What about Japanese chickens? Everyone thinks they know what a chicken is and what there is to know about them, but depending on where they come from, they may quickly learn how little they know.
In reality, you might be completely off base in your assumptions, making you look like you don’t know what you’re talking about to begin with, depending on the breed of chicken you’re referring to.
That’s why today we’re bringing you a primer on a type of chicken that doesn’t appear frequently on restaurant menus. Here, we shall discuss the most popular and most superior of the chicken breeds in Japan.
Because of this, we’ve included a brief description of the most popular breed of Japanese chickens as well as a list of the top 10 “exotic” Japanese chicken breeds in this detailed guide. If you’re curious as to what kind of dog that is, read on; we’ve got loads of details.
Whatever the case may be, let’s get started with the ten breeds we’re going to analyze today, highlighting their key distinctions from their counterparts in other cultures.
You may also want to read about the best layer chickens.
These are the top 7 Japanese chickens:
7. Phoenix chicken
The fact that the Phoenix chicken is a byproduct of the Onagadori chicken is intriguing. We’ve talked about how that one gene prevents the chicken from ever molting, but we haven’t yet touched on the negative effects that has on its chances of survival. Because of this, researchers eventually came up with the Phoenix chicken as a replacement for the Onagadori variety.
Despite the challenges they faced, chickens are now able to molt every year or two thanks to selective breeding that resulted in one of the most beautiful breeds in the world.
This helps them out because instead of 22 or 30 feet in height, they only grow 12 or 18 inches.
One final point about Phoenix chickens we’d like to make is that their moniker is a bit of a misnomer. That they improved upon their Onagadori ancestors and stood a better chance of survival over time is implicit in the name.
6. Shamo chicken
As soon as you lay eyes on a Shamo chicken, you’ll know immediately which one it is. If you see a chicken with a particularly long neck and distinctive spots all over its body, you can be sure you’re dealing with a Shamo chicken.
Even so, the Shamo chicken is remarkable in other ways, notably its strength and resilience. You might be wondering why that matters for a chicken, but keep in mind that it is common practice in Japan to raise chickens specifically for the purpose of competition.
Thus, this variety of chicken isn’t typically purchased for the purpose of egg-laying, despite the fact that it is possible for it to do so.
5. Shoukoku chicken
Before you criticize the appearance of this chicken, keep in mind that it was the first of its kind to look like this. These Japanese chickens are easy to recognize.
To clarify, if you thought the Onagadori chicken was the first long-tailed chicken, you can relax: there are plenty more where that came from, and the odds are good that they all descended from this very bird.
There’s evidence to suggest that the history of this chicken goes back at least 2,000 years, and it’s widely held to be one of the most popular pet chickens in Japan today. Despite this, however, acquiring one in the USA may prove challenging.
4. Totenko chicken
This is one of the rarest breeds in the world, and for good reason it is considered to be Japan’s national treasure. These Japanese chickens are very unique.
When people in the past didn’t know how to properly care for them, this breed quickly declined to the point where there are now virtually none left in Japan or anywhere else on Earth.
These chickens are so uncommon that they are often referred to as “Phoenix chickens on steroids” due to their red wattles and white earlobes.
While the hens may reach a maximum weight of 4 pounds, the whole flock may reach a maximum weight of 5 pounds. In addition to the normal benefits of the Phoenix breed, these chickens can lay up to 120 eggs per year!
3. Uzura Chabo chicken
In any case, this is a classic, and if you like dark and brooding chicken, you should definitely get your hands on one of these because they are stunning.
The Uzura Chabo chicken is a beautiful addition to any flock because of its striking black and red coloring, which makes it stand out from other chicken breeds.
And if you ask us, they look like royalty because of their long tails, which get shorter the higher up you go.
They may have short legs, but that doesn’t stop them from being lightning fast as they dart from one end of the barn to the other. It’s great to know that this breed is one of the more accessible ones right now.
2. Ukokkei chicken
You can get your hands on one of the cutest chicken breeds, the Japanese Silky, right here. Because of how adorable they are, the vast majority of their owners never put them to work and instead keep them purely as decorations.
They are also great for kids to play with because they are among the tamest chicken breeds in the world and enjoy being handled.
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, we can move on to the next and final step of the guide, which features a detailed examination of the most widely kept chicken in Japan, the Bantam:
1. Bantam Chicken
One of the most unusual chicken breeds you’ll ever come across, Japanese Bantams are also known as “Bantams” for short. However, their unusual appearance and temperament warrant special care. These Japanese chickens are the most popular.
It’s best to keep an eye out for that, because they’re very moody creatures and you never know if they want to be handled roughly or not.
The black mottled, the blue-red, and the cuckoo are just a few of the many sizes and colors available for this breed.
