How to Choose the Best Chicken Breeds
There are dozens of chicken breeds to choose from. So how do you know how to choose the best chicken breeds for your needs? Knowing what you want most out of raising chickens is an important first step in choosing the best chicken breed for your needs.
So, what are the best chickens for eggs? Which are the friendliest chicken breeds? Which chickens will thrive in a cold climate? Let’s take a look.
My Journey With Laying Hens
I had no idea what I was doing when I purchased my first flock of baby chicks in April 2020. We were in the beginning throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I needed and wanted fresh eggs because the grocery stores could no longer keep them in stock. So I went into Tractor Supply and my local co-op, and started choosing hens at random before those too ran out.
I came home with four different laying hen breeds: Golden Comets, Ameraucanas, Rhode Island Reds, and Speckled Sussexes. Some of these breeds are great layers, friendly, and a joy to have around, while others are noisy, inconsistent layers, and downright annoying on the homestead.
We’re now raising our second flock of chicks, and I’ve definitely got a better grasp of how to take care of chicks at home, as well as which breeds I like best (and which I don’t.)
What To Consider Before Buying a Hen
Baby chicks are cute, and I know full well how tempting it is to take home half a dozen because they’re peeping at you from their brooder box at the store.
However, before your self-control crumbles it’s important to think carefully about why you want chickens in the first place. Putting on the brakes for just a few minutes will help ensure that you choose the chicken breed that best aligns with what you and your family need.
Best Chicken Breeds for Eggs
We’ll start with the primary reason most people raise hens: fresh eggs. While every hen lays eggs, there are differences in the size, frequency, and duration of a hen’s laying life that need to be considered. And, you should also know how to tell when a hen is ready to start laying so you’re ready for the big day.
If you’re looking for the best chicken breeds for eggs, consider these:
- Rhode Island Red
- Golden Comets
- Barred Rocks
- Isa Browns
- Australorps
- Leghorn
- Plymouth Rocks
- Lohman Brown
Keep in mind that it takes a hen 24 to 26 hours to produce and lay an egg, which means you’ll generally get two eggs every three days. However, some hens will lay pretty much every day. This is the case with one of my Golden Comets, Buffy. She’s a super producer and never fails to give us an egg a day.
Even the best egg laying chickens will eventually slow down their production. Purina reports that when they’re two years old, chickens will lay 80% of the amount of eggs they did when they were one year old. When she’s three years old, she’ll lay 70% of the eggs she used to.
Climate
Your climate is also going to play a role in the hen breed you choose. Generally, your local co-op will only stock chicken breeds that will thrive in the local climate. However, if you’re buying chicks online from a breeder you need to take extra care to choose a breed that can survive where you live.
Consider the following criteria when you look for the perfect hen breed.
Comb and Wattle Size
The comb is the flap of red skin on the top of a chicken’s head, while the wattle is what hangs under their beak. The comb and wattle are both full of capillaries (which is why they’re so red). These capillaries circulate the blood closest to the outside air, which helps cool down the hen in hot weather.
The larger the comb and wattle, the more susceptible it is to frostbite. This means that chicken breeds with very large combs and wattles will suffer in particularly cold climates, while breeds with smaller combs and small or no wattle will fare better.
Conversely, hens breeds with larger combs will tolerate heat better because it’s easier for them to keep cool.
Feet
A hen’s feet also play a role in how well she can cope with cold weather. Hen breeds with feathered feet are less susceptible to frostbite.
Body and Feathers
Hens with larger bodies and ample feathers are better suited for cold climates, because they have a thick downy coat to keep them warm! Conversely, smaller bodied breeds are often better suited for hot climates because it’s a bit easier for them to keep cool.
Keep in mind that more hens die of heat stress each year than of exposure to cold temperatures. If you live in a region with hot and humid summers and choose a larger bodied breed, learn how to identify heat stress in hens and make sure you have several ways to keep them cool when the temperature soars.
Best Chickens for Cold Weather
Some breeds better suited for cold climates include:
- Austraolorps
- Buff Orpingtons
- Rhode Island Reds
- Cochins
- Brahmas
- Wyandottes
- Barred Rocks
- Ameraucana
Best Chickens for Hot Weather
Breeds better suited for hot climates include:
- Andulusians
- White Leghorns
- Minorcas
- Easter Eggers
- Orpingtons
- Barred Rocks
- Rhode Island Reds
- Welsummer
- New Hampshire Red
It’s important to realize that this list is certainly not fixed in stone, and some breeds that thrive in cold climates also fare well in hot climates, which is why some breeds are on both lists.
Temperment
When it comes to personality, you might be surprised to know that hens have it in spades. Some chickens are like family pets, begging for treats, sitting in your lap, and following you around the yard. Other hens are noisy, skittish, or stand-offish.
Most domesticated hens, that is, those that have been bred with egg or meat production in mind, are relatively docile and fun to have around. Breeds that have been bred for their beauty and “show factor” are sometimes more stand-offish and resistant to handling.
If that’s not your style, consider these friendly chicken breeds:
- Buff Orpingtons
- Isa Browns
- Wyandottes
- Cochins
- Silkie Bantam
- Brahmas
- Plymouth Rock
- Easter Egger
In my own flock, I’ve found that my Golden Comets are far more docile and friendly than the Speckled Sussexes and Ameraucanas, and they’re much more patient with my two boys.
Yard Size
Although chickens don’t need a ton of space, they do have some specific requirements.
Chickens need at least two to three feet of space within a chicken coop, and a minimum of eight to ten feet of space in an outside run or backyard. Cramming too many chickens into too small a space can result in malnutrition, cannibilism, stress, and disease. If you’re planning on letting your hens free-range, make sure that each hen has 250 to 300 square feet of yard.
So, if you have a large yard you’ll be fine with larger breeds. Just make sure you calculate how many hens your yard can support so you don’t buy too many. And, keep in mind that while it’s fun to see chickens roaming around your yard, there are definite downsides to letting your chickens free range.
If you have a very small yard, you might be better off with Bantams, which are a smaller hen that needs half the space that regular hens do.
Last Word
Coming home with your first flock of chicks is an exciting experience. Chicks are cute, fluffy, inquisitive, and fun to take care of. However, choosing the right hen breed is crucial to their survival, and yours.
