Chickens are exciting creatures; the more you learn about them, the more fascinating they become.
There’s something truly captivating about these birds, from their personalities and habits to the types of exotic chicken breeds.
Learn more about chickens and the fun world of exotic chicken breeds!
1. Polish Chicken
Polish chickens are a prevalent breed among backyard chicken enthusiasts, and they are known for their large, feathered crests and v-shaped combs.
These exotic chicken breeds come in many colors, but the white-crested black Polish chicken is the most popular.
These birds make great pets and lay medium to large-sized eggs. They can also be found with other varieties of feathers, such as barred and golden lace.
2. Cochin Chicken
The Cochin chicken is a beautiful breed of chicken in many colors. These exotic chicken breeds are friendly birds that make great pets.
Cochins are good layers of eggs and are also known for being broody, which means they will sit on a nest of eggs to hatch.
This breed originated from China and was brought to America in the mid-1800s.
Cochins are a large breed of chicken, with hens weighing 10 pounds and roosters weighing 15 pounds.
3. Marans
Marans are a French breed of chicken most known for their dark chocolate brown eggs.
The Marans were first bred in the town of Marans, France, and were brought to the United States in the 1930s.
While they are not as popular as some other chicken breeds on this list, they are worth considering if you are looking for a unique chicken breed.
Some other notable characteristics of these exotic chicken breeds include their docile personality and ability to lay up to 200 eggs per year.
4. Sumatra Chicken
These birds are unique, with their long, flowing tail feathers and featherless necks. They’re also quite rare, which only adds to their allure.
A Sumatra is an excellent choice if you want a chicken that will stand out in your flock.
But be warned – they can be flighty and difficult to handle.
And while these chickens may not need as much upkeep as some of the other breeds on this list, they’re not precisely low-maintenance either.
Plus, due to their rarity, you’ll unlikely find many at local poultry supply stores (even if you have one nearby).
5. Houdan Chicken
Houdan chickens are a French breed easily recognizable thanks to their unique appearance.
They have five toes on each foot instead of the usual four, and their feathers grow in a V-shape around their necks.
These exotic chicken breeds are friendly and curious birds and make great pets.
If you’re looking for an unusual chicken breed, the Houdan is a great choice!
They are laid back and get along well with people. The only drawback is that they don’t lay as many eggs as other breeds, but it’s worth it for the personality!
6. Crevecoeur Chicken
The Crevecoeur chicken is a beautiful bird that is both rare and exotic, and they are not well known outside of France, where they originate.
These exotic chicken breeds are easily recognized by their black and white feathers, which are said to resemble panda bears.
The Crevecoeur is a friendly chicken good with children and other animals.
They are also excellent egg layers, producing up to 200 eggs annually! The Crevecoeur is a great choice if you’re looking for an unusual chicken breed to add to your flock.
They produce lots of eggs, are friendly and docile around children and pets, and have a unique appearance.
Contact your local veterinarian or poultry expert for more information on these exotic chicken breeds.
7. Sultan Chicken
Sultan chickens are a breed of chicken originating in Turkey. They are a relatively new breed, having been developed in the 1970s.
The Sultan chicken is a tall, slender bird with long legs and necks.
Exotic chicken breeds are very active birds and love to fly. Sultan chickens come in two varieties: bearded and non-bearded.
Bearded Sultan chickens have a protrusion of flesh on their throats that looks like a beard, while non-bearded Sultan chickens do not have this protrusion.
Both Sultan chickens are beautiful birds with long, flowing feathers.
8. White-Faced Black Spanish Chicken
First introduced to the United States in the 1800s, White-Faced Black Spanish chickens are one of the oldest breeds.
Exotic chicken breeds are among the most beautiful, with glossy black feathers and striking white faces.
White-Faced Black Spanish chickens are great for eggs and meat and make wonderful pets.
If you’re looking for exotic chicken breeds that will turn heads, this is the one for you! A White-Faced Black Spanish chicken typically lays 5 to 6 large brown eggs per week.
9. Silkie
Also known as the fluffy chicken, Silkies are one of the most popular exotic chicken breeds.
They’re adored for their unusual appearance: soft feathers covering their entire body, feet, and black skin and bones.
These exotic chicken breeds are friendly birds that make excellent pets and have good layers of eggs.
The Silkie is excellent if you want an unusual chicken breed to add to your flock!
The fluffy chickens come in all colors like red, blue, buff, silver, white, and lavender; there’s even a beautiful bird called the Cuckoo Silkie with unique barred feathers.
The delightful creatures are amiable, so if you’re not used to living with other animals or kids, it might be best to consider another breed.
10. Serama
A Serama chicken is a small breed of chicken originating from Malaysia.
They are the most miniature chickens in the world and are known for being very friendly and docile.
Seramas make great pets and are also good layers of eggs.
If you’re looking for a unique chicken breed, the Serama is definitely for you!
These exotic chicken breeds have an average weight of one pound, with males weighing 1.3 pounds and females weighing 0.8 pounds!
These little guys also have prominent personalities – they are usually playful, outgoing, friendly, and eager to please.
Their egg-laying abilities might not be that impressive (a hen will only lay about 100 eggs per year), but their personality makes them stand out as one of the most popular breeds on this list!
11. Plymouth Rock Chicken
Plymouth Rock chickens are a heritage breed originating in the United States.
They’re dual-purpose birds that can be used for egg and meat production.
Plymouth Rocks are friendly and docile, making them extraordinary backyard chickens. These birds come in various colors: white, black, blue, partridge, and buff.
Plymouth Rocks are medium-sized birds that lay medium to large brown eggs. The Plymouth Rock is a good choice if you’re looking for excellent exotic chicken breeds!
12. Sebright Chicken
The Sebright is a small English breed of chicken. It was developed in the early 19th century by Sir John Saunders Sebright, Bart., from a cross between the silver-laced Wyandotte and the golden-laced Polish.
These exotic chicken breeds are among the oldest true bantam breeds and the most popular and widespread.
It is kept both for its beauty and as a utility chicken, and hens are good layers of small white eggs.
The Sebright’s plumage has black trousers or socks at the ends of their long, pure white feathers; these patches are usually quite visible on show birds.
Hens typically weigh about 2 pounds (0.9 kg), and roosters about 3 pounds (1.4 kg).
13. Onagadori
The Onagadori is a Japanese chicken breed known for its long tail feathers. Onagadori can live up to 20 years and lay around 200 eggs annually.
These chickens are not typically kept as pets but as living art due to their impressive tails.
If you want to keep an Onagadori, be prepared for some stringent grooming requirements!
Chickens with excessive feathering require daily plucking of feathers from the wings, body, legs, and head.
It’s best to begin this process when they are chicks or young birds to get used to it.
They may also need annual clipping of the wing feathers because they increase.
14. Shamo
The Shamo is a Japanese breed of chicken that was once used for cockfighting. Today, they are bred as exhibition birds and make great pets.
These exotic chicken breeds are very friendly and can be pretty vocal. They come in various colors, but the most popular are white and black.
Their feathers have an iridescent sheen to them, which is gorgeous. It’s not uncommon for people to want these chickens solely because of their appearance!
15. Phoenix Chicken
As their name suggests, these beautiful birds originate from the mythical Phoenix. They are known for their five-pointed tail feathers and long, flowing plumage.
Phoenix chickens are friendly and make great pets, but they can be flighty and hard to keep contained.
The Phoenix is perfect if you’re looking for an exotic chicken breed that’s sure to turn heads!
16. Yokohama
The Yokohama is a Japanese breed of chicken developed in the city of Yokohama in the early twentieth century. It is a hybrid of the Brahma and Cochin breeds.
The Yokohama is a large bird, with males weighing up to 4 kg (9 lb) and females up to 3 kg (6.6 lb).
The plumage is white with black or greenish-black neck feathers, and the legs and feet are pinkish-red.
Their exotic chicken breeds a good layer of medium to large brown eggs and is also used for meat production.
17. Malay Chicken
The Malay chicken is a breed of chicken that originates from Malaysia.
These exotic chicken breeds are known for their various colors: black, blue, brown, buff, cream, gold, green, lavender, partridge, porcelain, red, silver, white, and wheaten.
Malay chickens are also known for being very friendly and docile. If you’re looking for exotic chicken breeds to add to your flock, the Malay chicken is a great choice!
