Padovana Riccia
The Padovana Riccia is the frizzled form of the Padovana, an Italian crested chicken known in English as the Padua or Polish-type fowl. Riccia refers to curled or frizzled feathers, which turn outward from the body and give the bird a ruffled outline. The breed combines ornamental features such as a large crest and often beard or muffing with the genetic care required for frizzle feathering.
Keepers should treat Padovana Riccia chickens as delicate ornamental poultry, especially in wet or cold weather. Frizzled feathers shed water poorly, and large crests can interfere with vision or collect debris, so dry housing and tidy runs are important. Breeding requires knowledge of frizzle inheritance; mating frizzle to frizzle can produce overcurled, brittle-feathered birds. Most responsible breeders pair frizzled birds with smooth-feathered mates while selecting for crest health, fertility, and steady temperament.
