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EmailChoosing a chicken breed is important. Here's the second post in a beginner's guide series to finding the right chicken breed for you.
See the first post: How to Get Started Raising Chickens
When it comes to choosing your chickens, there are more breeds than you can shake an eggbeater at. One of the delights of this step is learning some of the breed names: Silkie, Showgirl, Silver-Laced Wyandotte, Rosecomb, Redcap, and Russian Orloff, to name a few.
Some things that you’ll want to consider include the number and color of eggs produced, the breed’s temperament, its noise level, and its adaptability to confinement. If you can’t let your chickens range free, the confinement factor is important for a happy, healthy flock. Noise level really matters if you do not reside in the country. Some sources advise against mixing ages, but I’ve never had trouble with older birds picking on younger ones.
Most varieties thrive in all climates, although some have special needs: Phoenix and Minorcas need heat, for example, and Brahmas and Chanteclers prefer cool conditions. Every breed produces eggs, even the so-called ornamental breeds, but egg size and production vary. Medium-production layers are plenty for a family. Bantam eggs are small; to complement their yolks, you’ll need more whites than most angel food cake recipes call for.
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by blessed1indeed
I kept Rhode Island Reds and Barred Plymouth Rocks, both of which are usually available from a local hatchery. These are docile, not particularly noisy, high-laying, dual-purpose breeds that take confinement well. They gave me 75 percent egg production—that is, a dozen chickens produced nine eggs a day while they were laying.
Another favorite of mine is the Jersey Giant. It is black or white, and large. (My black Jersey Giant rooster was 16 inches at the saddle!) The hens are medium- rather than high-laying chickens, but the eggs are larger than those of the Plymouth Rock or Rhode Island Red. This breed is calm and docile but needs more room because of its size.
Araucanas are flighty (not docile), but they thrive in almost any climate, take confinement well, and are quiet. Plus, the green-shelled eggs are a novelty. (One of my Rhode Island Red hens mated with an Araucana cock and gave me a hen that laid olive eggs!)
My dream team would include Easter Eggers. (Yes, that’s really the breed name!) They’re similar in temperament to Araucanas and lay blue or green eggs. It may take me a while to track them down, but—hey!—the dream team is worth it.
Next, we’ll address the nuts and bolts of building a backyard chicken coop.
Elizabeth Creith has fifteen years of experience keeping chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys on her farm in Northern Ontario. She currently dreams of a new flock of fancy chickens. Elizabeth and her husband also have six and a half years experience running a pet store. On top of that, she's kept more animals than you can imagine from cats to cockatoos!
Comments
I live in Southeast Idaho...
I live in Southeast Idaho... summers can get super hot and winters can get super cold. I live in town with some county property attached. I am interested in hens that are considered dual breed but mostly interested in eggs. I am not able to free range. I don't have electric available to the area the chickens will be kept so I need a breed that does not require heat in the winter.
What would you suggest?
Thank you,
Dina
I live in Southeast Idaho...
I live in Southeast Idaho... summers can get super hot and winters can get super cold. I live in town with some county property attached. I am interested in hens that are considered dual breed but mostly interested in eggs. I am not able to free range. I don't have electric available to the area the chickens will be kept so I need a breed that does not require heat in the winter.
What would you suggest?
Thank you,
Dina
Dina, we didn't heat the
Dina, we didn't heat the barn. Chickens are well-insulated with feathers, and if they have a draft-free place to roost, they can usually keep warm enough to be comfortable and healthy. Where we live, -20 is not unusual, and sometimes the temperature went to -40. Shade and lots of water in the hot summer will help them stay cool.
I would have to disagree with
I would have to disagree with her statement on the Auracaunas temperment - I have had this breed for MANY years - they are very amicable and always come running when I call them - keep a light on them 24/7 and they lay great year around!!! NEVER had a mean rooster or anything - chickens have been in my husbands family for over 150 years in the state of Indiana!!
Which beed of chicken lays a
Which beed of chicken lays a speckled egg?
The Welsummer breed of
The Welsummer breed of chickens lays a pretty medium brown egg with darker specks.
Teresa, my Arucaunas calmed
Teresa, my Arucaunas calmed down easily, but started out flighty. I'd recommend against keeping a light on 24/7 - everything needs a night time!
Gerald, a lot of brown egg-layers have speckling on the eggs, but I didn't find a speckled-egg-laying breed listed.
We live in western
We live in western Tennessee.I love banties but it does get cold here(20's).My concern is they are too small to fly up in the trees at night,and we don't have a barn.What can I do? Thank you
Donna, your chickens will be
Donna, your chickens will be fine in the 20s. Feathers are great insulation. They do need shelter from predators, if not from weather. You can build them a small sleeping shed, something little with perches where they are shut up for the night.
Thank you for the help, and I
Thank you for the help, and I am enjoying your blog on chickens. DE
the easter eggers you refer
the easter eggers you refer to are the arucaunas , sounds like you have the americanas a cross breed. if you have the tru arucaunas you're lucky I can't find a hatchery that carries them. I'm 67 and have been raising fowl since I was 10
Thanks for this, Herschel! If
Thanks for this, Herschel! If what you say is true then even americanas are hard to get. I've found only one hatchery near me that had them.
Here's a great a place to buy
Here's a great a place to buy all types of chickens:
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html
we hatched some eggs recently
we hatched some eggs recently and one of the baby's had a crooked beak what would cause this? Also how do you tell which ones are roosters when babies? We are looking for a Orphington Rooster. Do you know where we can gt these?
I live in north Texas where
I live in north Texas where last year we had 70 days over 100 degrees. I've raised Rhode Island Reds and Leghorns and Plymouth Rock breeds before in North Dakota. What would survive 100 degree summers and 20 degree winters?
Thanks so much Alan for the
Thanks so much Alan for the site link and I'm not a blog reader, but this one gets me excited and so looking forward to the next, thank you Elizabeth. Hopefully you'll do one on ducks and their eggs and raising them after this.
My grandmother was a wise
My grandmother was a wise woman in raising chickens to lay year round in very cold Nebraska winters... Every nite give your chickens warm soaked cradked corn with oats and barley if you want but make it mostly corn and only what your flock can clean up before roosting. Feed just before they go to roost. The corn is a hot grain, so when they roost and sit on thier feet they stay very warm. Also, NEVER let them out on the ground in winter. When their feet touch cold ground they stop laying. We sold cases of eggs all winter in town and never had chickens stop laying. They need to have good feed, Warm, soaked corn, and a thick, clean bedding on the floor to keep thier feet warm. It works, I had a wood burning stove that I would put the corn/Oats/scraps on every nite after feeding the Chickens it would swell and be really good. Just make sure it isn't HOT, just WARM when you feed it.
I am 14 and want to start
I am 14 and want to start raising chickens!
I am excited about it but have no idea where to really start.
I read an Article In "Hobby Farm Home" about this lady who got 5 chickens and did not want a rooster because of the stories she has heard.
then she found a rooster in her batch and kept it because it was such a help!
i am wondering what kind of breeds to have since i am just starting, also what are your rooster stories!
ALSO.
Do i need a rooster?
I didn't think i wanted to breed them right away but i want them protected.
Where i live it gets hot in summer and REALLY COLD in winter!
what kind of breed is ideal for egg laying in those weather conditions?
thanks so much for the help in this article!
Lizzy, If you read our
Lizzy, If you read our "Raising Chickens 101" blog, it covers breeds and all the basics. Go here: http://www.almanac.com/home-pets-family/raising-chickens-blog
Good luck! --your OFA editors
My family and I are going to
My family and I are going to venture into raising chickens! I live in North Texas and would like advice on the best breeds for this area! HOT summers and COLD winters! Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!
For a hot climate, Leghorns
For a hot climate, Leghorns do well. It's a lighter-weight chicken.
For a dual-purpose breed, try Rhode Island Reds. They can take the heat. All the same, make sure you have places for shade.
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