Whats the best chicken

[chick73]

Whats the best chicken to buy just for layings eggs and for show?

 

[rehric00]

I have four isa browns. They are wonderful. Tame. Love to be held. Follow me around. Very curious!

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

That's a question that's going to get you as many different answers as people who write back.

I would not choose ISA Browns if you want to show. I love them, they're great birds for laying, but they are not show birds. I also am a huge fan of Sex Links by whatever name (Red Star, Golden Comet, Black Star, Golden Buff) but again, not show birds.

You want a breed that you can get from a breeder. You will most likely not get show-quality birds from a hatchery.

Make a list of what you want in a bird.
Large fowl, or bantam?
Feathered legs, or no?
What color eggs?
Do you care about egg size, frequency?
What color birds?
What temperament are you looking for?
Do you care about their status on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy list? http://albc-usa.org/cpl/wtchlist.html#chickens

Then, you might go through Henderson's Chicken Breeds Chart to see if you can find any that match your criteria. http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

Finally, it may come down to which show-quality specimens you can find, and what you're willing to pay, and how far you're willing to drive to get them.