This is a Đông Tảo chicken,
often known as dragon chickens.
These thick-legged birds can sell for over $2,000.
Each one can take years of raising and special care,
and the best are even entered
into beauty competitions across Vietnam.
So, what does it take to raise a Đông Tảo chicken,
and why are they so expensive?
Đông Tảo is a rare breed,
exclusive to one small village on the outskirts of Hanoi.
Giang Tuấn Vũ is a third-generation Đông Tảo chicken farmer.
He's been looking after these birds for over 20 years.
Narrator: The majority of these chickens
are still raised in Đông Tảo Village.
While the exact origins of the breed are unknown,
they've been around for hundreds of years
and were thought to be bred originally
for cockfighting due to their thick and strong legs.
These days, the birds are a more decorative breed
that's often eaten for its unique meat.
Narrator: The dramatic look of Đông Tảo chickens
means that they've been important gifts for years.
Originally presented to royalty,
they're now reserved for special occasions,
such as Tết, Vietnamese New Year.
Narrator: That means that from the 500 chicks,
just 15 could qualify to be sold as gifts.
So, what are the criteria that these chickens need to meet
to be worth thousands of dollars?
Narrator: When preparing the chickens for sale
or competition, a lot of work
goes in to looking after them.
And roughly a month before,
they're fed a special high-protein diet,
and their legs are washed gently
in a mixture of tea and salt.
Physical appearance isn't all about the feet, either.
Every part of their look is equally important
when it comes to grading,
from symmetrical wattles and earlobes
to uniformly covered shiny black feathers.
Narrator: While many of the birds
are sold off around the holidays for their meat,
the really high-value chickens are often kept
by the farmers and entered into beauty contests.
The longer the chickens live, the larger their features,
and so grade A Đông Tảo chicken
could live for six or seven years.
Narrator: While the chicken's popularity
is mostly still contained to Vietnam,
interest around the world is growing,
and in April 2018, 802 Đông Tảo chicken eggs
were seized by police at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul
after they were found being smuggled
into the country in a custom-made suitcase.
These eggs were valued by police at $2,000 each
and show that no matter the price these chickens reach,
there will always be those willing to pay.