7 Best Feather Footed Chicken Breeds

If you want to add in some new breeds to your flock be sure to consider some of these feather footed chicken breeds! Many of them are some of the most friendly chickens out there!

I love adding a variety of chicken breeds to my flock because I really enjoy seeing the difference in the appearance of each chicken.

It’s also fun to add in different breeds based on the qualities that are most important to you such as best egg layers, friendly breeds, most cold-hardy breeds, etc.

But for the purpose of this article, we’ll go over some of the best feather footed chicken breeds!

Belgian d’Uccle Bantams

The Belgian d’Uccle chicken breed originated in Uccle, Belgium and they are true Bantams meaning they do not come in a standard size also.

They are not the best layers but still average about 150 eggs per year. But they are calm and sweet which makes them a great addition to any flock.

They also come in a wide variety of colors and patterns which include, Black, Golden Neck, Mille Fleur, Mottled, Porcelain, Self Blue, and White.

Brahmas

Brahma chickens are one of my favorite breeds out there. They are calm and friendly and they are great layers during the winter when many other breeds slow down.

They are also very likely to set on eggs if you want them to hatch out baby chicks.

If you’re looking into Brahmas you can choose from Buff, Dark, and Light varieties.

Cochins

Cochins are the perfect family chicken, especially for little ones. They are good layers, make great mothers, and are extremely docile and friendly!

They’re also one of the most cold-hardy breeds if you live somewhere with harsh winters.

Cochin varieties include Black, Blue, Buff, Partridge, Silver Laced, and White.

Faverolles

Faverolles are initially from France and have become quite rare. A few of their unique characteristics include a beard, feathered legs and feet, and have a fifth toe.

They are good layers especially throughout winter and have a good disposition.

Langshans

Langshans are a pure breed that originated from China. They do not have as many feathers on their feet as some of the other breeds on this list but they are gentle and lay large brown eggs.

Langshan varieties include Black and White.

Silkies

Silkies are extremely broody and so if you want to hatch out eggs they will make great mothers. However, they tend to be so broody that it can get annoying always removing them from the nest if you are not wanting to hatch chicks so it’d definitely be something to consider before adding them into your flock.

But they are very friendly and tolerate confinement well so they are easy to keep confined to a small space and will make excellent pets.

Silkie varieties include Black, Bugg. Blue, and White.

Sultans

Sultans are an old ornamental chicken breed that originated in Southeastern Europe. Besides their feathered shanks and feet, other unique characteristics include their top crest, muff, and beard.

They are docile and have a sweet disposition but they are not good layers.

Feather Footed Breed Issues

You may run into issues with mud, scaley let mites, and frostbite with feather-footed breeds that are not as common in clean-legged breeds.

The mud can be an issue because it gets stuck more easily into the feathers on their feet and so you may need to help them clean it off if it gets built up. Another problem with the mud is that they track it into the nesting boxes and you may end up with dirty eggs.

Feather-footed breeds are also more vulnerable to scaley leg mites because the feathers make it easier for the mites to infest. So just keep in mind to check your feather-footed breeds more frequently and treat the mites as necessary.

The last common problem with feather-footed breeds is frostbite. This isn’t an issue in warmer areas but if you live in an area with snow and freezing temperatures it could be.

The problem occurs when wet mud gets built up in the feathers on their feet and freezes which could then lead to frostbite.

Our winters do not get cold enough for this to be an issue but depending on where you live it’s important to keep this in mind as you check on your flock.

Summary

I hope you have a better idea of which feather footed chicken breeds will be best to add to your flock!

For a quick overview, here were the breeds I listed out.

• Belgian d’Uccle Bantams
• Brahmas
• Cochins
• Faverolles
• Langshans
• Silkies
• Sultans

One of the best qualities these chickens all share is that they’re very friendly and make great pets! So if you’re looking for friendly chickens these are some great breeds to choose from.

If you’d like to learn about other chicken breeds with various other qualities such as the best egg layers, meat birds, dual-purpose breeds, and more, check out my YouTube video below.

Chickens 101 - Best breeds for eggs, meat, pets & more!

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