Japanese legs??

[JoJo 95]

Have you ever experienced jap chicks with a small amount of down on their shanks?
What causes this and is it permanent?

 

[Loddie Da]

Feathered legs birds (even just down feathers) will always be feathered leged & it means some where at some time someone cross bred them to another breed, most likely a Cochin.

I know a few people that do cross Cochin x Japs to get a stockier body, the silver white gene & fuller breast feathers.
& also to shorten the legs of their bantam Cochin.

 

[JoJo 95]

these were breeding stock and they are supposed to be guaranteed pure. o well I'll just keep the 3 as pets and use the other 6 to breed