(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. They gave me 75 percent egg production-that is, a dozen chickens produced nine eggs a day while they were laying.Īnother favorite of mine is the Jersey Giant. These are docile, not particularly noisy, high-laying, dual-purpose chicken breeds that take confinement well. I kept Rhode Island Reds and Barred Plymouth Rocks, both of which are usually available from a local hatchery. You’re sure to end up with a visually pleasing flock! While not known for being the best layers, these fancy breeds will entertain and delight with their unique appearance. If you just want pretty chickens, then choose some with feathered feet, like Cochins, Faverolles or Marans a few with cheek muffs and “beards” such as Ameraucanas some with crazy hairdos, like Polish chickens or Frizzles that have feathers pointing every which way. An Olive Egger carefully combs the grass for tasty grubs. You don’t know what color egg you’ll get from a hen until she starts laying. Each Easter Egger will lay a different color egg, anything from blue to green to pink or cream. And Easter Eggers are the most fun of all. Ameraucana, Araucana and Cream Legbar lay beautiful blue eggs, while Olive Eggers lay olive green eggs. Most breeds lay brown eggs, although most of the Mediterranean breeds lay white eggs.

There’s nothing more exciting than a multi-colored egg basket! While egg color shouldn’t necessarily be your first consideration, choosing some breeds that lay different-colored eggs is always fun. Chicken eggs come in all sorts of colors-no dyeing necessary! Egg Color They’re about half the size of standard breed chickens, so they can be less intimidating for little kids, and they come in a wide variety of different breeds. These breeds are known for being extremely docile and friendly: Cochins, Faverolles, and Silkies. If you have small children, or just desire a flock of friendly chickens who will love to sit on your lap and eat out of your hand, then Australorps, Brahmas, or Buff Orpingtons are a great choice. While no chicken lays an egg every day, a good layer will supply your family with 5 to 6 eggs a week during the spring and summer months.

These breeds are known for their egg laying prowess. If maximum egg production is important to you, then you can’t go wrong with an Australorp, Barred Rock, Delaware, Leghorn, Rhode Island Red, or Sussex. Bantam chicken eggs are small to complement their yolks, you’ll need more whites than most angel food cake recipes call for. Medium-production layers are plenty for a family. Egg ProductionĮvery breed produces eggs, even the so-called ornamental breeds, but egg size and production vary. An Australorp hen rests among thyme and hostas. Australorps, Barred Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, Cochins, and Wyandottes would all be good choices. Their smallish, sleek bodies and large combs help them stay cool in extreme heat.Ĭonversely, if you live in a cold climate, then a larger bodied chicken with a smaller comb will do better. Some good choices would be the Mediterranean breeds such as Andalusians, Leghorns, and Penedesencas. If you live in an area that’s warm and humid for much of the year, then choosing heat-tolerant breeds will be important. Although most chickens are generally okay in cold climates, there are many breeds that struggle in the heat. Phoenix and Minorca chickens like heat, for example, and Brahma and Chantecler chickens prefer cool conditions. While pretty eggs are fun to collect, your initial consideration when choosing a breed of chicken should be the climate in which you live. The chickens you ultimately choose will depend on what criteria is important to you and your family. Or maybe you live in a cold climate and want to be sure the breeds you choose will be well-suited to your area. Maybe docile, kid-friendly breeds are a consideration. Or maybe you want breeds known for their laying prowess. Plus, if you’re raising chickens, you don’t have to choose just one breed! Fortunately, chickens of all different breeds typically get along just fine and your egg basket will be much more colorful if your flock is comprised of a variety of different kinds of chickens. One of the delights of this step is learning some of the types of chickens and their charming names: Silkie, Showgirl, Silver-Laced Wyandotte, Rosecomb, Redcap, and Russian Orloff, to name a few.

Golden phoenix chicken eggs