Malay chickens: The world’s tallest (and strangest) chicken breed
With protruding brows, slanted eyes, muscular bodies, and an extreme level of confidence, Malay chickens can be intimidating. At first glance, this ancient breed appears to have more in common with velociraptors than your average backyard chicken. And it doesn’t help that some individuals loom over 3 feet tall.
But just because they look like they want to eat you for breakfast, doesn’t mean they actually do. Many Malay chicken keepers have very close bonds with their birds. These chickens have so much more to them than their terrifying demeanor.
Malay chickens are truly different from your typical backyard bird. Aside from being the world’s tallest chicken, they are unique in many other ways. These birds tend to be monogamous. They are critically endangered, and they are strong.
As one poultry author says in her book, Mini Encyclopedia: Chicken Breeds and Care, “…a blow from a Malay’s beak will feel akin to being hit with a hammer.”
Malay chickens are typically kept as a niche hobby breed by people who want a unique backyard pet, although some also raise them for meat. But this breed is definitely not for everyone as Malays do require different living conditions than other chicken breeds and present different challenges.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know to decide if Malay chickens are right for you, including:
What Malay chickens look like in their many different colors and patterns
Malay meat (how much do they provide and what does it taste like?
Climate considerations for Malay chickens (Are they a good fit for your region?)
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Malay chicken facts
Category: Ornamental & Meat
Origin: Southeast Asia
Egg-laying ability: Poor-moderate
Broodiness: High
Meat production: Good
Cold tolerance: Moderate
Heat tolerance: Exceptional
Predator evasion: Good to exceptional
Foraging ability: Good
Toleration for confinement: Low
Temperament: Flighty, active
Aggression toward flock members: Moderate-high
Noise level: Moderate
Origin of Malay chickens
The history of Malay chickens is shrouded in mystery, but historians agree that this is an ancient breed that originated in Southeast Asia. In fact, Malays are one of the oldest chicken breeds in existence, and may have been around for 3.5 millennia.
Malay chickens were originally used for cockfighting, but today they are most commonly kept as exotic pets or as show birds for poultry exhibitions.
However, according to The Livestock Conservancy:
“…The most useful role that the Malay chicken has played is that of crossing with other breeds.”
Because Malay chickens are robust and vigorous, and because their genetics are distinct from most other breeds, they have been used to add health, vigor, and strength to other breeds. These breeds include the Phoenix, Yokohama, Cornish, and Rhode Island Red.
Today, the Malay chicken is exceedingly rare. It has been given a conversation status of “Critical” by The Livestock Conservancy. This means there are very breeding birds or flocks in the U.S., and the breed is also globally endangered.
What do Malay Chickens look like?
Malay chickens come in 7 plumage varieties. Malays also come in a bantam (i.e., miniature) type.
Malay feather colors and patterns
Malays can be found in these 7 varieties, recognized by the American Poultry Association (APA) and/or American Bantam Association (ABA).
Black
Black-breasted red
Mottled
Red Pyle
Spangled
Wheaten
White
You may also find some Malays that have been bred in unrecognized colors or patterns.
Below you can see an example of one of the more common varieties, the Wheaten Malay. Also in this video are Blue Wheaten Malays.
In the video below, you can see other varieties:
What is notable about the Malay chicken’s appearance?
The most notable things about the Malays’ appearance is their height and frame. One Malay chicken keeper puts it this way, “They are more wonderful than I could have imagined. Their size and sturdiness is awe-inspiring. They are the most unusual and yet majestic fowls I have come across.”
Most Malay chickens stand between 2 to 3 feet (with hens being on the shorter side). However, some individuals are over 3 feet tall. Although these birds are tall, they have the lean, tight-feathered body typical of game birds. Both their legs and necks are notably long, and they stand with an upright carriage.
Below is a video of an absolutely stunning Malay rooster. At only 10 months old, this bird is 2.8 feet tall.
You can see from the video above that the Malay chicken is muscular with a short and broad head. In silhouette view, the bird is “triple-arched.” The first arch is seen in the arch of the neck. The second is the arch of the back and wings, and the third is the arch of the tail.
Malays, unlike most breeds, carry their tails below the horizontal.
“The expression of the Malay is snaky and cruel.”
The Malay chicken also has “beetle brow.” This means that they have a small projection in the skull over their eyes. This brow contributes to their aggressive appearance, but it may also have helped protect their eyes during their cock fighting days.
Malays lack the fluffy, prolific down feathers of other breeds. They instead have short, hard, tight-fitting feathers that are highly glossy.
Malays have a small- to medium-sized strawberry comb and very small wattles. Their eyes are a beautiful pearl color. However, younger Malays have darker eyes than do their older counterparts.
“The eyes of the older Malays should have a very pale-colored iris. This is often not acquired until the birds have been through their first molt.”
Malays also have red earlobes, and most varieties have yellow beaks, shanks, and feet.
How big do Malay chickens get?
Roosters: 9 lbs
Hens: 7 lbs
Bantam roosters: 44 oz
Bantam hens: 36 oz
Although Malay chickens are the tallest in the world, they are far from the heaviest. (That title goes to Jersey Giants and Brahmas at up to 15 lbs).
In the past, Malays were extraordinarily heavy with some documented at over 16 lbs. However, modern Malays tend to weigh less than your typical Barred Rock (which average 7.5-9.5 lbs).
However, Malay Bantams do weigh quite a bit for a bantam breed. Below is a video of a beautiful Malay Bantam hen and rooster.
What do Malay chicks look like?
Malay chicks will have different down colors depending on which variety they are. The long and lean body of Malays develops fairly quickly. Below, you can see chicks that already look quite tall at just 5-6 weeks old.
Very young Malay chicks can be fragile, but once they mature, they are very hardy.
Malay chicken growth
Malay chickens can be very slow to reach maturity. Some chicken keepers have said their Malays have taken up to two years to reach their full size.
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Malay chickens and egg laying
Egg color: Brown
Egg size: Medium
Age of lay: 6 months
Eggs/week: <1-2/week (depends on strain)
Eggs/year: 20-100 (depends on the strain)
The egg laying ability of Malay hens is variable, depending on the strain. Most Malay hens are poor egg layers, and most of them only lay seasonally during a couple of months a year.
However, some breeders have developed Malay strains that are better at egg laying, laying 100+ eggs a year. You’ll need to check with breeders before buying to know what you can expect from your Malays.
Broodiness: Do Malay hens want to hatch their eggs?
Malay hens do like to go broody. This means they like to sit on their eggs, hatch chicks, and raise babies. However, many strains of Malays only lay for a couple months of the year (and not even very many eggs at that), so they won’t have the opportunity to brood for most of the year.
“Though the females are good mothers, the males can be quite cruelly disposed to their chicks.”
Unfortunately, because Malay hens are so large, they will sometimes accidentally break their eggs before they hatch. They also can’t brood many eggs at once because they are so tightly feathered. They just don’t have enough bulk or fluff to cover many eggs.
Malay hens are excellent mothers, but some chicken keepers have said they are too protective. Malays may attack you if you get near their chicks or even near the eggs they are brooding.
Malay roosters, on the other hand, may not be so protective of their chicks.
Meat production of Malay chickens
Veteran chicken keeper and best-selling author, Gail Damerow, has written in Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens, that Malays are “especially suitable for meat production.”
Malay chickens do take a very long time to fully mature, but once they reach full size, they have a market weight of 5-7 lbs. Because Malays are so rare, very few use them for meat today. Malay meat is known to be very lean and can be dry if not cooked with that in mind.
Malay chickens: A fairly hardy breed
How do Malay chickens do in the heat and the cold?
Malay chickens are one of the few breeds do very well in the heat as long as they have shade and plenty of fresh, cold water. This a breed that does very well in tropical climates.
However, Malay chickens don’t do as well in the cold. Because they have tight feathering with very little fluffy down, they have trouble insulating the way most chicken breeds do. They just aren’t able to preserve warm air against their bodies.
Malays do, however, have much smaller combs and wattles than most breeds, which is a definite plus for the cold. These combs and wattles are much less prone to frostbite.
Regardless, if you live in a climate with cold winters, you will likely need to provide your Malay chickens with heat.
Malay chickens: Made for the range, not confinement
Malay chickens absolutely do not tolerate confinement. These large, active animals need space for exercise and for their psychological health. They will get incredibly stressed and aggressive if kept in confinement.
As with all chickens, you will need to provide your Malays with a dry coop. Keep in mind that they will need more space in the coop than most chickens, both because they are so tall, but also because they can get on each other’s nerves.
Malay chickens will need a larger pop-door than other breeds, a taller coop, and larger nesting boxes. Your Malays will also appreciate it if you elevate their feeders and drinkers, so that they are about 1.5 feet off the ground. This is more comfortable for them than drinking and feeding off the floor.
Despite not weighing much more than many dual-purpose chickens, Malays consume very large amounts of feed. This is another reason why they love to range. They are incredibly good foragers and will spend most of their day eating.
Malay chickens also fare better against predators than many other breeds of chickens. This is simply because they are so large, strong, and aggressive.
Many Malay chicken keepers have commented that these chickens aren’t afraid of anything. Unlike most chickens, these birds will almost always stand their ground and fight. Their large size also deters many predators.
Malay chicken temperament: Are they as mean as they look?
Malay chickens tend to be flighty by nature. Most Malay keepers recommend that you tame these birds early. Spend a lot of time with them as chicks, so that once they are adults, you are able to handle them when you need to.
One Malay chicken keeper gave this nugget of advice, “When stressed, they go into ‘fight’ mode, not ‘flight,’ so if they are scared, handle them respectfully.”
You actually can bond quite closely with your Malay chickens if you put the time in. Many Malay keepers have even described their chickens as very sweet.
In the video below, you can see a man talking about his young Malay rooster. The man is handling this rooster with ease and petting him. You can see this rooster was tamed quite nicely.
How are Malay chickens around children?
Do not ever have young children around Malay chickens. Even if you believe your Malay chickens are tame, if your child stresses one of these birds, he could be seriously injured.
Also keep in mind that chickens don’t always treat children the same as adults. Children look, speak, and act very differently, in ways that can make chickens nervous.
If you have dogs, you know what I mean. One of my dogs is totally docile with adults, but he his aggressive towards children. Most chickens will run from children if they feel uneasy, but remember that Malays don’t tend to go into ‘flight’ mode, only ‘fight’ mode.
One Malay keeper brought up another good point about Malays and children, saying, “I wouldn’t have them around small children simply because they grow so tall. They can be eyeball to eyeball with a toddler and may not mean to inflict harm, but a peck could be lethal!”
I used this quote at the top of this article, but it’s so relevant, I’ll repeat it here.
“…a blow from a Malay’s beak will feel akin to being hit with a hammer.”
Keep your children away from these chickens.
How well do Malay chickens get along with other chickens?
Below, you can see a video showing a beautiful 10-month old Malay hen and rooster foraging together in a yard.
This is the best setup for Malays: 1 rooster and 1 hen. Malays, unlike most breeds, tend to be monogamous, so keeping them in pairs will keep them happiest.
You could also get away with 1 rooster and 2 hens. Or, if you’re dead set against having roosters, you can keep up to 6 hens together.
Unfortunately, you cannot house adult Malay roosters together. As the authors of The Complete Encyclopedia of Chickens wrote,
“The cocks are very headstrong and do not avoid each other, but in fact seek confrontation.”
These same authors note:
“Hens that are not familiar with each other can really get into scrapes.”
Remember that this is a breed that has fighting instincts. Many times, birds with these instincts would rather fight to the death than run away. And if you keep large groups together, you do run the risk of some serious fighting. Malay chickens may also resort to feather-eating if kept in large groups.
Can you mix Malay chickens with other breeds? The experts say no.
“The breed is pugnacious by nature and should be kept away from other poultry.”
And of course, it’s not just the aggressive temperament of Malays that’s the problem. It’s their size. Check out the video below to see a normal sized chicken next to a flock of Malays. The size difference is astonishing. (You can see this chicken 38 seconds into the video).
If the Malay chickens in the video above were to become aggressive with that regular-sized chicken, she wouldn’t stand a chance. The risk is not worth it.
Even if you think your Malays are getting along with other chickens, you never know when this might change. I have seen my chickens get aggressive when they’re in bad moods or when the weather is bad. This normal change in mood in a Malay could result in a bloodbath for your other chickens.
Are Malay roosters aggressive to people?
As long as your Malay roosters know and trust you, they are not likely to be aggressive. However, all breeds of roosters may have aggressive individuals, so there is never a guarantee. Be sure you are comfortable with raising roosters before you take on a rooster of this size and temperament.
Malay chickens: Are they noisy?
Malay chickens are not particularly noisy, nor are they particularly quiet. They make about as much noise as any other breed.
Malay roosters, like roosters of other breeds, will crow a lot. Their crow, however, has a different sound to it than that of many barnyard fowl. The Livestock Conservancy describes the Malay’s crow as, “hoarse, short, and monotonous—reminiscent of a roar.”
You can hear a Malay rooster’s crow in the video below. (The crow occurs about 38 seconds into the video).
Malay chicken health problems and life expectancy
Malay chickens do not have any known breed-specific health problems, and can be expected to live the average chicken lifespan of 5-8 years.
In fact, Malay hens may live longer than some egg-producing chicken breeds simply because they are less likely to have the very common reproductive problems that plague egg-laying hens.
On the other hand, Malay chickens are so rare, that some strains may be pretty heavily inbred.
Breeds you may want instead of Malay chickens
Malay chickens have different genetics than most common barnyard or backyard breeds, so when they are mated with a more common breed, their offspring can be expected to be especially vigorous. This is known as “hybrid vigor.”
So, if you have an opportunity to have Malay hybrids, you may want to consider it (of course, assuming you are ready to take on birds with Malay characteristics). Below is a video of a very visually interesting cross: Malays crossed with Appenzeller Spitzhaubens.
And, of course, the two young Malay hybrids in the video are sparring.
Another breed that’s very similar to the Malay is the Aseel. This is also an ancient breed from Southeast Asia, and is probably more similar to the Malay in looks and temperament than any other existing breed.
Other game birds you might be interested in are the Modern Game and the Old English Game. These breeds, though also rare, tend to be easier to find than Malays.
If you want a large, ornamental chicken breed, but you don’t want to deal with aggression, consider the Brahma, Cochin, or Langshan. These are very different birds than the Malay, both physically and temperamentally. These are docile, gentle giants and are very hardy birds in dry conditions.
For more information, check out these articles:
Why keep Malay chickens?
Keeping Malay chickens is a very rewarding experience for the right person. As one Malay chicken keeper put it, “It is cool to be sitting in a chair and have a chicken walk up to you and look you in the eye!”
If you have the time, experience, space, and passion to raise this breed, you will find your Malays are beautiful and incredible birds.
And if you’ve ever dreamed of having dinosaurs in your back yard, Malays pretty much fit the bill.
Order your Malay chickens now
Castewai Poultry Farm in Arizona is the only hatchery/breeder with an online presence that sells Malay chickens at the time of this writing (2020). Contact the hatchery for more information. You may also be able to find Malay chickens at Poultry Show Central.
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Malay sources
Bassom, Frances. Mini Encyclopedia: Chicken Breeds and Care. Dorking: Interpet Publishing, 2011.
Damerow, Gail. Storey’s Guide to Raising Chickens. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2017.
Damerow, Gail. The Chicken Health Handbook. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2015.
Ekarius, Carol. Storey's Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds. North Adams: Storey Publishing, 2007.
Hobson, Jeremy and Lewis, Celia. Choosing & Raising Chickens: The Complete Guide to Breeds and Welfare. Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 2009.
Verhoef, Esther and Rijs, Aad. The Complete Encyclopedia of Chickens. Lisse: Rebo Publishers, 2005.