When choosing chickens on your homestead, you could have sure traits you’re in search of. For some feathery enjoyable, right here’s an inventory of seven hen breeds with feathered ft.
Initially bred in colder climates, the feathers have been thought to maintain their ft hotter
Nevertheless, one of many downsides of getting hen breeds with feathered ft is that the snow can truly get caught up across the feathers and type little clingy snow-balls.
One other situation is that the feathered ft usually get muddy and might depart your eggs muddy too.
My absolute favourite hen breeds with feathered ft are brahmas, cochins, and faverolles. I’ll all the time have these three in my flock.
My present rooster is a really good-looking buff brahma, and all of his infants are born with feathered ft too, so now my flock of barnyard mixes all have lovely feathered ft!
Hen Breeds with Feathered Ft
1. Cochins
We received our cochins as rescues, however they’re considered one of my favorites. They’re massive, hardy, sensible, and go broody each Spring and Summer season.
This makes hatching out new infants yearly a breeze! We merely throw a number of eggs below a broody hen and let her do her job.
We’ve three cochins, and so they’re all such nice mamas, they share parenting obligation.
I’ve even heard rumors that some cochin roosters will go broody!
As soon as endangered, cochins are thought of a “recovering breed” by the livestock conservancy.
Initially from China, this small tailed, massive, absolutely feathered breed took America and England by storm within the 1850’s.
The Chinese language bred these birds for his or her massive measurement for meat, in addition to eggs. A capon (a male castrated hen, fattened for consuming) at 15-16 months previous reached 12 lbs!
Whereas fashionable for yard hen homeowners, they by no means caught on for business operations. In 1895, Stephen Beale even known as them the “least worthwhile of all of our breeds of poultry.”
Whereas their measurement makes for a great hen dinner, the produce eggs nicely into the Winter, and their broodiness makes hatching infants a breeze, additionally they will not be very quick, won’t wander far, and can’t fly in addition to different breeds, which means they’ll keep out of your backyard when you have a fence.
2. Brahma
Brahma’s additionally appeared on the scene out of China shortly after the Cochins across the 1850s. Bigger than cochins, they have been as soon as reported to be the biggest chickens on Earth.
Whereas not popping out of China as an official breed, cochins and different massive fowl similar to Chittigong from India and others have been used to develop the breed in America.
Their massive measurement and mild natures lend them to even be known as “light giants”.
I’m certain you’ve seen this video floating round Fb of an incredibly enormous Brahma rooster.
Additionally just like the cochins, brahmas have a powerful carcass weight, are good egg-layers and produce eggs nicely into Winter.
In truth, they produce the majority of their eggs from October to Could. Presumably as a result of their additional feathering could make them hotter within the Summer season.
From the mid-1850’s by way of about 1930, they have been the main breed of meat birds. They have been usually harvested at 8-10 weeks of age (a lot earlier than different breeds – rising their profitability). And their roosters nonetheless made a tasty broiler as late as 12-13 months.
Just like the cochins, they won’t fly over a low fence, have calm and docile personalities and thrive in chilly, Northern climates.
We selected a brahma as homestead hen sire because of his measurement – the roosters he fathers are destined for the inventory pot, and his hens all have docile personalities and lay massive eggs.
3. Belgain d’Uccle
Originating within the city of Uccle in Belgium, these beautiful hen breed with feathered ft are available many various shapes, sizes and colours.
Michel Van Gelder developed this breed within the late 1800s for exhibition.
They’ve a candy and docile character, higher suited to pets as an alternative of livestock.
One of many kinds of Belgian d’Uccles is the Millie Fleur (which means 1000 flowers), which has an nearly polka-dotted feather sample. The Mille Fleur was accepted into the APA Customary of Perfection in 1914.
Whereas they don’t produce as many eggs because the extra fashionable hen breeds, their seems far make up for it. They’re merely beautiful.
Additionally they make glorious moms and simply go broody.
4. Silkies
One other breed that doesn’t lay as nicely, and sometimes goes broody are silkies. Silkies are named so as a result of their feathers are usually smaller, and silkier, however fluffier – if that makes any sense.
Whereas their official origin is unknown, the most effective guess is that they arrive from historic China.
The earliest documentation of a “furry hen” comes from Marco Polo’s travels by way of Asia within the thirteenth century.
In 1598, Ulisse Aldrovandi, a naturalist in Italy, wrote about “wool-bearing hen” and “clothed with hair like that of a black cat.”
Whereas the breed was formally acknowledged in 1874, sideshows and breeders would unfold the myths that they have been truly the offspring of chickens and rabbits, or that that they had mammalian fur.
Additionally they have black pores and skin and bones, blue earlobes and 5 toes on every foot.
Resulting from their measurement, the truth that they waddle greater than run, and their fluffy plumage blocking their eyesight, you shouldn’t permit silkies to free-range – they’re too straightforward a goal.
Whereas they don’t seem to be nice layers, and don’t make a sexy desk chook, they’re lovely and folks pay a fairly penny for silkies.
5. Booted Bantams
As their identify recommended, booted bantams are bantam (small breed) of feather-footed chickens.
Whereas not bred for eggs or meat, these booted bantams are bred nearly completely for present.
And they’re show-stoppers.
They’ve massive, upright tails, a single comb with 5 factors, downward-pointing wings, and are available in additional than 20 shade varieties.
The booted bantam is intently associated the Belgian d’Uccle. The Booted bantam is barely taller, whereas the Belgain sports activities a fetching beard.
6. Faverolles
Faverolles are lovely feather-footed chickens that have been developed in France within the late 1800s.
Developed from cochins, hudans and dorkings, faverolles have the scale we search for in meat birds, whereas additionally being respectable layers.
Along with being productive on the homestead, they’ve docile, beautiful personalities.
They’ve lovely beards and muffs, and lengthy feathered legs.
7. Sultans
Originating in Turkey (the nation) the Sultan is a uncommon breed and has been endangered since 1854 when it first arrived in England.
Shortly after, in 1867, made their option to America. An creator and poultry knowledgeable, Mr. George O. Brown famous that they have been the tamest and most contented birds he ever owned.
They have been extra keen on grains and bugs than grass and greens and “nearly consistently” sang that contented hen track.
They’re nearly solidly white, with a crest, beard, muffs, feathered ft and provides toes on every foot.
It’s mentioned they have been used as “dwelling ornaments” within the gardens of the Sultans.
They lay massive white eggs and lay nicely from March by way of September.
So when you’re trying so as to add some feather-footed chickens to your yard breeds, these 7 provides you with a great place to begin! However actually – hen math.