Meet The World's Strangest Chicken Breeds (Part 1/3)

So, today I decided to start a mini series on some of the world's weirdest chicken breeds! 

Some are beautiful, some are classy, some are ugly, some are cute and some are...well.. just weird! Enjoy:

1# Naked Chicken

Featherless Chicken (credit)

First one in the list is my all time favorite, the naked chicken, a breed naturally devoid of all feathers! It looks like the result of a crazy scientist, doesn't it? Guess what? IT IS!

This poor creature was created by a team of researchers, led by Avigdor Cahaner, at the genetics faculty of the Rehovot Agronomy Institute near Tel Aviv, Israel. Contrary to what you may think, the naked chicken has not been genetically engineered. Instead, it's the result of good ol' fashioned selective breeding. Wondering why anyone would create a chicken without feathers? Well, money is always a good reason!

These guys are much more economic compared to conventional chickens! No energy is wasted for feather growth and as a result they grow faster and need less food! Furthermore, no plucking is needed which means less pollution! Oh, the wonders of capitalism!

What do you think? Are featherless chickens the future of mass poultry farming or just a good example of science gone far too wrong in the name of money?

Personally, I don't have an opinion as I have yet to eat one, but if it tastes like a chicken I don't see much of a problem!

2# The Silkie

Silky chicken (credit)

Now, after witnessing the world's ugliest chicken, I think it's time to meet the world's cutest! Meet the silkie,  a breed named after its fluffy plumage, which according to some feels like silk and satin. But the fluffy looks isn't the only weird thing about this chicken!

This breed is well known for some other anatomical oddities, like its black skin and bones, blue earlobes, and the five toes on each foot, when most chickens have just four. The exact origins of this breed are unknown, but most data seem to point ancient China.

The silky is one of the most docile and friendly breeds, making it one of the coolest pets to have around! They are also very cheap, about 10-20 $ per chicken! 

3# Dong Tao Chicken

Dong Tao Chicken (credit)

Next in line is the rare Dong Tao breed from Vietnam. This weird-looking breed with the bulbous scaled legs is one of the most expensive breeds in the world,  just a pair of these birds costs around 2.000 $! Interestingly, the legs can grow to be as thick as a person's wrist!

Also known as the dragon chickens of Vietnam, they were once bred exclusively for the country's royal family but are now served in high-end restaurants. 

The breed originates from the Dong Tao commune (hence the name) in Khoai Chau district, about 20 miles from Hanoi.

Are you rich enough to buy a couple ones for breeding purposes? Better give it a second thought! This is a really hard chicken to raise! They are extremely sensitive to climate changes, lay a few eggs and need a lot of attention. Still, they are supposed to be very tasty so I guess it's worth a try if you can afford it!

4# Polish Chicken

Polish Chicken (credit)

And today's last chicken is the Polish chicken, a breed best known for its amazing feathery head gear!

Despite what their name would have you think, the Polish chicken might actually not originate from Poland. Yes, that is one possibility. However,the oldest recorded accounts about this breed come from Netherlands. The name possible originates from the Middle Dutch word "pol", for head, a reference to the Polish's dome-shaped skull. 

Although it was originally a very productive egg layer, nowdays it is mainly bred for shows and comes in three varieties; bearded, non-bearded and frizzle.

 Like the silkiy, is a very tame and friendly breed, but "their behavior can be a bit wacky since their crest limits their vision." [6]

5# Mountain Chicken

Mountain Chicken (credit)

Well, that was too funny not to share! Meet Leptodactylus fallax, a frog which is commonly known as the mountain chicken :D

Wonder why it's called that way? Here's the answer:

The mountain chicken is nicknamed such after being preyed upon as a local delicacy on the islands of Montserrat and Dominica where it is found.[7]

The End..For Now

This is it for now! See you tomorrow in the second part of the series. In the meantime, you may want to check the links down below if you want to learn more about these weird breeds!

References

1. Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21177439
2. Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19038808
3. Wikipedia.org/wiki/Silkie
4. Dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3134435/The-dragon-chickens-Vietnam-Bizarre-birds-thighs-Beyonce-run-money-rare-delicacy.html
5. Wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_chicken
6. Mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/Polish-B91.aspx
7. Wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptodactylus_fallax

 My dear readers, thank you for reading today's article. Hopefully, you found it interesting enough to follow me, @trumpman. You may also want to check my strange animal series where you get to discover some of the world's weirdest animals!  Here are the last 3 weirdos of the series: 

1. Meet the Platypus a Very Strange Mammal That Lays Eggs!
2. Notaden bennettii: The Super Cute Holy Cross Frog
3. Scientists Baffled by Weird Jelly Blob. Find Out How You Can Help Them!

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