Can You Really Get Fuzzy Feet Chickens?
Chickens with feathered feet, yes feathers on their feet, or you could say fuzzy feet chicken?
Why not.
So why do some chickens have feathers on their feet while most don’t?
Let’s find out.
Fuzzy Feet Chicken, Really?
I have had feathered feet chickens most of the time and I like the way they shuffle along.
Sweeping the dirt on the ground as they walk.
But why are they like that?
One boffin decided to activate one of the genes in an everyday regular chicken by coating an embryonic chicken’s foot with a protein.
And, what was discovered was that instead of scales on a chicken’s feet, feathers grew instead.
So the connection was made between scale formation on a chicken’s feet and feathers.
There can be many reasons why some chickens have feathers on their feet while others do not.
This is really quite a complex question to answer…
And it could possibly be related to palaeontology, specifically in the study of dinosaurs.
It is known that scales and feathers are actually made of the proteinaceous material, keratin and feathers are controlled by 2 genes in their overall formation.
Two men called Harris and Fallon looked at a breed of chicken known as a Chinese Silkie chicken.
I like the silkies…
Which had feathers similar to the shape that has been similar to the unearthed feathers that have been discovered from dinosaurs.
Now feathers just don’t grow on their feet…
You will find that in most feathered breeds of chickens that the feathers grow out of their legs as well.
Chickens With Feathers On Their Feet And Weather
Would these such feathers keep the chickens warmer in the cold weather than a chicken that does not have feathers on their legs?
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I would say so.
I would say it’s probably like wearing an extra layer of warmth all down their feet.
I have often pondered as I look at my chickens in the cold weather if their legs and feet are not cold.
Of course, it is not to say that their feet standing on the ground would not be a bit cold.
And this is why you should have some sort of bedding in their chicken coop.
Especially if you have a cement floor.
It gets cold in the cooler weather, and that cold is going to be transferred up your chicken feet as it would yours.
So bedding people, especially in the colder weather.
Now, where was I?
That’s right, the fuzzy feet chicken.
Chicken Breeds With feathered Feet
Here are some that you might know that have feathers on their feet:
- Sultan
- Booted Bantam
- Brahma
- Faverolle
- Langshan
- Cochin
- Silkie
- Belgian d’Uccle
There will be more out there, but with so many chicken breeds these days you can forgive me for missing a few that have flown away…
Can I Cut The Feathers On My Chickens Feet?
And I would ask back…
Why would you?
Feathers on a chicken’s feet don’t hamper the chicken in any way.
They still get around, in fact…
You try and catch one…
There’s no need whatsoever to try to trim the feather on your chicken’s feet.
They are there for a reason, and they keep the chicken’s feet warm.
And no…
The fuzzy feet chicken do not get hot on their feet in the summer.
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At least I have never seen any problems with weather in this way, hot or cold.
But, you do need to keep an eye on them, since in the wet weather they can get caked in mud and faeces, which could lead to foot rot if ignored.
But that is in extreme cases.
I have never had to do much whatsoever with their feathered feet.
They seem to look after themselves quite efficiently.
There is one thing that I have noticed…
And that is I have found sometimes there might have been a little accident in where they might have caught their bigger feather follicle on their feet.
And broken the feather causing a little blood.
So just cut this feather off with a pair of blunt-ended scissors and let them get about their way.
Fuzzy feet chicken…
Would you get one, they are not high maintenance because of their feathered feet, as much as a prize rooster whose tail just goes and goes and goes?
So long…
Have you or do you want some fuzzy feet chickens in your backyard chicken coop…