Elevate Your Flock with These 10 Rare & Unique Chicken Breeds

 Are you an experienced chicken keeper and need some zhuzh in your coop? Or maybe you’re a new convert to the wonderful world of backyard chickens and want to kick off your flock with a bang. For a feathered beauty, look no further than rare exotic chicken breeds.
 This guide will take you through 10 of the most unusual and delightful rare chicken breeds, from the iridescent Ayam Cemani to the sky blue egg-laying Cream Legbar. We’ll dive into what makes each breed unique, how prolific they are at laying eggs, their personalities and any special care needs. By the end, you’ll know everything you need to pick just the right rare breed (or two!) to take your backyard chicken keeping journey to a higher place.
Here are some of the benefits of raising rare chicken breeds.
 Before we outline our top 10, though, let’s take a moment to talk about why you may want to hunt down rare chicken breeds in the first place. After all, these birds tend to have a higher price tag and may be less readily available than your average barnyard staples. But the advantages of introducing rare breeds into your flock are many:
Aesthetic Appeal: A coop full of brown hens can get a little boring. All rare breeds are known for unique colors and patterns of their plumage, as well as unusual traits such as crests, muffs, and feathered feet which can make your flock a living work of art (Akers, 2017). Just imagine looking out your window during that first week and seeing a wave of shimmering metallic black Ayam Cemanis and their warmth flower like feathers Swedish Flower Hens!
Colorful Eggs: There’s nothing wrong with a classic brown or white egg, but why not liven up your egg basket with pastel blues, greens, and pinks? Many rare breeds, such as Cream Legbars, Ameraucanas, and Olive Eggers, have unique, colorful eggs that receive considerable attention and indeed add a fun aspect to egg collection on a daily basis (Rossier, 2021).
Preserving Genetic Diversity: Industrialized agriculture's focus on a small number of highly productive breeds has put many rare breeds on the brink of extinction. By raising heritage breed chickens, you are a steward of genetic diversity and preserve these old breeds for future generations (The Livestock Conservancy, 2021). Your coop is now a living part of poultry history!
Conversation Starters: Rare breeds are the way to go if you want to be the talk of your chicken keeping community or turn heads at the local feed store. Believe us, if you casually mention your Onagadori rooster's tail, which fusses with 20 feet of length, or arrive with a carton of sage green Olive Egger eggs in hand, you’ve made some fowl friends for life.
Now that we’ve discussed the why, let’s meet the rare breed rockstars who will add style and intrigue to your flock.
The 10 Rarest and Most Exotic Chicken Breeds
Ayam Cemani: Often known as the “Lamborghini of Chickens,” these Indonesian stunners are draped in sleek, inky black plumage due to a genetic condition known as fibromelanosis. But the beauty of the Ayam Cemani goes further than the surface of its feathers—even their skin, bones and organs are jet black! They are not prolific layers, but these amiable birds make a stylishly gothic statement in any coop (Akers, 2017).
Swedish Flower Hen: If you want chickens that are as unique as snowflakes, the Swedish Flower T hen are the birds for you. All the birds have unique “flower petal” patterns, making each a one-of-a-kind work of feathered art. Snow-hopper hardy and gentlemanly cool produce around 150 eggs per year, small and cream-colored, and do well in cold climates, ideal for Oklahoma winters (Greenfire Farms, 2021).
Cream Legbar: Cutesy British nuggets that were specifically engineered for two features—pastel blue egg shells and charming, tousled crests. Legbars are sweet and curious in temperament and can lay 180-200 of those signature blue eggs a year. They don’t require any special care, making them an easy pick for flocks that want a pop of pastel (Akers, 2017).
Dong Tao: From the pages of a fantasy novel, Dong Tao “Dragon Chickens” grow fabulously thick, scaly legs that can be as large as a human wrist! These gentle giants originated from Vietnam and typically weigh 12-14 pounds, making them a great conversation piece during poultry swaps. They like warmer climates, but will keep coop goers mesmerized with their “people of the Jurassic” looks (Hyman, 2018).
Onagadori: Supermodels of the chicken world, the Japanese Onagadori roosters are coveted for their exceptionally long tail feathers—measuring 20 feet or more! Though they need specialized housing to keep their long trains safe, they're easygoing to raise as an ornamental bird, even if they aren't the best egg layers (Ikeda & Shiraishi, 2021).
Pavlovskaya: With their noble crests and frilly feathered feet, it’s hard to imagine these Russian beauties ever being on the edge of extinction, but that’s the case — in the 20th century, no less. Pavlovskaya chickens are very cold hardy, docile, and can lay about 100 small white eggs a year, making them a great breed for Oklahoma homesteaders that want to help conserve this unique breed (Romanov, 1996).
Vorwerk: A German breed, Vorwerks are the shiney jewels of the chicken world with their gleaming golden-green plumage and black hackles and tails. But they are more than just a pretty face—Vorwerks have a friendly disposition and can lay a hefty ~170 cream-colored eggs per year, proving you can have both style and substance in your flock (American Poultry Association, 2020).
Deathlayer: Despite their goth-y sounding name, Deathlayers are actually pretty friendly birds, covered in all black feathers that take on a beetle green shine. These stylish layers are also known for offering approximately 140 pristine white eggs per year, making them a combination of dependable production and dark, sinister beauty. Consistent with their mellow temperament, Deathlayers have no special needs and are a low-maintenance rare breed (American Deathlayer Club, 2021).
Ixworth: One of the rarest British breeds, ixworth chickens were almost lost after WWII. These big white birds are consider the best of both worlds, egg laying, and meat too, making them an ideal sustainable homestead animal. They’re hardy, adapted to most climates, and have a reputation as the “Golden Retrievers of the chicken world” for their sweet, affable dispositions (Hoef, 2021).
Ameraucana: Though often mistaken for the more common Easter Egger mixed breed, true Ameraucanas are not very common. Highly coveted for their pretty “muffs” and “beards” and blue eggs in shades from soft robin’s egg to vivid turquoise, these friendly birds can produce an average of about 200 medium eggs each year. They need no special care and are thus a popular choice for flocks looking for the blue egg aesthetic (Akers, 2017).
What to Know Before a Rare-Breed Addition
While the aesthetics and novelty of rare chicken breeds can be hard to resist (and some look downright beautiful in your yard), there are a few things to keep in mind before you make the plunge:
Limited Availability: Your patched Yatch breed chicken adult can be available only at special times, so you may end up in a treasure hunt. You may need to join hatchery waitlists, search poultry swaps or place orders with specialty breeders months ahead of time. Don’t plan on picking up an Ayam Cemani impulse buy on a trip to your local feed store!
More Expensive: Rare breed chickens often involve a significant financial investment, particularly for those descended from impressive bloodlines. And if your budget is limited, you might only be able to begin with a selection of rare birds, in addition to standard breeds that are more affordable. For most committed enthusiasts, the time, effort, and money invested are priceless rewards for raising these amazing fowl.
Reduced Egg Production: Rare heritage breeds were generally not bred for maximum egg production like modern hybrid layers (with some exceptions). Some, including the exquisite Onagadori, are primarily maintained for aesthetic purposes, producing just 50-100 tiny eggs annually. Choose calmly whether your flock goals lean toward colorful egg gathering, or pure visual delight, and plan your breed combination thoughtfully.
Specialized Care Needs: Most rare breeds are just as robust and don’t need any more specialized care than your typical backyard chicken, but some have specialized needs. Delicate Onagadoris need secure housing for their ultra-long tails, and Ayam Cemanis may be particularly unprotected against parasites thanks to their light feathering. Be sure to study your chosen breed’s needs well in advance of bringing them home.
Connecting with the Rare Breed Community
  As you start your journey into keeping rare breeds, connecting with other enthusiasts is one of the most exciting aspects of any hobby. After all, who else is going to appreciate the dinosaur-like charm of your Dong Tao rooster, or the delicate sage green of your Olive Egger’s eggs, like a fellow rare breed fanatic?
The state of Oklahoma boasts a working poultry loving community, many of whom keep heirloom and rare breeds. Look for Facebook groups for local chicken keepers, follow rare breed hatcheries on social media, attend poultry shows and swaps in your area to network.
 Don’t hesitate to ask questions, post pictures of your flock, and share stories about the wonderful (and sometimes challenging) experience of raising these special birds. And many breeders of these breeds are more than happy to educate newcomers and assist them in ensuring the continued existence of these important genetics for the future.
Conclusion
 Rare and exotic chicken breeds bring your flock a new dimension of fascination, beauty, and genetic stewardship . With impressively metallic plumage that glimmers in the light like a Vorwerk or soft pastel blue eggs perfectly poached by a Cream Legbar, there is something special about each rare breed that makes it appealing to both new and established chicken keepers.
 Though seeking out and breeding these types of birds will take additional time and money, the benefits of combining special types of birds and all the traits they embody—especially in terms of conserving heritage breeds—make it all worthwhile. And hey, you will instantly become a local star among poultry friends with your quirky and colorful feathered friends!
 Whether you opt to begin your rare breed adventure with a laid-back, blue egg-laying Ameraucana, or a take the plunge with a tale-from-the-fantasy-Dong Tao Dragon Chicken, there is an ideal for every personality and flock dynamic! The most challenging part will be choosing just one or two—believe us, the rare breed addiction is no joke!
So tell us, which unusual chicken breeds have captured your heart? Are you dreaming of first watching an elegant Onagadori rooster strut his silky stuff or collecting a rainbow of pastel Cream Legbar eggs? Let us know your rare breed wishlist or your rare breed experiences in the comments below, and lets join together to celebrate these avian treasures.
References
Akers, J. (2017). Raising chickens for dummies. John Wiley & Sons.
American Deathlayer Club. (2021). About the breed. American Deathlayer Club. About The Breed — AMERICAN DEATHLAYER CLUB
American Poultry Association. (2020). The Vorwerk: A German rare breed chicken American Poultry Association. EAW: https://amerpoultryassn.com/vorwerk-german-rare-breed-chicken/
Greenfire Farms. (2021). Swedish Flower Hen. Greenfire Farms. You are only able to purchase an adult Swedish flower hen female if a hen in California.
Hoef, K. (2021). Breed profile: Ixworth chicken. The Happy Chicken Coop. https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/ixworth-chicken/
Hyman, M. (2018). Vietnam’s dragon chickens Modern Farmer. The Dragon Chickens of Vietnam – Modern Farmer
Ikeda, M., & Shiraishi, J. I. (2021). A morphological study of long-tailed chicken "Onagadori" This article is published in Journal of Poultry Science, 58(2), 171-177. https://doi.org/10.2141/jpsa.0200089 same.
The Livestock Conservancy. (2021). Conservation priority list. The Livestock Conservancy. You would be able to read them all after October 2023.
Romanov, M. N. (1996). Pavlovskaya chicken breed - Russia Poultry Science, 75, 102-103.
Rossier, J. (2021). Wondering what Cream Legbar chickens are? The Spruce. https://www.thespruce.com/cream-legbar-chickens-5199925