27 Bizarre And Beautiful Chickens

    Cock-a-doodle-oo-la-la.

    James Grebey
    by James Grebey

    BuzzFeed Staff

    1. Onagadori

    Diandra Dills / Creative Commons / Via commons.wikimedia.org

    This Japanese breed of chicken was selectively bred to have tail feathers that grow up to 5 meters in length.

    2. Golden Polish

    Robyn Anderson / Flickr: robynanderson

    These birds are notable for their large bouffant crest of feathers, which sometimes impedes their vision.

    3. Silver Laced Polish

    Flickr: jety

    Another variety of Polish chickens, these guys can be used as egg-layers, but they're better suited to be exhibition birds.

    4. Silkie Bantam

    I do not understand this license? / Via commons.wikimedia.org

    This Chinese breed is "the lap-dog of the chicken world," and they have five toes instead of four like most chickens.

    5. Ayam Cemani

    Greenfire Farms / Via greenfirefarms.com

    Almost everything about this gorgeous chicken is black. Seriously. Beneath the black feathers and skin you'll find black-tinted organs and muscles.

    6. Manx Rumpy

    7. Gold Laced Wyandotte

    Will Thomas / Flickr: 96491161@N03

    These golden birds are reliable egg-layers who do well in cold weather.

    8. Modern Game Bantam

    9. Serama

    Rsteagall / Creative Commons / Via en.wikipedia.org

    This Malaysian breed is only six inches tall and is often kept as an indoor pet. Thousands were culled during the bird flu outbreak in 2004, but the breed is on the recovery.

    10. Cream Legbar

    Flickr: 29278394@N00
    Flickr: 29278394@N00

    This rare but popular breed is notable for being one the few breeds of chicken that can be "autosexed," meaning male and female chicks look different immediately upon hatching and can be easily sorted (the males have a brown stripe on their backs).

    11. Transylvanian Naked Neck

    Lily15 / Via commons.wikimedia.org

    This breed is often mistakenly assumed to be a cross between a chicken and a turkey, but they were actually first bred in Hungary, where their featherless necks made them better at handling the heat and easier to pluck.

    12. La Flèche

    Gord Webster / Flickr: 37996577538@N01 / Creative Commons

    This v-shaped comb on this French breed earned the nickname "Devil's Head" due to its horn-like appearance.

    13. Plymouth Rock

    Kevin Prichard Photography / Flickr: kevin-prichard / Creative Commons

    This breed, which originated in Plymouth, Mass., was recognized as early as 1874, and has since gone on to become one of the more popular breeds in America.

    14. Araucana

    Anne Cushing / en.wikipedia.org
    Flickr: cobalt

    In addition to having a sweet set of muttonchops, this South American breed lays blue eggs.

    15. Frizzle

    16. Buttercup

    dalemcneill / Flickr: dalemcnl

    The Buttercup gets its name from its unique, cup-shaped comb. No other breed's combs look like this.

    17. Hamburg

    Ospr3yy / Via commons.wikimedia.org

    This old European breed is energetic and easily bored. It's good at flying (for a chicken) and enjoys roosting in trees.

    18. Rhode Island Red

    Garrett Heath / Flickr: garrettheath

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, this Rhode Island Red is the official state bird of Rhode Island.

    19. Belgian Bearded d'Uccle

    elysianfields / Flickr: elysianfields / Creative Commons

    This awesomely-named chicken was bred to have both a beard and feathered boots.

    20. Faverolles

    21. Delaware

    22. Red Pyle Game Bantam

    SimonMohr93 / Via en.wikipedia.org

    These elegantly-colored English birds are known for their "alertness, upright appearance, and confident personality."

    23. Sebright

    Flickr: 18474854@N00 / Creative Commons
    Mark Robinson / Flickr: 66176388@N00 Creative Commons

    The Sebright is the only breed with two varieties — Golden and Silver. They are a somewhat difficult bird to raise.

    24. Phoenix

    Anjwalker / Via commons.wikimedia.org

    The Phoenix was bred as a European counterpart to the Onagadori, an ancient Japanese breed that the Phoenix is descended from.

    25. Minorca

    Flickr: dalemcnl / Creative Commons

    This Spanish breed is notable for being Lawrence of Arabia's favorite type of chicken.

    26. Appenzeller

    Flickr: slv_co / Creative Commons

    This polka-dotted breed was named after ladies who wore large, lacey bonnets in Appenzellerland, Switzerland.

    27. Brahma

    Alice Popkorn / Flickr: alicepopkorn

    Sometimes called "The King Of Chicken Breeds," Brahmas are among the largest breed of chicken, known for their feathered legs. Brahma cocks can weigh more than 18 pounds.