Best All-Around Chicken Breed?

[Amer]

All chickens are originally from Asia, where they evolved, so it would make sense to say that chicken breeds have Asiatic blood. But I know what you are saying. Breeds like Cochin, Malay, Java, Shanghai, Langshan, and on and on from Asia were used to create the breeds on the contenders list.

Yes, breeds from the Asiatic class. (The Asiatic class is comprised of Cochins, Brahmas, and Langshans.)
They have Cochins, Shanghai fowl, or Brahmas in their ancestry.

 

[Beer can]

Which breed of chicken do you think is the all-around best?

The criteria would be (in no particular order):
-- A dual-purpose chicken for eggs and meat
-- A chicken that does not develop slowly
-- A chicken that can reproduce itself (go broody)
-- A chicken that forages well for food
-- A chicken that lays eggs well
-- A chicken that can tolerate cold and heat pretty well


A breed like a Leghorn would not qualify because they are on the small side to be a meat chicken and they rarely go broody.

It is also important to remember that many hatchery strains of a breed are less broody. Some broodiness is needed, but not overly broody.

Over look the 'look' of them , IMHO Naked Neck aka Turkens are the most ultimate dual purpose breed, and some will go broody. They lay almost as good as leghorns, awesome layers, as meat birds they are not as big as some but FYI those breeds Greenfire farms sells as the second best, and one of the best, tasting chickens according to some French magazine.... They don't tell you what was #1.. It's Redbro Cou Nu, naked necks. Best thing about them is half the feathers to pluck, they are deceiving , body looks fully feathered but they are in strips, puff out, half the legs half the breast the vent area is just smooth skin, and... no hair, no hair to pluck or singe off. They do great in hot climates of course and I'll testify do great in subzero also most of winter here can get -10f with -20f windchill they are the first birds outside playing in the snow while my jersey giants are hanging out in the coop lol.
I never wanted them thought they were ugly, but now that I have them they are the darndest cutetist chicks and the birds to me are the most exotic things I've ever seen. There is plenty near me that have rare Greenfire breeds, I don't know anybody that has Naked Necks.

 

[Bullitt]

Over look the 'look' of them , IMHO Naked Neck aka Turkens are the most ultimate dual purpose breed, and some will go broody. They lay almost as good as leghorns, awesome layers, as meat birds they are not as big as some but FYI those breeds Greenfire farms sells as the second best, and one of the best, tasting chickens according to some French magazine.... They don't tell you what was #1.. It's Redbro Cou Nu, naked necks. Best thing about them is half the feathers to pluck, they are deceiving , body looks fully feathered but they are in strips, puff out, half the legs half the breast the vent area is just smooth skin, and... no hair, no hair to pluck or singe off. They do great in hot climates of course and I'll testify do great in subzero also most of winter here can get -10f with -20f windchill they are the first birds outside playing in the snow while my jersey giants are hanging out in the coop lol.
I never wanted them thought they were ugly, but now that I have them they are the darndest cutetist chicks and the birds to me are the most exotic things I've ever seen. There is plenty near me that have rare Greenfire breeds, I don't know anybody that has Naked Necks.

Turkens are a great dual-purpose chicken breed. Everything I have read says they do well in heat and cold, despite not having neck feathers, and they do go broody.

It is very difficult to not see the look of them, though. It is like buying a car with a missing door and just overlooking the missing door.

I am trying to be fair here.

Turkens do not lay as well as Leghorns. Turkens will lay about 200 eggs a year. I see 180 to 240 eggs a year. Maybe a really good laying Turken will lay as well as a poor laying Leghorn.

Based on my criteria, the Turken would be a good all-around chicken breed. They sure aren't pretty, though.

There are some breeds on the contenders list that lay eggs better than the Turken.

 

[Bullitt]

Something that has not been discussed is egg size. Laying eggs well also means having a good-sized egg. A chicken that lays 200 medium eggs is not as good as a chicken that lays 200 large eggs.

The Orpington is known as a very good layer, but they are also known for laying medium-sized eggs. For this reason, I do not think Orpington can make the cut.

Are there breeds on the contenders list that do not lay large eggs?

 

[Trevorusn]

You bring up a good point. Chicken breeds with a single comb sometimes get frostbite on the comb. This might give an edge to best all-around chicken breed to a breed with a pea comb or rose comb.

There are varieties like the rose comb Rhode Island Red, however.

Ironic considering Jerseys are bred for colder environments. Also, for me Minorcas are beautiful but have large combs/wattles and less dense feathering, so not too certain they could stand up to NH winters well. Two other possible contenders for best all round would be Faverolles and Iowa Blues. Faverolles put on good meat weight, decent layers even in winter, and handle both heat and cold well. Broodiness can be there, and they also have excellent temperaments, good foragers and very tolerable to confinement. Iowa Blues are scrappy and durable, their only real shortfall is their rarity, which some dedicated breeders seem to be trying to change and improve upon.

 

[Bullitt]

Based on average egg-laying ability, Buckeye, Delaware, New Hampshire, and Wyandotte must be eliminated from the contenders list of all-around best chicken breed.
That leaves three chicken breeds on the list.
Australorp
Plymouth Rock
Rhode Island Red

Australorp was developed in Australia, and the other two were developed in the United States.
Which is the best all-around chicken breed? Or is there another breed that was missed?

 

[Bullitt]

Ironic considering Jerseys are bred for colder environments. Also, for me Minorcas are beautiful but have large combs/wattles and less dense feathering, so not too certain they could stand up to NH winters well. Two other possible contenders for best all round would be Faverolles and Iowa Blues. Faverolles put on good meat weight, decent layers even in winter, and handle both heat and cold well. Broodiness can be there, and they also have excellent temperaments, good foragers and very tolerable to confinement. Iowa Blues are scrappy and durable, their only real shortfall is their rarity, which some dedicated breeders seem to be trying to change and improve upon.

Don't make me do the work. Please tell me about the breeds. What are their weights? How many eggs do they lay per year?

 

[Trevorusn]

Don't make me do the work. Please tell me about the breeds. What are their weights? How many eggs do they lay per year?

Lol doing the work is how you learn!! Its also fun. So, going by APA standard, Faverolles weigh in about 6.5lbs for hens and 8.5lbs for roos. They lay 200 or so tinted eggs a year. Iowa Blues, while not currently with an APA standard, are about 7lbs for roos and 6 for hens, laying 180 or so eggs a year.

 

[Bullitt]

Lol doing the work is how you learn!! Its also fun. So, going by APA standard, Faverolles weigh in about 6.5lbs for hens and 8.5lbs for roos. They lay 200 or so tinted eggs a year. Iowa Blues, while not currently with an APA standard, are about 7lbs for roos and 6 for hens, laying 180 or so eggs a year.

Iowa Blue is right on the edge for size and does not lay enough eggs.

Faverolles is large enough, but also does not lay enough eggs.

 

[Uff Da]

The Swedish Flower Hen or the California Gray/Grey is also a little light to be considered good meat chickens, based on my 6 pounds for hens and 8 pounds for roosters. If someone was less focused on meat, these breeds would be excellent choices.

The Swedish Flower Hens I've seen at county fairs are easily as large as Brahmas. If the ones we have locally aren't representative of the breed in general, they are evidence that SFHs are easily bred to have a bit more meat on them. They get my vote!