Last Updated on May 19, 2021 by
When we think of animals in our lives, one of the last ones that I think about is the chicken even though we eat eggs and chicken weekly. So today, I'm going to enlighten you all on the breeds and differences in chickens .
I will describe you, what chickens are best for laying eggs, which ones are best for meat purposes, the chickens that are best for eggs and meat, show poultry, and Bantam .
At the end of the article, you'll see a list of chickens to have as a reference source.
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Chicken Breeds – Type, List, Picture & Information Meat Breeds Dual Purpose Exhibition/ Show Poultry Bantam The A-Z of Chicken Breeds – Choosing the Perfect One Ameraucana American Game Ancona Andalusian Appenzeller Spitzhauben Araucana Asil (Aseel) Australorp Ayam Cemani Barnevelder Braekel Brahma Buckeye California Gray California White Campine Catalana Chantecler Cochin Cornish Cubalaya Derbyshire Redcap Dominique Dorking Dutch Bantam Easter Egger Faverolles Fayoumi Hamburg Holland Houdan Iowa Blue Ixworth Jangmigye Japanese Bantam Java Chicken Jersey Giant Kuroiler Lakenvelder Lamona Legbar Leghorn Malay Marans Marsh Daisy Minorca Modern Game Naked Neck Nankin New Hampshire Norfolk Grey Old English Game Orloff Orpington Pekin Penedesenca Phoenix Plymouth Rock Polish Red Shaver Rhode Island Red Rhode Island White Scots Dumpy Scots Grey Sebright Frizzle Serama Shamo Sicilian Buttercup Silkie Speckled Sussex Sultan Sumatra Vorwerk Welsummer White Faced Black Spanish Yokohama We have the chicken breeds that are for meat. Many people are worried about hormones in our foods, therefore decided to raise their own food. If you want to follow their lead, these are the chickens to raise.
The Cornish Cross is the preferred when picking a chicken for meat. They can be up to 12 pounds in 6-8 weeks . The Jersey Giant weigh up to 13 pounds, but they are slow growers who need a lot of food.
Bresse is a white chicken that is a fairly large chicken breed. With their bright blue feet, it's not hard to see this bird. They are expensive and popular . They can get up to 7 pounds. Orpington is the last meat chicken I'll cover. They average 8 pounds and have tender meat.
Three best dual-purpose chickens include: Black Australorp, its friendly, a great egg layer, and a great mother. They are protective of the flock. Speckled Sussex, which is beautiful and nice, protective as well.
Rhode Island red, great layer and meat, they get up to 8 pounds. There are many resources to find the best meat birds online, so you can pick your favorite chicken to raise and eat.
The poultry show is a small piece of a livestock show, which involves exhibition and competition of the chickens. Chickens are trained for these shows and they are cleaned very well and given manicures too. The chicken breeders are highlighted at the shows as well. It's a display of beautiful birds.
Related Article – Poultry Farming Guide and Information
What are Bantam chicken breeds? They are a little smaller than other birds and they're great for small backyards. They are very adorable birds .
They are little versions of Brahma chicken. They lay eggs as well, but they do not produce that many eggs per year. They don't eat much though and their eggs are smaller, but they still taste the same.
Now that you know more about breeds of chickens, I'll provide a list of the breeds of chickens that we have.
Ameraucana Egg Laying: Excellent (5/wk) Egg Color: Light Blue Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Broody
American Game Egg Laying: Fair (2/wk) Egg Color: Whitish/Cream Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Hardy
Ancona Egg Laying: Excellent (5/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Active
Andalusian Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Active, Gentle
Appenzeller Spitzhauben Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes (in winter) Temperament: Forager
Araucana Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Blue Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Flighty
Asil (Aseel) Egg Laying: Poor (1/wk) Egg Color: Cream or Tinted Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: Yes (in winter) Temperament: Aggressive
Australorp Egg Laying: Excellent (5/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Hardy, Docile
Ayam Cemani Egg Laying: Fair (2/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Flighty
Double-Laced Barnevelder Barnevelder Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Light brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Friendly, Active, Quiet, Lively
Braekel Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Active
Brahma Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Friendly Temperament: Yes
Buckeye Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Peaceful
California Gray Egg Laying: Excellent (5/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Quiet
California White Egg Laying: Excellent (5/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Quiet
Campine Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Active
Catalana Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Pinkish Cream Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Active
Chantecler Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Gentle
Cochin Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Friendly, Calm, Quiet
Cornish Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Meat Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Aggressive
Cubalaya Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Light brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes (in winter) Temperament: Forager
Derbyshire Redcap Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Hardy
Dominique Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Forager, Calm, Personable, Hardy
Dorking Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Calm, Docile
Dutch Bantam Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Light Brown Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Friendly, Flighty
Easter Egger Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Green/Blue/Pink/Multi Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Peaceful
Faverolles Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Light brown, Pinkish Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Gentle, Docile
Fayoumi Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Off-white, Tinted Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Flighty
Hamburg Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Docile
Holland Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Calm
Houdan Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Sweet, Easily handled
Iowa Blue Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: – Temperament: Skittish
Ixworth Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Tinted Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: – Temperament: Alert, Active
Jangmigye Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Light Brown Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: – Temperament: Friendly, calm
Japanese Bantam Egg Laying: Fair (2/wk) Egg Color: Cream or tinted Primary use: Exhibition /Ornamental Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Hardy, Bit flighty
Java Chicken Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Cream or tinted Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Hardy, Docile
Jersey Giant Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Meat Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Calm, Docile
Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: – Temperament: Friendly, Feed Continuously, Good Foragers
Lakenvelder Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Tinted, White Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Active, Quick
Lamona Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Meat Cold Hardy: – Temperament: Friendly, Docile
Legbar Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Light Blue Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Forager
Leghorn Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Nervous, Flighty
Malay Egg Laying: Fair (2/wk) Egg Color: Light-brown Primary use: Meat Cold Hardy: – Temperament: Aggressive
Marans Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Dark brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Quiet, Docile
Marsh Daisy Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Tinted Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Calm, Active
Minorca Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Noisy, Flighty
Modern Game Egg Laying: Poor (1/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Curious, Friendly
Naked Neck Egg Laying: Fair (2/wk) Egg Color: Light brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Cold hardy
Nankin Egg Laying: – Egg Color: Tinted Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Friendly, Calm
New Hampshire Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Competitve, Aggressive
Norfolk Grey Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Tinted Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: – Temperament: Active Forager
Old English Game Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Tinted, Cream Primary use: Meat Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Self-sufficient, Noisy, Aggressive
Orloff Egg Laying: Fair (2/wk) Egg Color: Light Brown Primary use: Meat Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Calm
Orpington Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Light Brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Calm
Pekin Batman Pekin Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Docile
Penedesenca Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Dark Brown Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Active
Phoenix Egg Laying: Poor (1/wk) Egg Color: Golden, Silver Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Unfriendly, Docile
Barred Plymouth Rock Plymouth Rock Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Brown, Light Brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Calm
Polish Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Friendly
Red Shaver Egg Laying: – Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Calm, Friendly, Quiet, Hardy
Rhode Island Red Egg Laying: Excellent (5/wk) Egg Color: BrowYesn Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Hardy
Rhode Island White Egg Laying: Excellent (5/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Calm, Easy going
Scots Dumpy Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Off-white, Tinted Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Quiet
Scots Grey Egg Laying: – Egg Color: Cream Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Forager, Active
Sebright Egg Laying: Poor (1/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Friendly, Active
Frizzle Chicken Frizzle Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Tinted, White Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Good forager, Hardy
Serama Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Cream or Tinted Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Calm, Manageable, Assertive, Confident
Shamo Egg Laying: Fair (2/wk) Egg Color: Brown Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Pleasant, Docile
Sicilian Buttercup Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Active
Silkie Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Tinted, Cream Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Friendly, Calm
Speckled Sussex Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Brown, Cream, Tan Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Alert, Docile
Sultan Egg Laying: Poor (1/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Friendly, Docile
Sumatra Egg Laying: Fair (2/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Flighty, Jumpy
Vorwerk Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: Cream Primary use: Meat/Eggs Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Alert, Active
Welsummer Egg Laying: Very Good (4/wk) Egg Color: Dark brown Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: Yes Temperament: Friendly, Intelligent
White Faced Black Spanish Egg Laying: Good (3/wk) Egg Color: White Primary use: Eggs Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Wild, Active
Yokohama Egg Laying: Poor (1/wk) Egg Color: Tinted Primary use: Ornamental Cold Hardy: No Temperament: Calm, Quiet
