This no-sew pattern is where it all started. The basic building block of a tiny army. Follow along here, or download and save the free PDF at Ravelry.

Notes

• Hook and yarn weight; for a small, keychain size bird, I use DK or worsted and a 3mm hook. The pattern scales just fine using heavier yarn, or using two or three strands held together, and larger hooks.
• Wings do not have to be secured, but if being used as a keyring there will be less wear and tear if they are.
• These little chickens are endlessly customisable. With a few creative changes or additions they can become other bird species, your favourite characters in bird form, or fit a theme for a holiday, something silly like fruit and vegetables.
• I usually change colour to make them look like they’re wearing clothing on the wings on R07 (the FLO stitches), the stitches under the wings on R08 (sc done on the back loops of R06) and then R09, but sometimes you’ll want a higher collar, or maybe a lower one. Play around to see what works.
• Pattern written using US terminology. See list of stitches here.

Pattern

Body of Chick or Adult Chicken
R01; MR, 6sc, slst, ch1 (6)
R02; 6inc, slst, ch1 (12)
R03; [1sc, 1inc] x 6, slst, ch1 (18)
R04; [2sc, 1inc] x 6, slst, ch1 (24)
R05; 24sc, slst, ch1 (24)
R06; 24sc, slst, ch1 (24)

R07; 2sc
FLO 1sc and 1hdc in same stitch, 1dc, trc inc, 1dc, 1hdc and 1sc in same stitch
10sc
Repeat …
2sc, slst, ch1 (30)

R08; 2sc, 5sc in back loop of previous round, 10sc, 5sc in back loop of previous
round, 2sc, slst, ch1 (24)

R09; [3sc, 1inc] x 6, slst, ch1 (30)
R10; 30sc, slst, ch1 (30)
R11; 30sc, slst, ch1 (30)
R12; [3sc, 1invdec] x 6, slst, ch1 (24)
R13; [2sc, 1invdec] x 6, slst, ch1 (18)

Partially stuff here.

R14; BLO for a flat base. Both loops for a rounded base
[1sc, 1invdec] x 6, slst, ch1 (12)

R15; 6invdec (6)
Finish stuffing and finish off. Leave a tail for eye indentations, securing wings, and attaching keyring if desired.

Securing wings
Take the tail up through the centre of the base, pulling tight to flatten it out if you want a flat base. Come out through R08, under one of the wings. Stitch over one of the treble crochet stitches, taking the yarn back down to the centre. Repeat for the other wing.

Eyes
Start by creating indentations with the body tail, after securing the wings, using two back stitches pulled tight. Weave in the tail or take it up through to the centre of the head to attach a keyring.
Embroider two small, vertical lines over R06-R07, 5st apart in black.

Beak
Take orange yarn down to the base from R07, 1st in from the left eye.
Surface crochet ch1 to secure.
Working toward the right eye;
Ch2, slst in 2nd chain from the hook, ch1.
Sk1.
1sc in next stitch, and pull through.
Use a needle to take the thread through the next stitch so that both sides of the beak are 1st in from the eyes. Secure by taking the thread back and forth three times through the body and then down to the tail, through the same stitch. Tie them together and push the knot and tails into the body.

Additions for Adult Chicken
Follow the pattern above, and add the following parts. Don’t attach a key ring until after you’ve added the wattle and comb.

Wattle
Take red yarn down from R03, in line with the centre of the beak, to R07, just under the beak. Sew a line between the two stitches of the face in the centre of the beak. Go over this line two or three more times to create a little red bump under the beak. Take the tail a few times through the body to secure. If you have a long enough tail left, leave it for tying up the other tail after finishing the comb.

Comb
Now go back to the rest of the yarn on the head.
Surface crochet ch1 to secure.
Ch3, slst into first chain. Surface crochet 1sc toward the back of the head, keeping as central as possible, between R02 and R01.
Ch3, slst into first chain. Surface crochet 1sc over round 1, at the back, keeping as central as possible.
Ch3, slst into first chain. Surface crochet 1sc over round 4. Pull through. Weave in the tail, taking the eve trail down to the starting to tie them together for extra security.

And there you have it; a little borb. Perhaps the first of many…