The king of chickens, a Brahma, sets off new Internet frenzy

SINGAPORE: The latest video to set the Internet clucking - a giant rooster of the Brahma breed.

While their name is Indian in origin, Brahma chickens are most likely descended from the Chinese Shanghai which also have feathered feet, according to poultrykeeper.com.

These were imported to the United States in the 1840s, and the Brahma was recognised as a breed by the American Poultry Association since 1874.

A rooster can weigh more than 5kg, and a hen more than 4kg on average, although there have been records of Brahmas reaching 8kg.

One Brahma bird in Essex,Britain, that was was vying for the title of world's tallest cockerel, stood at 26 inches or 66cm, and was not yet full height, reports said.

They are said to be "gentle giants" and called "the king of chickens".

The Brahma is not the only large chicken breed around, others include the Jersey Giant, Cochin and Cornish Game. - The Straits Times/Asia News Network