Top 5 Backyard Chicken Breeds

[Bullitt]

This seemed like a good article for Backyard Chickens. Here is a list of the top 5 breeds of backyard chickens from Living the Country Life.

I was surprised by Jersey Giant on the list. But they mention that this breed is good for meat. I think people who just want chickens for meat raise Cornish crosses. Is the Jersey Giant a fair layer of eggs also?

I laughed when I read what they wrote about Rhode Island Red: "... the Rhode Island Red is also a dual-purpose breed and lays brown eggs." It seems that one of the greatest chicken breeds of all time should get a little more respect than that. How about: the Rhode Island Red is one of the most popular dual-purpose chicken breeds of all time and one of the best layers of brown eggs.

It is interesting that they didn't list any of the hybrid crosses, such as Golden Comets/Red Sex-Links.




http://www.livingthecountrylife.com/animals/poultry/top-5-backyard-chicken-breeds/

When backyard hobbyists first start raising chickens, they are sometimes astounded by the number of different chicken breeds that are available. A quick perusal of your favorite hatchery's catalog will reveal several hundred chicken breeds. After several millennia of domestication, it's no wonder that there are so many types of chickens out there. Choosing the right chicken breed can be difficult. Thankfully, several breeds standout and make excellent additions to any backyard poultry flock.

1. The Plymouth Rock: The Plymouth Rock -- a breed that comes in several varieties, the most popular varieties being white and barred -- is a docile and friendly breed that makes a great starter bird for new hobbyists. They reach a considerable size of up to 9.5 pounds, which makes them excellent meat birds. They are also great brown egg layers. For this reason, Plymouth Rocks are considered a dual-purpose breed, a term denoting breeds that can be used for either meat or egg production.

2. The Rhode Island Red: These rust-feathered chickens are the quintessential backyard chicken breed and can be found in many hobbyists' collections. While they do not achieve as great a weight as Plymouth Rocks, the Rhode Island Red is also a dual-purpose breed and lays brown eggs.

3. The Leghorn: The Leghorn is one of the best chicken breeds for those raising chickens for eggs. Originally from Italy, Leghors have one of the highest rates of lay out of any chicken breed. This is largely due to specialized breeding. Leghorns may be more flighty and noisy than some other breeds.

4. The Jersey Giant: Aptly named, this American breed can achieve an astounding weight of up to 13 pounds. Thus, Jersey Giants are a popular backyard breed for those raising chickens for meat. There are several varieties of this breed, all reaching the same average size.

5. Ameracaunas: This breed is easily recognizable due to the fluffy feathers around its head. Ameracaunas are perhaps most known for raising blue eggs. They make great pets and also relatively good egg layers, though they aren't intended to be raised for slaughter.

Whatever breed of chicken you choose, you will find that each breed has unique characteristics and will add its own personality to your backyard chicken hobby.

 

[Bullitt]

I think lists about everything are popular because they generate debate.

I would take Jersey Giant off the list because I do not think they are that popular. Maybe Australorps or Orpingtons would be good choices for the list.

 

[immyjay54]

Yea, Well right now I'm getting 20-25 eggs a day from 28 hens. So I don't really know how often each one is laying, but I have only 2 and I see at least 1 in the nest box almost everyday (But I'm not out there every minute either). They are really nice birds too, but have a loud egg song!

I have the Barred Rocks and they really are excellent layers and meat birds if you get into the older lines. I also have the RIR and I will always have some of them. I've had Leghorn but probably 40+ years ago and they are one of the wilder birds as for the ones that I had. It surprises me that the Buff Orpington wasn't on their list. That is a breed that my parents always had and were and still are good layers, I have them also. I have other breeds and I can honestly say that they are all good layers except the Silver Penciled Rocks because they haven't started yet so I don't know. My Sussex lay good but they tend to go broody very often. lol Also these are all good winter layers also.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I see a LOT more Buff Orpingtons than I do Jersey Giants and as others have pointed out it really should be Easter Eggers rather than Ameracaunas. The rest of the list I generally agree with though the Rhode Island Reds should probably just be Reds since they are often a varying mix of real Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshires, and various crosses that come out looking more or less like a Rhode Island Red.

 

[fowlman01]

Thank you, Walt.

The list is just supposed to be the most popular small-flock breeds. It doesn't matter if they are Jersey Giants or bantams.

Is this list correct? Should any changes be made?


1. Plymouth Rock

2. Rhode Island Red

3. Australorp

4. Leghorn

5. Orpington

6. New Hampshire

7. "Easter Egger"

8. Wyandotte

9. Welsummer

10. Cochin

11. Old English Game Bantam

12. Silkies

If the list were all large fowl, it may be close.....although I think easter eggers would be the #1. OE Games are the breed that is shown the most in the US....by far. Given that and knowing that most OEG breeders hatch hundreds of birds each year, that might be the most common breed in the US in backyard flocks. I showed in a show in Columbia SC that had several thousand OEG's....you can't imagine how annoyed they were when I beat them with a bantam duck..........

Walt

 

[speckledhen]

Many people seem to have a reaction when I point out that one breed is a better layer than another.

I can say that in general a Barred Plymouth Rock will lay 4 eggs a week on average in a year, whereas a Rhode Island Red will lay 5 eggs a week on average in a year. So I think I am safe in saying that on average Rhode Island Reds are better layers. Of course there are individual variations.

I put links to a few websites that show the number of eggs laid by each breed.


Plymouth Rock

http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/Plymouth-Rock-B85.aspx

http://www.cacklehatchery.com/barred.html

http://www.keepingchickens.com/plymouth-rock-chicken/



Rhode Island Red

http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/Rhode-Island-B97.aspx

http://www.cacklehatchery.com/rhodeislandrdpage.html

http://www.keepingchickens.com/rhode-island-reds/

My Barred Rocks lay 6-7 eggs per week until they get to over 4 years old. I have two 5 year old BR hens who are still laying 4-5 eggs per week, in addition to one who is over 3 years old who lays 7 eggs almost every week without fail.

I still don't believe you can make a blanket statement about one of those two particular breeds being a better layer than the other, though sources such as you quoted keep spouting the "party line" from way back when. On one level, it's an individual thing. On another, it just doesn't hold true across the board when you consider different lines/strains can vary tremendously.

All that aside, of course, the Rock still must be on the top five list of backyard/barnyard breeds. It's not that I'm defending the Rock; it's that I've had both breeds in hatchery and good breeder stock and the RIRs have never outdone my Rocks as layers. To me, they're equals.

 

[Bullitt]

What is a "REAL" Ameraucana? I thought that none of these chickens looked alike. How can you tell if your Amerucanas are real? And how can hatcheries sell chicks that are not real to the breed?

Real Ameraucanas are ones that meet the APA breed standards. Most do not meet the standards, so are called Easter Eggers.

Ameraucanas are a more complicated breed as far as standards go than most other breeds.

Most chicken breeds from hatcheries would not do well in most poultry shows. That is because the hatcheries generally focus on breeding for egg production and pay less attention to body size and conformation and feather color.

If you are interested mostly in eggs, or do not care about showing chickens at competitive poultry shows, then hatcheries are often the best choice for purchasing chickens.

 

[lolita117]

Awesome. I have Barred Rocks, White Rocks, and RIR. In my order coming this March I'm getting some Light Brown Leghorn and some Ameraucanas. I guess I have the quintessential backyard flock. I have other breeds too, including production. But I'll have the top 5 down pat.

About my Jersey Giants. I have 2 white ones. They seem to lay eggs alright. Maybe not as much as my barred or production but they give an egg almost everyday, they are so big and beautiful too!

 

[Bullitt]

Awesome. I have Barred Rocks, White Rocks, and RIR. In my order coming this March I'm getting some Light Brown Leghorn and some Ameraucanas. I guess I have the quintessential backyard flock. I have other breeds too, including production. But I'll have the top 5 down pat.

About my Jersey Giants. I have 2 white ones. They seem to lay eggs alright. Maybe not as much as my barred or production but they give an egg almost everyday, they are so big and beautiful too!

Wow, you have all five on the list.

Your Jersey Giants lay an egg almost every day?

I'd say they are great layers then. But do they lay eggs like that all year?

 

[Illia]

Funny, Rhode Island Reds as a breed actually shouldn't be rusty red, and, I find it funny how Ameraucanas are listed yet very few people actually have real ones. Notice how nothing was mentioned on color variations, yet the other breeds were.

Just had to point it out.

I actually though don't understand the list. Sadly but truthfully very few people raise Jersey Giants for meat since most have rather undersized over-producing hatchery stock, most "backyard" type owners just want eggs since they're usually in the urbs or suburbs, and same goes for the Plymouth Rock - Most out there are average/small sized pet layers. When people do want meat, they usually go for either Cornish X crosses or the extra rooster in their chick order.

Interesting, really, the choices on the list.