Sultan chickens originate from Turkey. They were the breed of chicken that used to roam the Sultan’s gardens in Constantinople, and were brought to the UK in 1854. This breed almost became extinct between the world wars, but was revived by combining other breeds. They have heavy feathering, muffs and large crests.

The most common color variety is white, although there are black and blue varieties. They have V shaped horn combs, five toes and feathered legs. They are mainly kept for exhibition and are not good egg layers, producing around 60 eggs per year. The hens do not go broody.

Sultans are not good foragers and are happy to be kept in enclosures and runs. They enjoy human company, have a gentle temperament and are easy to tame. They do not like cold temperatures. Mature males weigh around 2.7 kg and the females 1.8 kg. There are bantam sizes available.