In the past couple of months, a new fad has inundated the ranks of Instagram through influencers and casual users alike. No, it's not a flower crown or a particular wedding decoration. It's chickens: more specifically, chickens in tutus. If you've been having a rough week, these flightless birds have come squawking to your rescue.
Chickens in tutus are the new match made in heaven, like ketchup and mustard or coffee and cream. They come fluffy feathers and butts with...more fluff, just colorful. Feel your fears melt away as you gaze upon these tutu-wearing hens.
The Roosters Can't Resist
Meet Speck, Goldie Hen, and Retro. They're dressed to their best, hoping to win some tail. You might expect them to show off their dance skills to catch a rooster's eye, and according to biologists, they just might.
Anthropologist Ed Hagen says that animals such as chickens often dance in courtship. Hens usually drop one wing, frolick in a circle, and crouch. The real takeaway from this is that, someday, you might see a video of a hen dancing in a tutu.
Work It, Dora
You have to admire any hen who can rock a rainbow tutu. This is Dora. You can find her on Instagram, and she has many more rainbow tutus to show you. Otherwise, she has some flower, bow, and pumpkin props in her modeling sets. What a beauty.
Want variety? Dora is also on an account with her friends, including some bunnies, guinea pigs, and rats. But only Dora wears a skirt. This is a chickens-in-tutus article, after all.
She Wants To Be A Ballerina When She Grows Up
Take a moment to appreciate a baby chick using a cupcake liner as a tutu. Flawless. She's like a baby ballerina striking a pose. Wait until she grows old enough to wear a full tutu.
You can call it a creative blanket, but this chick doesn't need one. Chicks only need to be kept warm until their feathers grow in. Before then, they have to remain at 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit to start. But hey, maybe this cupcake liner reminds the baby of her mother's warmth.
You May Not Like It, But This Is What Peak Ballerinas Look Like
Lucy is donning an unusual icy-blue tutu, styling an Elsa-ballerina look with a purple background. It's an outfit any chicken would dream of. And yes, chickens can dream. They dream in color, too, so they're very likely seeing tutus in their sleep.
All chickens should wear tutus. It's like they were made for it. Would anyone else rock this ice queen tutu better than Lucy here? Doubtful. She is a true Instagram influencer if we've ever seen one.
Rocking The Catwalk (Er, Chickenwalk)
Did you know that models take classes to learn how to walk the catwalk? This chicken doesn't. She's got the walk and the posing down. This silkie hen, Thimble, has posed in many tutus and looks fabulous in all of them.
By the way, the owner of this farm makes all chicken tutus by hand. Thimble is legitimately wearing designer clothes. We're jealous. Yeah, we're jealous of a chicken in a tutu, and we're not afraid to admit it.
It's Called Fashion: The Diaper And Tutu Combo
If you're having a bad day, here's a dose of chicken butts to keep your powering through. Of course, they're wearing tutus too. And are those designer pads? They're chicken diapers, made by the same shop, Pampered Poultry. We never thought diapers would become a fashion statement, did you?
The rise in chicken diaper sales may have resulted from people owning chickens as household pets. A 2013 study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture says that 1% of chickens live in big cities.
Maybe She's Born With It. Maybe She's A Chicken
Dorinda wasn't going to miss out on this tutu trend. She's auditioning for shampoo and makeup commercials. With the wind blowing strong, Dorinda didn't even bat an eyelash. Wait, chickens don't have eyelashes.
Just as humans lose their hair when they're stressed, chickens can lose their feathers when they feel overwhelmed or sick. So Dorinda is one fluffy, happy, healthy hen. She has to be if she wants Maybelline and L'Oréal agents to pick her up.
"Ugh, FINE. We'll Wear The Tutus."
These chicks look like they were dragged to dance class early in the morning. This is how kids look when they're mom takes a picture while nobody wants to be there. "They didn't find it quite as amusing as I did," said the person who took the photo, an Iowa farm owner.
We got the picture, little chicks. You can take the skirts off now. But also, please don't. You look adorable, and the world needs more baby chickens in tutus.
Dressing Up The Bridesmaids
If you've ever dreamed about having chickens by your side instead of bridesmaids, you're not alone. This hen is trying on a custom-made tutu for a wedding in May. That's right: a chicken-tutu wedding, the most adorable event on planet earth.
On the downside, chicken's don't mate for life like other bird species do. They may not understand the concept of marriage or even listen to what the officiate is saying. They can't even plan a bachelorette party!
They're Still Getting Ready
Let us appreciate this chicken while she examines herself in this tiny mirror. These girls are still getting ready. Chickens can remember over 100 faces of animals and people they cross. Does that mean that they recognize their own face? Are they self-aware? Do they have self-esteem issues...?
This is getting too deep. Let's return to gawking. Aw! Look at the chickens! They're wearing pink and purple tutus! You go little chickens!
The Historic Tutu Face-Off
Uh oh! These hens went out wearing the same dress. Now, they must duel to determine who can continue wearing their outfit. Hens will fight occasionally, especially when a new chicken approaches the flock, and the veterans have to teach them who's boss. They still have some of that dinosaur blood in them after all.
That wasn't a joke, by the way. Chickens are the closest living relatives to the T. Rex, and we're dressing them up in tutus for our amusement.
It's Never Too Cold To Wear A Tutu
Who says that chickens can only hit up henstagram when it's sunny and bright? Tutus are fashionable all year round. This hen's bringing a splotch of color to the white winter backdrop. Fashion designers, take note.
Don't worry about her getting cold. Some chickens like going out into the snow, and they adapt to the temperature over time. This tutu is practically a snow coat for this hen, although her feet might get cold since chicken feet aren't well insulated.
Catch A Glimpse Before She Drives Away
You know those scenes in old movies where people get dressed up and ride a carriage to a park or theater? This picture is the chicken version of that. Instead of a rainbow or solid-colored tutu, this hen's going with the classic polka dot. She clearly has an eye for 1950s fashion.
All this hen needs is a miniature horse, and she's off. Realistically, she can probably run faster than that carriage. Chickens run up to nine miles per hour. Still, who doesn't want a bit of luxury?
It Might Be A Little Too Big
It's never too early to begin a fitting. Do you remember when your parents fitted you in wedding clothes when you were five years old? Because that's a common occurrence. Either way, she'll grow into it.
Until then, this chick can use her over-sized tutu as a parachute. Although chickens can't fly, they can glide for a while. The longest recorded chicken flight distance was 305 feet over 13 seconds. This little chick can beat that with her future tutu.
The Cutest Halloween Costume
By now, you've seen plenty of chickens in tutus. But have you seen a chicken in a tutu and matching bonnet? Didn't think so. This hen is showing off her handmade Halloween outfit. She's a...actually, we don't know what her costume is. But she's adorable and that's what matters.
In case you didn't know, there's an Etsy shop called HereChookChook that makes hats for chickens. Bonnets, beanies, birthday hats, you name it. We're not saying that you should give your chicks a matching tutu and hat; just that it's a possibility.
Combining The Bow And The Tutu For A New Hot Trend
Heihei, also known as Princess Fluffy Butt, has elevated the tutu trend by adding a matching bow. What better combination could you ask for? The bright and pastel pinks blend perfectly with Heihei's black head and brown-feathered body.
Have you been wondering about this incredibly fluffy chicken species? They're called silkie chickens because they feel like silk. They also have some unusual features, such as blue earlobes, black skin, and black bones. Yeah, Heihei's going all out with that black-and-pink combo.
"I'm Not A Regular Hen. I'm A Cool Hen"
This mama hen is rocking the bright pink, like Elle Woods or the mom from Mean Girls. She's teaching her chicks how to dress stylishly while they're still young. You can never start too young with fashion.
Speaking of which, did you know that chicks can hear their mother while inside their eggs? Hens have been known to chirp at their eggs, and fuller-grown chicks sometimes chirp back. So this mother really is teaching her kids the besides of high fashion.
The Perfect Princess Birthday Party
These hot chicks are all dolled up for a chicken tea party, celebrating their owner's fifth birthday party. Who could imagine a cuter tea party? Oddly enough, chickens can drink herbal tea, since the herbs contain chick-developing nutrients. Perhaps these hens can sit at the table if they sit still.
To make the celebration more classy, turn up some Mozart and Beethoven. Research demonstrates that chickens who listen to classical music lay larger eggs. Maybe that's because Mozart often enjoyed chicken himself.
This Girl Is On Fire
Katniss Everdeen a has fashionable competitor. This is the new "Girl on Fire," a hen who brings the heat with her blazing orange tutu. She used the orange autumn colors to her advantage to create a spectacular flare. Not only can chickens see color, but they can also perceive more colors than us.
While humans only have three cone cells in their eyes that discern color, chickens have four. Their extra cone allows them to detect ultraviolet light. So maybe--just maybe--this hen picked out a very specific shade of orange that we can't perceive.
Chicken Or Peacock?
Betty looked at a peacock and thought, "I want to become that." And she did. Tutus transform hens into the peacocks they were always meant to be. Although it might look too big for her right now, Betty will grow into it.
We'll need a lot more tutus to convert all chickens into peacock ballerinas. There are 25 billion chickens on earth--more than any other bird species. And they all deserve multi-colored princess tutus.
