Sultan

The Sultan is an ornamental chicken breed with Ottoman Turkish roots and a heavily decorated appearance. It carries a crest, beard and muffs, feathered legs, vulture hocks, and often white plumage, giving the bird a soft, elaborate profile. Historically kept as a courtly or fancy chicken, it is now maintained mostly by exhibition breeders and ornamental poultry keepers.

Sultans need more protection than hard-ranging utility breeds. Their crests, foot feathering, and dense ornaments do best in dry pens with clean bedding and steady flock mates. Vision should be checked if the crest grows over the eyes, and feathered feet need monitoring for mud, mites, and injuries. Breeders select for complete ornamental features, fertility, and calm temperament. They are not heavy layers, so keepers should value breed character over production.

Colors: Barred, Birchen, Black, Blue, Brown, Buff, Columbian, Crele, Cuckoo, Duckwing, Gold, Gold Laced, Laced, Lavender, Mille Fleur, Mottled, Partridge, Penciled, Porcelain, Red, Silver, Silver Laced, Spangled, Splash, Wheaten, White