Exotic Chickens
Raising Rare and Exotic Chickens
Raising rare or exotic chickens can be both a challenge and a delight! If you are reading this, then chances are that you would like to know a little about the different rare and exotic breeds of chicken there are and how they should be maintained.
Let us start by addressing the purpose that you have in mind for your chicken. Deciding whether you want to raise your chicken to improve the aesthetic appeal of your garden or to use as an egg producer is a vital step in choosing between the right exotic chickens. Some chicken breeds have a very good egg production rate, while others are low to minimal. If you aren’t fussed about having fresh eggs for your spinach and cheese omelet, then you will have a much broader range of breeds to choose from. If you have tinkered around with the idea of selling eggs, you will definitely want to pay attention later on when we talk about the high-volume “eggers”.
I’m going to kick this off with some of the most unique-looking chicken breeds. First up is the Sultan chicken, which is very rare. While they are generally white in color, they also have a huge tuft of feathers on top of their head resembling King Julian’s headdress from “Madagascar”, feathered legs and feet, and five toes (most chickens have four)! This rare chicken is ideal for the lifestyle of an outdoor pet, and is known for being extremely tame and handles confinement particularly well. This breed should not be chosen for its egg-producing ability as it only produces, on average, about one egg per week.
Exotic chickens tend to have looks worth strutting, and the White Crested Black Polish is no different. If you’re in the market for a chicken with a ‘do similar to an 80’s “hair band”, then this is the bird for you! On the whole, this breed is fairly tame but their crazy crests can sometimes make it difficult to see. This often results in seemingly weird behavior. I don’t recommend that you choose this breed if you are going to depend on the eggs, because this breed isn’t particularly known for egg production. Some in this breed are excellent at laying eggs while others are very poor at it.
The Brahma is a breed of chicken that originates from China. They come in about eight different colors, have feathered feet, and are a very large breed with good egg production. They are resilient enough to withstand both cold and hot weather, so they can live outdoors in many areas of the world. They are a gentle breed but can sometimes be a little distant.
The Frizzle breed is one of Asian origin, and it’s no wonder how they got their name. The feathers on this breed naturally turn backwards, giving the constant appearance of ruffled feathers. They come in black, white, or blue colors and are fair egg-layers, although they are mainly used for exhibition purposes. This breed would make a fair addition to your garden, plus you have the added bonus of fresh eggs, even if the hen doesn’t produce enough to sell.
The Dutch Bantam is a gorgeous breed hailing from the Netherlands with long tail feathers and about 20 color choices! They are great egg layers and average about 120 eggs per year. An interesting fact about this breed is that they were the hen of choice for peasants many years ago for the simple fact that they produce small eggs. Back then, the law stated that large eggs had to be given to the Lord who owned the land.
Now that you have a good selection to choose from, I wish you the best of luck in your chicken-raising endeavor!