Selecting the best breeds for your flock.

Getting chicks

Its spring again and you see everybody with cute baby chicks. Egg prices have gotten really high so you decide to get some chicks. They are so cute but what will they grow up to be? Hens, Roosters, what breed, will it lay enough? It depends what you buy and what your looking for.

Eggs

So the main reason you bought your chicks will most likely be eggs. You want to know what your buying so research some breeds before you make a final purchase.

• Rhode Island Red - These birds lay large brown eggs year round laying about 300 eggs a year. They can handle hot and cold climates and have wonderful personalities. My Rhode Island Red hen is wonderful I recommend them to anyone starting out with chickens.
  
  
• Leghorn - Leghorns are an incredibly well liked breed by lots of chicken keepers. They lay a large white egg all year long laying about 300 but some can get up to 320! They are heat hardy but not cold and are excellent foragers.
• Red sex-link - These birds are wildly popular they are sexed at birth which makes them a safe option for anyone who doesn't want roosters. They lay about 300 large eggs year round. They are hardy birds but they have a short lifespan on 2-3 years. I have had six of these birds and they are great layers they will sometimes give me the surprise of a double yolk and once a triple!

Dual Purpose

You want eggs but maybe you also want meat. Plenty of birds lay well and provide meat for you and your family. Dual purpose breeds are a great step towards self sufficiency which is a goal when getting chickens.

• New Hampshire - If you have children I would not recommend this breed due to their aggression. They lay 280 large eggs a year. An adult male can get up to 8.5 pounds.
• Plymouth Rock - A great breed for beginners barred rocks are very popular. They lay 300 large brown eggs a year. They are very hardy birds and a great option for meat with males weighing in at almost ten pounds!
• Wyandotte - They are an incredibly beautiful breed with each of there feathers laced in different colors. They lay about 200 medium cream or brown eggs a year. And the males can get up to 9 pounds. They are also a very docile breed.
  
  

Meat

You want to raise your own meat so you know what you food is made out of. So you get some broilers. Meat birds are much easier than a cow or a pig.

• Cornish cross - They are a very popular meat breed for meat with females getting up to 8 pounds and males getting up to 10.5 pounds. They lay 180 eggs a year.
• Ginger broiler - These birds are a great breed for beginners. They are wonderful foragers they get to be about 4 pounds. They lay 180 eggs a year.
• Delaware broiler - They can be considered a dual purpose breed. They can get up 8.5 pounds. They are also excellent layers laying 280 medium brown eggs a year.

Colored Eggs
I have always loved different colored eggs. Blue eggs, green eggs, chocolate and even pink! It adds so much fun to your egg basket.

• Easter Eggers - These are very pretty birds with their signature muffs. They lay 200 large blue or green eggs a year. They are also very unique birds with no two birds looking exactly alike.
  
  
• Marans - Marans a gorgeous breed with their simplicity and feathered feet. They lay 200 large dark brown eggs a year. They are a rare breed with good reasoning.
  
  
• Cream Legbar - A unique feature about this breed is that they are auto sexed so you can easily select your hen. They lay about 200 medium blue eggs a year. They are very friendly and excellent foragers.

Friendliness / Show
You may just want chickens as pets or for show. You may also want to consider temperament if you have children.

• Orpington - These birds are a very popular breed with many variations buff being the most popular but they also come in lavender, chocolate, white ect. They lay about 250 eggs a year and they are the friendliest birds. They do well in show and are a solid favorite among the chicken community.
  
  
• Bantam Cochin - These birds are gorgeous with their mop like tails it is hard to resist them. They lay 100 medium brown eggs a year. They are very calm and friendly with many variations that all do well in show.
• Silkie - The silkie has a very unique breed with its fuzz all over its body it is a very sought after breed. They lay 160 small cream eggs a year. They are calm and friendly and do well in show.

Summary

There are so many different types of chickens that you have to know what you are purchasing. If you want eggs don't buy a silkie if you want a show chicken don't buy a Cornish. Also don't purchase un-sexed chicks because you don't want to end up with rooster. If you are interested in these breeds Murray McMurray Hatcheries carries all of them. Find your favorite breed for your flock you can chose to go with one breed or many variations 6-8 chickens are a good starting number but you can pick and chose your number. My personal favorites are Orpingtons, Marans, Rhode island reds, and easter eggers. I hope this helped you start your flock!