Chinese chicken breeds are a diverse group of poultry valued for their unique traits, including meat quality, egg production, and ornamental appeal. Originating across various regions of China, these breeds often feature striking plumage, distinctive combs, and sometimes black skin or feathered legs. They are cherished for their cultural significance, often linked to traditional cuisine or medicinal uses, and are popular in both rural and backyard settings globally.
These chickens are typically hardy, adapting to free-range or confined environments like small coops. They thrive in temperate to warm climates, with some breeds suited to high altitudes or humid regions, requiring secure shelters to protect against predators. Their adaptability makes them ideal for backyard keepers seeking resilient, low-maintenance birds.
Many Chinese breeds are dual-purpose, offering flavorful meat and moderate egg production, with eggs ranging from brown to tinted or blue. Some are prized for their tender, low-fat meat, used in regional dishes, while others are kept for their aesthetic qualities. Their diet includes grains, insects, and scraps, needing balanced feed for optimal health.
Temperaments vary from docile and pet-like to alert and independent, influencing their suitability for mixed flocks or family backyards. Some breeds are prone to broodiness, making them excellent for natural chick-rearing. Their vibrant colors and unique features, like crests or extra toes, add visual charm to flocks.
Challenges include competition from commercial breeds, leading to conservation efforts for native varieties. Their role in traditional Chinese culture, from culinary dishes to symbolic uses, underscores their value. Backyard keepers must ensure proper housing and predator protection to maintain these breeds’ health and heritage.
Chinese Chicken Breeds
Silkie
The Silkie is a small breed (2–4 lbs) with fluffy, fur-like plumage (white, black, or other colors), black skin, bones, and blue earlobes, plus five toes per foot. Originating in ancient China, possibly as early as the 13th century as noted by Marco Polo, it’s prized for its docile, pet-like temperament and is often used to brood eggs of other birds.
Silkies lay 100–120 small cream or tinted eggs annually. They thrive in small, secure backyards, are moderately hardy, and need dry, warm coops due to non-waterproof feathers. Their unique appearance and gentle nature make them a favorite for ornamental purposes.
Cochin
The Cochin is a large breed (6–13 lbs) with dense, fluffy plumage covering legs and feet, available in colors like buff, black, or white, and a single red comb. Originating in Shanghai, China, in the 1840s, it sparked “hen fever” in the West due to its striking appearance.
Cochin roosters are calm but protective, and hens lay 150–200 medium brown eggs yearly. They adapt to confined backyards, are cold-hardy, but need shade in heat. Their massive size and feathered legs make them ideal for exhibition and backyard flocks.
Croad Langshan
The Croad Langshan is a large breed (7–9 lbs) with glossy black plumage, a small red single comb, and long, upright breasts. Originating in China’s Langshan region in the mid-19th century, it gained popularity in Britain after being introduced in 1904.
Its sociable, trainable temperament suits backyard flocks, and hens lay 150–200 large brown eggs annually. Langshans thrive in free-range or confined setups, are hardy in temperate climates, and need shade in heat. Their elegant stature and productivity make them a versatile choice.
Yellow-Hair (Yellow-Feather) Chicken
The Yellow-Hair chicken is a medium-sized breed (4–6 lbs) with yellow plumage, beak, and shanks, often called “three-yellow” (Sanhuangji) in China. Native to regions like Shanghai, it’s a popular breed for its tender, low-fat meat, ideal for dishes like baizhanji (sliced cold chicken).
Hens lay 150–180 medium brown eggs yearly. They adapt to free-range or confined backyards, thrive in mild climates, and need secure coops. Their flavorful meat and declining numbers due to commercial broilers make them notable.
Ninghai Chicken
The Ninghai chicken is a medium-sized breed (4–6 lbs) with varied plumage (often yellow or brown), a single red comb, and a sturdy build. A hybrid developed in Ningbo, Zhejiang, by Zhejiang University, it’s valued for high meat quality and lays 140–180 medium brown eggs annually.
Its calm temperament suits mixed backyard flocks. Ninghai chickens thrive in free-range mountainous fields or confined coops, are hardy in temperate climates, and need shade in heat. Their meat-focused traits make them a local favorite.
Frizzle Chicken
The Frizzle chicken is a medium-sized breed (4–6 lbs) with curled, outward-pointing feathers (various colors), a single red comb, and a genetic mutation causing its unique plumage. Originating in the Pacific Rim, including China, around the 1500s, it’s a dual-purpose breed with a lively, friendly temperament.
Hens lay 120–150 medium brown eggs yearly. Frizzles thrive in free-range or confined backyards, are hardy in mild climates, and need dry coops to protect feathers. Their quirky appearance is a backyard draw.
Ninghai Xiang Chicken
The Ninghai Xiang chicken is a medium-sized breed (4–6 lbs) with yellow or brown plumage, a single red comb, and a compact frame. Developed in Ningbo, Zhejiang, it’s prized for its tender, flavorful meat and lays 130–170 medium brown eggs annually.
Its docile temperament suits small backyards, and it adapts to free-range or confined setups. Hardy in temperate climates, it needs shade in heat and secure coops. Its meat quality and local significance make it a valuable breed.
Zhenning Loquat Chicken
The Zhenning Loquat chicken is a medium-sized breed (4–6 lbs) with varied plumage (often yellow or mixed), a single red comb, and a robust build. Native to Zhejiang, China, it’s a dual-purpose breed known for its high meat quality and lays 120–160 medium brown eggs yearly.
Its calm, adaptable temperament suits backyard flocks. It thrives in free-range or confined settings, is hardy in mild climates, and needs predator-proof coops. Its regional popularity and meat traits are notable.
Wannan Three-Yellow Chicken
The Wannan Three-Yellow chicken (4–5 lbs) features yellow plumage, beak, and shanks, with a single red comb. Native to Anhui Province, China, and recognized as a genetic resource in 2003, it’s valued for adaptability and disease resistance, laying 150–160 medium brown eggs yearly.
Its calm temperament suits small backyards, and it thrives in free-range or confined setups in temperate climates, needing shade in heat. Its yellow features and resilience make it a regional favorite.
Nixi Chicken
The Nixi chicken is a small breed (2–4 lbs) with varied plumage (often black or brown), a single red comb, and a compact frame. Native to Yunnan Province, China, it’s used in local soups for its tender meat and lays 80–120 small brown eggs annually.
Its hardy, adaptable temperament suits high-altitude backyards, thriving in cold climates but needing shade in heat. Nixi chickens prefer free-range setups but tolerate confinement, requiring secure coops. Their small size is unique.
Pekin Bantam
The Pekin Bantam is a tiny true bantam (1–2 lbs) with dense, fluffy plumage (various colors), a round head, and short, feathered legs. Originating in China and popularized in Britain in the 19th century, it’s an ornamental breed with a friendly, cuddly temperament, laying 80–100 small cream eggs yearly.
Pekin Bantams thrive in small, secure backyards, are moderately hardy, and need warm, dry coops. Their furball-like appearance makes them a charming backyard pet.
Chahua Chicken
The Chahua chicken is a medium-sized breed (4–6 lbs) with varied plumage (often partridge-like), a single red comb, and a slender build. Native to Yunnan Province, China, it’s a genetically distinct breed with high meat quality, laying 100–140 medium brown eggs annually.
Its alert, independent temperament suits free-range backyards, and it’s hardy in diverse climates, needing secure coops. Its genetic uniqueness and jungle-fowl-like traits make it a valuable heritage breed.
Youxi Black Chicken
The Youxi Black chicken is a medium-sized breed (4–6 lbs) with glossy black plumage, a single red comb, and black skin, bones, and meat, similar to the Silkie. Native to Fujian Province, China, it’s prized for its medicinal properties in traditional Chinese medicine and lays 100–140 small, light brown eggs annually.
Its calm, docile temperament makes it suitable for small backyard flocks, and it adapts to confined or free-range setups. Hardy in temperate climates, it needs dry, warm coops to protect its feathers. Its black meat and regional significance are key identifiers.
Beijing You Chicken
The Beijing You chicken is a medium-sized breed (4–5 lbs) with golden-yellow plumage, a single or walnut red comb, and feathered legs, often with a crest or beard. Originating near Beijing, China, and recognized as a protected genetic resource, it’s valued for its flavorful meat and lays 120–150 medium brown eggs yearly.
Its friendly, curious temperament suits family backyards, and it thrives in free-range or confined setups in mild climates, needing shade in heat. Its crested appearance and culinary value make it distinctive.
Dagu Chicken
The Dagu chicken is a large breed (6–8 lbs) with varied plumage (often yellow, brown, or black), a single red comb, and a robust, upright build. Native to Shandong Province, China, it’s a dual-purpose breed known for its tender meat and lays 140–180 large brown eggs annually.
Its calm yet protective temperament makes it ideal for mixed backyard flocks. Dagu chickens are hardy, adapt to free-range or confined coops, and thrive in temperate climates, needing secure enclosures. Their size and productivity are notable traits.
Luyuan Chicken
The Luyuan chicken is a medium-sized breed (4–6 lbs) with yellow or reddish-brown plumage, a single red comb, and a slender frame. Native to Guangdong Province, China, it’s a traditional breed valued for its high-quality meat and lays 130–170 medium brown eggs yearly.
Its alert, adaptable temperament suits free-range backyards, though it tolerates confinement. Luyuan chickens are heat-tolerant, thrive in warm climates, and need insulation in cold weather. Their regional culinary importance and resilience make them a backyard favorite.