The chicken may not be the most colorful animal in your farmyard. Some breeds will make even the drab best coop shine bright with their bright feathers and striking body designs.
However, it’s hard to believe these birds are chickens – or that chickens can come in such widely different varieties!
Here’s our list of the most colorful chicken breeds available today. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
1. Ameraucana Chicken
The Ameraucana chicken is a fun and festive breed that comes in a variety of colors.
Ameraucanas were initially bred in the United States and are known for their friendly dispositions and unique feather patterns.
Nevertheless, these chickens come in a range of colors, including blue, black, splash, and white.
Ameraucanas are an excellent choice for backyard chicken keepers who want a colorful flock.
2. Mille Fleur d’Uccle Chicken
The Mille Fleur d’Uccle chicken is a breed of chicken that is known for its beautiful plumage. The breed gets its name from the city of Uccle in Belgium, where it was first developed.
The Mille Fleur d’Uccle chicken is a popular breed among chicken enthusiasts due to its unique appearance.
However, the breed is also known for being friendly and docile, which makes it an excellent choice for those who are new to keeping chickens.
3. La Fleche
The La Fleche chicken is a French breed that is known for its distinctive V-shaped tail.
The breed was developed in the town of La Fleche in the 16th century. And was brought to America in the late 1800s.
However, La Fleches is a rare breed listed as critical on the American Livestock Conservancy’s Conservation Priority List. The La Fleche is a good layer of large brown eggs.
4. Naked Neck
The Naked Neck chicken is a chicken breed that is characterized by a lack of feathers on its neck and vents. This unusual appearance is the result of a genetic mutation.
And it makes the Naked Neck chicken well-suited to hot climates. The breed originated from Transylvania and was brought to the United States in the early 1900s.
Today, Naked Neck chickens are famous in many countries around the world, and they come in a variety of colors, which includes white, black, brown, buff, and silver.
5. Houdan
The Houdan chicken is a breed of chicken originating in France. The Houdan is characterized by its V-shaped comb and its five toes, instead of the usual four found on most chickens.
However, the Houdan chicken comes in two varieties: the Standard Houdan and the Crele Houdan.
The Standard Houdan is larger than the Crele Houdan and has white feathers with black markings.
6. Orpington
The Orpington is a chicken breed that was developed in England in the late 1800s. The original Orpington was a black chicken.
But today, there are many different colors of Orpington, including white, buff, blue, and lavender.
Nevertheless, the Orpington is a giant chicken with a docile personality, making it a popular choice for backyard chicken keepers.
The Orpington is a great choice if you’re looking for colorful chicken breeds to brighten up your farm!
7. Russian Orloff
The Russian Orloff is a beautiful chicken breed that comes in many colors. The most common colors are black, blue, and white.
But they can also be found in red, green, and even purple. These chickens are not only pretty to look at but also friendly and make great pets.
If you’re looking for colorful chicken breeds to add to your flock, the Russian Orloff is a great choice!
8. White-Faced Spanish
This chicken breed is known for its unusual white face, which is a result of a genetic mutation.
The rest of the chicken’s body is a beautiful reddish-brown color.
The White-Faced Spanish Chicken is an active breed that loves to forage and play.
Therefore, they are also good egg layers, producing around 150 eggs per year.
If you’re looking for unique and colorful chicken breeds, the White-Faced Spanish Chicken is a great choice!
9. Ayam Cemani
The Ayam Cemani chicken is an Indonesian breed that is all black, from their feathers to their meat. They are considered a rare delicacy and can be pretty expensive.
However, they are not just pretty faces; the Ayam Cemani is also known for being friendly and docile.
If you’re looking for colorful chicken breeds to add to your flock, the Ayam Cemani is a great option!
10. Silkie
The Silkie chicken is a breed characterized by its black skin and bones and blue earlobes.
And five-toed feet. The breed has been used in Asia for centuries for its meat and eggs.
And was first imported into the United States in the 19th century. Silkies are also known for their calm disposition and lack of fear of humans.
11. Phoenix
The Phoenix chicken is a breed of chicken known for its vibrant plumage.
The breed is named after the mythical bird, the Phoenix, which is said to be reborn from its ashes.
The Phoenix chicken is thought to have originated in Asia and was brought to Europe in the 17th century.
However, the breed was first introduced to the United States in the 19th century. And has since become a popular choice for backyard chicken keepers.
Thanks to its beautiful feathers, the Phoenix chicken is often used in poultry shows.
12. Cochin
The Cochin chicken is a colorful chicken breed originating from China. The breed was imported to the United States in 1834 and was subsequently exported to Europe.
Nevertheless, the Cochin is a giant chicken, with males weighing 11 pounds (5 kg) and females 9 pounds (4 kg).
The most common variety of Cochin is the partridge, which has black and white feathers. However, the breed comes in many colors: blue, buff, silver laced, and splash.
13. Sicilian Buttercup
The Sicilian Buttercup chicken is a beautiful bird that sports a unique coloring.
These chickens have a light brown body with darker brown markings on their wings and tail.
However, the most distinguishing feature of the Sicilian Buttercup chicken is its bright red comb and wattles.
This breed is originally from Sicily and was brought to the United States in the early 1900s.
The Sicilian Buttercup chicken is a good choice for those looking for colorful chicken breeds that are also heat tolerant.
14. Australorp
The Australorp is an Australian breed of chicken that was developed in the early 1900s.
The breed was created by crossing several different chickens, including the Black Orpington, the Blue Andalusian, and the Langshan.
Fortunately, the result was a chicken well-suited to Australia’s hot, dry climate.
The Australorp is a large bird, with roosters weighing up to 9 pounds and hens up to 8 pounds.
15. Sussex
The Sussex is a British chicken breed that was developed in the county of Sussex in the south of England.
The breed was created by crossing several existing breeds, which include the Rhode Island Red, the New Hampshire, and the Plymouth Rock.
However, the Sussex is a large bird, with roosters weighing up to 9 pounds and hens up to 7 pounds.
The breed is available in various colors: brown, buff, silver, and white.
16. Maran
The Marans is a French breed of chicken most notable for its dark eggs.
The Marans was developed in the town of Marans, in the Charente-Maritime département of southwestern France. It is named after the city.
However, the Marans were first imported into the United Kingdom in 1971 and into the United States in 1972. The Croad Langshan, which was also imported to the UK at about the same time, is often confused with the Marans.
17. Brahma
The Brahma is a giant chicken breed that was initially developed in the United States from birds imported from China.
The Brahma is one of the most popular chicken breeds due to its docile nature, hardiness, and egg-laying ability.
Nevertheless, the Brahma comes in three color varieties: light, dark, and buff.
The soft variety is the most popular and is often mistaken for a white chicken. However, the light Brahma has yellow skin and lays brown eggs.
18. Polish
Polish chickens are colorful chicken breeds known for their beautiful, bright feathers.
These birds are relatively small, but they make up for it in personality. Polish chickens are friendly and curious, and they make great pets.
Therefore, if you’re looking for a beautiful and fun chicken, then the Polish chicken is the perfect breed for you!
19. Wyandotte
The Wyandotte is a chicken breed that comes in many colors.
The most common colors are white, black, and blue, but there are also buff, silver-laced, and partridge Wyandottes.
These colorful chicken breeds are friendly and make good egg layers.
20. Rhode Island Red
The Rhode Island Red is one of the famous colorful chicken breeds that is known for its red feathers.
This chicken is also known for being friendly and docile, which makes it an excellent choice for those who are new to chicken ownership.
Fortunately, Rhode Island Reds are good egg layers, producing up to 250 eggs per year.
Suppose you’re looking for colorful chicken breeds that are also friendly and productive. The Rhode Island Red is a great choice.
21. Hamburg
The Hamburg is a breed of chicken known for its unique coloring.
While most chickens are a single color, the Hamburg has two distinct colors on its feathers. The chicken’s body is typically white, while the tail and wings are black.
However, this unusual coloring makes Hamburg stand out among other chicken breeds.
Hamburg is also a friendly and docile chicken, making it a popular choice for backyard chicken keepers.
22. Sultan
The Sultan chicken is a beautiful bird that was initially bred in Turkey. These chickens are known for their long, flowing tails and feathers ranging from white to black.
The Sultan chicken is a friendly breed that makes a great addition to any backyard flock.
Conclusion
The list of colorful chicken breeds is long and includes many different types of chickens. The most popular breed, the Rhode Island Red, is a red chicken.
Other popular breeds include the Plymouth Rock, a barred chicken, and the White Leghorn, a white chicken.
However, there are also many less common breeds, such as the Blue Andalusian, a blue chicken, and the Lavender Orpington, a lavender chicken.
Whatever your preference, there are sure to be colorful chicken breeds that you will love!
