs |
10. Booted Bantam Chicken
The Booted Bantam, also known as the Dutch Booted Bantam or Sablepoot, is commonly confused for the Belgian d’Uccle. However, these are definately different breeds! Unlike the d’Uccle, the Sablepoot doesn’t have a beard around their head and tend to stand a little taller than their cousins. You can find Booted Bantam chickens in 20 colors, with the most popular being ‘Mille Fleur’ color.
The Booted Bantam is very much an ornamental bird. Don’t expect your Booted Bantam to lay many eggs or be very good at foraging. However, they do make great pets.
| Pros 👍 | Cons 👎 |
| ✔ A large range of colors available | ❌ Need extra care and grooming checks |
| ✔ Suitable for families with children | ❌ Not the best egg layers |
| ✔ Gets on with other breeds | ❌ Don’t do well in the cold |
Chickens With Feathered Feet (For Sale)
Cackle Hatchery supplies and delivers over 200 varieties of chicken breeds. To purchase chickens with feathered feet including the breeds discussed above, check out current supplies and prices here.
