Find The Best Fluffy Chicken Breed For Your Homestead

Looking for more interesting breeds of chicken to add to your backyard flock like the fluffy chicken breeds? Some of these breeds definitely add some character to your flock for sure. But you would also keep in mind that while most of these breeds are friendly birds, most if not all of these breeds are not going to lay the most amount of eggs.

So it’s kind of a trade-off. You get the unique look but production is going to not be at its best.

Chickens are a popular choice for backyard farming and hobbyists, with an estimated 13 million households in the United States owning them. Choosing the right breed of chicken for your flock can make a big difference in the happiness and health of your birds, as well as your own satisfaction as a backyard chicken keeper.

Fluffy chickens are particularly desirable for their soft, cuddly appearance, but they can also be productive egg layers and excellent foragers. If you’re looking for the best fluffy chicken breeds to add to your backyard flock, keep reading to see some of the fluffiest chicken breeds.

Silkie

When people are looking for a fluffy chicken breed 9 times out of 10 this is the breed they are thinking of. 

The Silkie chicken breed is easily recognizable thanks to its unique and fluffy appearance. Silkie feathers are extremely soft and almost look like fur, and come in a variety of colors including white, black, blue, buff, and grey. What sets the Silkie apart from other breeds is its black skin and blue earlobes, which is uncommon among most chicken breeds.

Aside from its fluffy plumage, the Silkie is known for its docile and friendly nature. It is one of the friendliest chicken breeds and loves human interaction.

Silkie hens are also great mothers and often go broody, meaning they have a natural instinct to sit and incubate fertilized eggs until they hatch.

While they are good pets, Silkie chickens quite a bit smaller and don’t lay very many eggs, producing on average three eggs per week. Their eggs are small to medium-sized and tinted in color. 

If you’re looking for an ornamental breed or a backyard chicken to keep as a pet, the Silkie is an excellent choice for a small farm. One warning that I would give is if you get silkie chicks make sure to raise them separately whether or not you get silkie bantam chicks. Due to their small size they are not very hearty chicks. 

I tried to raise several and left the chicks with slightly larger chicks and I kept losing some every few days. Even though there as no aggression being shown they were getting damaged by the size difference. Once they were on their own I had no more losses.

Read more about breeding silkies here.

Frizzle

The Frizzle chicken is not a separate breed, but rather a variation that can occur in many breeds that have the frizzle gene. 

Their unique appearance is due to a genetic variation that gives them curly, fluffy feathers. Frizzles feathers curl outward and upward, giving them an appearance of fluffiness even when they are sleek and wet.

While Frizzles can be found in a variety of colors, including black, white, and buff, their feathers give them their distinct appearance. However, the genetic variation that causes the curled feathers also makes them more susceptible to cold temperatures and wet conditions. As a result, it is important to provide warm and dry shelter for Frizzle chickens, especially in the winter months.

Unfortunately, these chickens don’t lay well so they are not recommended for good egg production. One thing that I have noticed with frizzle chickens is they can be somewhat flighty or aggressive. 

Cochin

Cochin chickens are a popular breed in the United States due to their large and fluffy appearance. I have had this breed for several years and one big reason I love raising them is they are not big wanderers so they tend to stay where you put them as far as fencing goes. 

They come in various colors, including buff, black, white, partridge, and blue, among others. (I may be totally off base but I think our partridge, white, and black Cochins all laid better than our blue splash chickens do.)

This breed is known for its excellent mothers and has high brooding capabilities, which means they are great at hatching and raising chicks. (If you don’t want a broody hen on your hands all you have to do is keep getting the eggs every day and you shouldn’t have an issue.)

Cochins are one of the largest chicken breeds, with hens weighing up to 8 pounds and roosters weighing up to 11 pounds (A cochin bantam doesn’t get any bigger than 2 pounds). They are too big to fly so they are not likely to get out of their containment which I love.

This makes them a great option for those looking for a dual-purpose breed. They like any other chicken breeds are not super egg layers but they still do pretty well. I usually get about 200 eggs a year out of our hens. 

Cochins are also great because they can tolerate cold climates well. Overall, the Cochin is an excellent choice for backyard chicken keepers who are looking for a chicken with a fluffy appearance, brooding capabilities, large size, and cold hardiness. 

(You can get both bantam cochins and standard)

Salmon Faverolle

The Faverolle chicken breed is known for its unique features and characteristics that make them a favorite among backyard chicken keepers. Including having an extra toe compared to normal chickens. Their most notable trait is their fluffy appearance, which comes from the different colors on their feathers and the fact that their earlobes are also covered in feathers.

Faverolles come in a variety of colors, including the salmon color variety, which is a beautiful combination of light brown and orange hues. They are a medium-sized breed, with hens weighing around 6 pounds and roosters weighing up to 8 pounds. But this still look to be quite large because of their large amount of feathers.

In terms of personality, Faverolles are known for their docile and friendly disposition. They are great for families with children who want a pet chicken that they can interact with. They also adapt well to different environments, making them an excellent choice for backyard chicken keepers who live in areas with different climates.

When it comes to egg production, Faverolles are a medium producer, laying about 180-240 eggs per year. Their eggs are medium to large in size and have a light brown color.

Polish Chicken

Polish chickens are a rare breed and don’t have a very fluffy body BUT they are known for their unique appearance with a crest of feathers on their heads meaning they have a huge ball of feathers around their face from the earlobe up to the top of their heads. 

They are small-sized birds, weighing between 2-4 pounds on average. Some claim that they are docile but here is the catch. They are also flighty or jumpy which can lead to not-so-good behavior. Personally, I think they can be one of the more aggressive breeds because of their jumpy behavior. They are also pretty loud crow’ers.

There are several varieties and colors available, including white, black, golden, and silver. While they are not typically bred for meat production, they can lay approximately 150-200 eggs per year.

Polish are small chickens and are not used for meat production. However, their unique and ornamental appearance, as well as their friendly personalities, make them a popular choice for those looking for beautiful and lively birds. With their variety of colors and personalities, Polish Chickens are not a bad addition to a more experienced backyard chicken raiser. 

Brahma

A brahma chicken is a giant breed known for their fluffy feathers and gentle disposition. They are one of the largest chicken breeds, with hens weighing up to 10 pounds and roosters weighing up to 12 pounds. Their size and fluffiness make them appear even larger, making them an impressive and beautiful bird to add to your flock.

One of the most significant advantages of raising Brahmas is their cold hardiness. With their thick feathering, these birds can tolerate colder temperatures much better than other breeds. 

Brahmas are also pretty decent egg layers which is not as common for large breeds. The hens llay about 180-240 eggs a year and they lay very large eggs compared to most chickens. However, their broodiness should be noted. They are known to go broody and sit on eggs pretty easily. Just make sure to collect eggs every day, especially during the warmer months and that should help keep them from setting on a clutch of eggs.

Brahmas come in three colors, dark, light, and buff. The light Brahma are white-bodied with black on their tails and neck. The buff Brahma is marked the same but just with tan where the white would be. The dark Brahma looks a little different with the hens looking like they are black laced, and the roosters are black-bodied with white over their neck and down their saddle.

They have a relaxed and sweet disposition, making them a great choice for families with children or anyone seeking a friendly bird for their backyard flock.

In conclusion, the Brahma breed is perfect for those who live in colder climates and seek to add a gentle giant to their flock with excellent egg-laying capabilities. Their fluffy feathers, broodiness, and variety of color make them a highly desirable breed for both ornamental and practical purposes.

Less Fluffy But Still Large-Bodied Chickens

These are not as fluffy of breeds but they are significantly more so than breeds like the leghorn.

Orpington

The Orpington chicken breed is known for its friendly personality and also being a good dual-purpose breed. I had them for many years and they are definitely one of the more quite breeds so they would make a great addition to any backyard flock. 

They come in different color varieties, including buff, black, blue, lavender, and white. The standard-bred Orpingtons have a rounded and curvy shape with no sharp angles.

Orpingtons are good egg layers, with hens laying up to 200 eggs per year. They are also cold-hardy due to their fluffy feathering, making them well-suited for colder climates. They are adaptable to both free-range and confinement settings, making them a great choice for backyard chicken keepers.

Wyandotte

Wyandotte chickens are known for their beautiful and striking appearance and fluffy feathering and various lacing patterns. They are also another good-tempered bird and while they don’t tend to care for being handled they are a really calm breed, but they also make great egg layers, producing around 200-250 eggs per year.

Wyandottes are still docile birds and can adapt to free-range settings. They are a reliable breed for those looking for egg production and can even be raised for meat purposes.

Wyandottes come in a range of colors, including columbine, silver-laced, gold-laced, blue-laced, and red-laced, with each feather displaying a thin lacing pattern. This feather pattern accentuates their fluffy appearance, making them stand out among other chicken breeds.

Overall, Wyandottes are a great choice for those looking for a dependable top-quality egg layer with striking colors and fluffy feathering. While they may not be the friendliest with humans, they are still docile birds that can adjust and thrive in free-range or confinement settings.

Heat Tolerant or Cold Hardy

When choosing a fluffy chicken breed, it is important to consider the seasonal weather conditions in your area. Some breeds are better suited for hotter climates while others are more tolerant of colder weather. Here are some things to consider when choosing a breed:

Heat Tolerance: In hotter climates, you will want to choose a breed that can tolerate higher temperatures. Look for breeds that have a larger comb as this helps them regulate their body temperature. But also lighter-bodied chickens can handle the heat better than the large breeds. Silkie and Frizzle chickens are both heat-tolerant breeds.

Cold Hardiness: In colder climates, you will want to choose a breed that can handle freezing temperatures. Look for breeds with a thicker coat of fluff or feathers as this will help them retain body heat. Cochin, Faverolle, Brahma, Orpington, and Wyandotte chickens are all cold-hardy breeds that are known for their fluffy appearance and ability to handle freezing temperatures. 

Personal thoughts on getting larger and fluffy chickens that handle the cold weather better… What I have noticed is that chickens that don’t have to work to stay warm tend to lay better during the winter months. Because in my opinion, they are not using that energy to stay warm as much as the thinner birds. So they can use that warmth to continue to make eggs. While there is a lot more to keeping a chicken laying through the winter months this is definitely a plus.

Coop Accommodations

While this has nothing to do with the feathers most of these fluffy chickens tend to be heavier weighted, have short legs, and are not as agile as some breeds of chicken.  

When it comes to most breeds of chickens like Silkies and Frizzles, special accommodations to keep them from damaging their legs. One important consideration is providing low roosts and nesting boxes, as these breeds are heavier and more prone to leg injuries. 

A low roost also ensures that they won’t fall from a high perch or cause damage to their feet when jumping down and injure themselves or cause bumblefoot. Which is simply an abscess in the foot that is deftly treatable if you have the stomach for it.

 Additionally, fluffy feathers are not as water-resistant as normal chicken feathers, which means that these chickens are more susceptible to getting wet and then causing them to get cold. To prevent this, it is important to have a dry, covered outside enclosure. This will not only keep them dry but also prevent any drafts that could cause them to chill.

​When choosing any breed of chicken for your backyard flock it’s important to think about your goals for your chickens and not just go by looks. Having pretty chickens is nice but pretty doesn’t pay the bills or balance out when you are overpaying for eggs due to the cost of feed. So make sure you choose the breed that fits your homestead needs first.