Houdans are one of the oldest French breed of chicken, named after the town of Houdan. Houdans are large, heavy looking birds, and have a bold, active character. Their head is large and crested with a short beak, leaf type comb, muffled face, small rounded wattles and earlobes. Their legs are mottled black, free of feathers and like the Faverolles and Dorking, have a fifth toe. They also resemble the Dorking in shape and size.
Houdans do tend towards broodiness but are not good sitters as they are too heavy and tend to break the eggs. They do need a special drinker as their large crest and beard get wet and dirty if they use conventional ones so require just a little water in a bowl. Houdans are extremely docile in nature and like to be handled especially if they have been raised from young.
Houdans (both the male and female) have reddish-gray eyes, bright red comb, face and wattles, dark horn colored beak, white ear-lobes, and glossy black or mottled with white feathers.