Top 10 Most Popular Chicken Breeds for Backyard Chicken Keepers

[MandyMay]

I saw this post today for the Most Popular Chicken Breeds for Backyard Chicken Keepers.
It lists some of my favorites and breaks them out into Dual Purpose and Layer categories.
Does anyone have any breeds that should be in the top 10?

see: http://bit.ly/Z0yd4A

 

[Mahonri]

I wouldn't put much stock into what you read at that link.

First off, the pic under Rhode Island Red isn't a RIR at all, it's a Cinnamon Queen! (a type of Red sex link)

Over the years I've owned over 35 different breeds of chickens.

Here's my list of favorites... remember, variety is the spice of life.

1. Icelandics - a land race, they are like a box of chocolates, when they hatch, you never know what color or type you will get! Good layers of medium white or slightly tinted eggs.

2. Polish - EYE CANDY... decent layers of medium white eggs

3. Ameraucanas.. PURE BREDS.. you know the one's that lay the very blue eggs. I call them a "novelty" breed as they are NOT the best layers. They are also very friendly and mine love to be held. I'm now looking into the Arkansas Blue Laying chickens who are supposed to be great layers of blue eggs..

4. Marans.... gotta love the LARGE DARK EGGS!

5. Swedish Flower Hens... MAJOR EYE CANDY... nuff said.

6. Leghorns --- a can't miss if you want an almost everyday layer of large white eggs.

7. Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, Australorps & Orpingtons, Production Reds, Black Sex Links and Red Sex Links. I group all of these together as you get LARGE Brown Eggs from theses... I had a Black Sex link that once laid EVERY DAY for 93 days in a row. What a great hen!

8. I've never owned a Silkie, but they are a novelty breed and they are good broodies.. I'd love to get a lavender hen or two from LAMIKE someday.

9. if you get a Wyandotte, then the Blue Lace Red is the EYE CANDY you'll want to get.

10. Everyone needs to have at least one "Exotic" breed, like a Buttercup, or a Red Cap, or an Egyptian Fayoumis, or a Sultan, or a white laced red Cornish, or a Phoenix or a Lakenvelder... just to keep you on your toes.

Good luck....