"Most Beautiful Chickens in the Planet" portraits Embrace Their Underappreciated Beauty

It’s doubtful that “chicken” would come to mind as your first response if you were asked to identify the most beautiful bird species in the world. However, Moreno Monti and Matteo Tranchellini, two Italian photographers, think chickens are underappreciated. To demonstrate to the public exactly how gorgeous these common farm birds truly are, the two started a portrait project called Chic!ken. The two decided to compile the collection into a hardcover photobook once they had over 200 beautiful photos of 100 different kinds of hens.

While looking for a pet Concincina for his studio yard in Milan in 2013, Tranchellini first learned how stylish a chicken might be. He fell in love with the lovely birds after meeting a farmer called Giorgio who brought him to an aviary display, where he met his Concincina hen, Jessicah. The two then joined up with fellow photographer Monti and started photographing many respectable hens and outstanding roosters at bird exhibits. The two explain on their Kickstarter campaign that they “felt that chickens have been waiting for their turn in the limelight.”

And the photographers comfort any worried animal lovers: “None of these beauties were abused, coerced, or leashed.” The assortment of “natural born posers” demonstrates the startling variety of chickens. Martha, the Frizzle Bantam, one of the stunning models, waves her copper-colored feathers in the direction of the camera. Agnes, a gorgeously fluffy Silkie chicken, is another shining standout. They say they were just themselves and had a natural ability to move in front of the camera while reflecting on their time on set. Some of them were captured in photographs taken from the side, from behind, or even just with a quick glance. AN innate talent.

To pre-order Chicken: The Book, which features “the sexiest and most beautiful fowl on the earth,” visit Monti and Tranchellini’s Kickstarter page. Other pledger prizes include “a sexual calendar for adults only,” funny posters, chicken postcards, limited edition fine art prints, and collectable journals.

The Chic!ken project was started by Italian photographers Moreno Monti and Matteo Tranchellini because they think that people underestimate the beauty of chickens.