When you look past the fact that they are the most common domestic bird in the world, chickens are actually super interesting. Their behavior, their colors, their physiological differences; there are so many interesting traits about them you could spend a lifetime studying them.
For chicken fanciers like us, this also means that your picture-perfect bird is out there waiting for you.
If you prefer chickens with even more fabulous feathers to love and print, you should consider a breed with feathered feet. You heard that right: for some chickens, the feathers don’t stop at the thighs. They might go all the way down their legs and even cover their toes!
If that sounds awesome to you, keep reading, and I’ll tell you all about 13 kinds of fowl with feathered feet.
Sultan
This heritage breed is truly the stuff of royalty. And I don’t say that without cause! Sultan chickens were once the exclusive fowl of royalty in Turkey, kept in the gardens and elsewhere on the grounds of various palaces and other royal property.
They have large, flowing crests, thickly feathered necks and beards, and increasingly thick feathers running down the shanks of the legs and stopping at the tops of the feet.
This is another ornamental breed, surprise, and it is today kept as an exhibition chicken…
These birds have a temperament that’s downright serene, and they are so calm, so averse the conflict, that they often don’t defend themselves from predators or other chickens!
That might sound like a lot of responsibility if you’re letting them free range because they won’t fare well, but as long as you can keep them protected or in a flock of like kind you can enjoy a little bit of the high life in your own backyard.
Brahma
One of the most well-known and largest domestic breeds, Brahmas were developed in the United States from various other domestic chickens imported from Southeastern Asia.
A dual-use breed that is raised as a capable egg layer and a sizable producer of meat, these chickens are known for their heavy, thick, and voluminous feathering which overflows from their thighs all the way down their legs and covers most of their foot in sporadic patches.
These are some seriously large chickens, and roosters can routinely weigh up to 12 pounds or a little more. Despite this, they aren’t bullies and tend to be calm peacemakers in mixed flocks, or get along well with each other in flocks of their own kind.
Cochin
Another massive and very heavily feathered chicken, Cochins are known for laying a fair amount of very large eggs, and also being a pretty good table bird especially if you’d like a large roast chicken dinner.
Cochins are instantly distinguishable by their size, large, ruffled feathers small combs, and, of course, their feathered legs and feet. This is a chicken that is truly feathered from front to back and top to bottom.
And like the Brahma featured above, despite their size and strength Cochins, are known to be incredibly docile and very easy to tame. Even the roosters have a reputation for good behavior.
That’s definitely an advantage for a backyard flock, but you’ve got to keep an eye on them in a mixed flock; they’ll often get bullied by more assertive birds, especially other roosters.
Easter Eggers
Easter Eggers, like Frizzles mentioned elsewhere, aren’t really a breed. These are hybrid chickens, crossbreeds, developed from the pairing of any chicken that lays blue eggs with any chicken that lays brown or dark brown eggs. The resulting birds might lay nearly any color of egg, hence the name!
Keep in mind many Easter Eggers do not have feathered feet – it depends on which breeds were crossbred!
And owing to their status as the mutts of the chicken world, they will be seen with nearly any color of plumage, any pattern, and various features, including beards and muffs, crests, and of course, feathered legs and feet.
They also happen to be very dependable and healthy egg layers, so they aren’t just a novelty. If you aren’t caught up in the idea of having a purebred heritage chicken, Easter Eggers are fine egg layers, have a lot of utility, and are very easy to care for. Lots to like!
Pekin
The Pekin is a Chinese bantam breed, and a true bantam meaning it has no larger equivalent. Known for its good looks and people-pleasing attitude and a wide variety of fabulous plumage colors and patterns, ranging from speckled to solid colors and everything in between.
Pekins have long feathers covering their legs along with light feathering on the shanks themselves. Their feet have small tufts of feathers growing here and there, giving them the appearance of wearing oversized, baggy pants.
If you want a true feather-footed breed without too much worry of upkeep, the Pekin is a great choice, especially in light of their friendly attitudes.
Do take note that roosters can still be confrontational and standoffish, though, in stark contrast to other ornamental or pet breeds like the Faverolles.
Barbu D’Uccles
This tiny, bearded, and incredibly friendly Belgian breed comes in many different colors, and all of them have one thing in common: the outermost toe on the foot has a graceful, dapper line of feathers growing over it.
Combined with their most iconic and gorgeous color, the radically speckled mille fleur, these chickens are absolutely unmistakable.
They look totally unique out of all of the birds on our list, but they bring more to the table than just good looks, and that isn’t a joke about eating them: they are highly affections, and most keepers report that they’re quick to form bonds with people, making them a good choice for a true pet chicken.
Still, they have a reputation for being excitable and noisy, so they might not be the best bird for you if you have neighbors close on either side.
Booted Bantam
You might think of the booted bantam as a cousin to the Barbu d’Uccles above. Like those birds, this is a tiny breed that is kept predominantly as an ornamental, and they offer many gorgeous plumage varieties to suit any taste.
Unlike most of the other chickens on our list, these have never been a utility breed, and have only ever been kept as pets or showbirds.
They also happen to be very friendly, but thankfully they are more sedate and calm compared to the Barbu d’Uccles.
And if you like feathered feet, these chickens have even more to offer, with heavily feathered legs and completely feathered feet. They look like they are wearing some furry leggings or oversized boots- just like the name says!
Silkie
One of the world’s most well-known chickens, and probably the single most fantastically feathered one on this list.
The Silkie is an ornamental chicken that is known for its frizzy, soft fur-like feathers. They even have a massive, round crest of feathers on their heads that looks like an ushanka hat!
As is common with many ornamental breeds, they come in well over a dozen different patterns and colors.
This is another bird that is truly, phenomenally feathered from top to bottom with incredibly thick, luxurious plumes running all the way down its legs and completely covering each foot. You can’t even see their feet or toes most of the time!
Regrettably, this incredible plumage comes with a major drawback: they usually require lots of care and grooming to keep them looking their best, and also to keep them from getting sick or injured. But as long as you’re willing to put up with that, the silky can certainly reward you.
Faverolles
One of the most gorgeous chickens you’ll ever see, and possessed of an entirely unique salmon coloring consisting of patches of rippling orange, sienna, and tan over a creamy off-white base color, the Faverolles is a French breed that was developed from the Houdan, designed to endure long, close confinement while still being a good dual use chicken.
Today, though, they usually get the royal treatment by being kept as showbirds or pets thanks to their active, curious, and incredibly sweet personalities.
They’re arguably one of the very best chickens for backyard flocks because of this, though roosters in particular have a surprisingly deep and bassy call. That won’t endear them to your neighbors, sadly!
As with all birds here on our list, they have feathering that grows down the side of their legs and on the outside of the foot, but also adorable muffs and beards which make them look a little comical.
Marans
Another French breed, the Marans is noted for its good looks, stocky body shape, and alluring colors and patterns, ranging from the semi-striped cuckoo to various shades of blue. These chickens are also known the world over for their chocolate- and mahogany-colored eggs.
Their disposition is variable: Marans are usually friendly and easy to handle, but their overall personalities can range from engaging and attentive to nervous and flighty. In most cases, they’d prefer if you didn’t touch them.
However, the status of their foot and leg feathering is also somewhat variable, since different strains are bred in mainland Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Out of the three, only the French poultry associations and associating breed standards do not consider the feathered legs a defect, and so they are much more common there, though still extant in the other countries.
Croad Langshan
Bulky, tall, and imperious, Croad Langshans might have a name befitting a James Bond villain, but don’t let that fool you.
These are easy-going birds that are easy to handle, though not particularly friendly; compared to some of the other breeds on our list, they aren’t very cuddling and can do without a lot of petting or close confinement.
This utility breed has a fairly distinguished history, originating somewhere in China at some point in the 19th century before being brought into England for an exhibition. They’ve been passed around Europe and developed into various specialized local breeds ever since.
All colorations have feathered legs and feet, but this feathering is light and sparse compared to some shaggy specimens like the Cochin.
Frizzle
Frizzle describes a type of feathering, not a particular breed. This genetic quirk causes the tips of a chicken’s feathers to bend and curl outward, giving them a rough pine cone-like appearance. Some people really like it, even if it does compromise the protective value of the bird’s feathers.
However, some breeders in the United States have taken to crossbreeding all kinds of different domestic chickens in an effort to consistently produce various designer Frizzle birds, and they are marketing them accordingly.
Because of this, the term has now taken on a context that is somewhat like the Easter Egger seen elsewhere; it is a hybrid category, though still not an actual breed…
That being said, it’s not uncommon to see some Frizzle chickens with feathered legs and feet.
Serama
The Serama has the honor of being the world’s smallest chicken, and a true bantam breed. Roosters rarely way more than a single pound, and most hens won’t even weigh that much!
These diminutive chickens make up for their small stature with bearing, though: they stand very upright, with their heads high, their chests out and their tails flying in the wind. This gives them an almost “toy soldier” appearance that is downright charming!
Their stature along with their gorgeous coloration, make them regular darlings at poultry shows and competitions. As you might have guessed already, they are strictly kept as showbirds but you might be surprised to learn they also lay quite a few eggs, though their eggs are naturally very tiny.
Seramas have thin stripes of feathers going down their legs and feet that usually but not always disappear after adolescence.
Turns out the genetics of the Serama are pretty murky and some of them keep their feathery legs and feet into adulthood. There are even some special interest groups that are selecting Seramas for “boots” now!
Tom has lived and worked on farms and homesteads from the Carolinas to Kentucky and beyond. He is passionate about helping people prepare for tough times by embracing lifestyles of self-sufficiency.