25 Best Chicken Breeds for a Backyard

Ask and you shall receive… The top 25!

25. BARRED ROCK

  • Dual purpose, heat, and cold hardy bird

  • High producer of large brown eggs

  • Does well confined or free range

24. PLYMOUTH WHITE

  • Dual-purpose birds, cold and heat tolerant

  • Hardy and easygoing personalities

  • Moderate layers of brown eggs

23. SEABRIGHT BANTAM

  • Active, friendly, moderate producer, small white eggs

  • Confinement or free range; color: golden or silver

  • Livestock Conservancy Classification of "Threatened"

22. PLYMOUTH ROCK

  • Docile, dual purpose; Barred or Partridge color

  • Moderate producer, brown eggs; confined or free range

  • Fine winter layers and spring setters

21. MINORCA

  • High producer of large white eggs

  • Black, white, or buff birds; excellent for free range

  • Active, heat tolerant, good foragers

20. SILVER LACED WYANDOTTE

  • Dual purpose, moderate producer of large brown eggs

  • Does well confined or free range

  • Heat and cold hardy, excellent mothers

19. GOLDEN LACED WYANDOTTE

  • Dual purpose bird; does well confined, or free range

  • Moderate producer of large brown eggs

  • Heat and cold hardy, excellent mothers

18. BLUE LACED RED WYANDOTTE

  • Dual purpose, excellent mothers, blue-lined red feathers

  • Moderate producer of medium brown eggs

  • Good in confinement or free range

 

17. BLUE LACED GOLDEN WYANDOTTE

  • Dual-purpose bird: docile, calm, and quiet

  • Great egg layer of medium-sized cream-colored eggs

  • Exceptionally beautiful, winter hardy bird

16. WYANDOTTE

  • Dual purpose with several color variations

  • Moderate producer, large brown eggs, good mothers

  • Heat & cold hardy, do well confined or free range

15. AMERAUCANA

  • Moderate producer of large light blue eggs

  • Does well confined or free range

14. SPECKLED SUSSEX

  • Calm, high producer, medium cream-light brown eggs

  • Heat & cold hardy, dual purpose, confined/free range

  • The Livestock Conservancy "Recovering" classification

13. ISABELLA LEGHORN

  • Egg layer

  • Recognized as a top egg producer of large white eggs • Active & graceful breed that thrives in free-range

12. LEGHORN

  • High producer of large white eggs

  • Heat tolerant and does well confined, or free range

  • Colors: Barred, Brown, Buff, Red, Silver, White

11. COCHINS

  • Moderate producer of large brown eggs

  • Does well confined or free range

  • Docile, cold, hardy, excellent mothers

10. POLISH

  • Variety of different cresting and lacing colors

  • High late-season producer, medium to large white eggs

  • Classified as "Watch" by The Livestock Conservancy

9. RHODE ISLAND RED

  • Active, heat & cold hardy, dual purpose, hybrid bird

  • High producer of large to x-large brown eggs

  • Does well confined or free range

8. BELGIAN BEARDED D'UCCLE

  • Fair producer of extra small cream eggs

  • Do well confined/free range; excluding extreme heat

  • Friendly, calm, small, good for youth or hobbyists

7. BANTAM FRIZZLE

  • Miniatures of popular breed varieties and colors

  • Excellent in a free-range environment

  • Great for insect control

6. BLACK AUSTRALORP

  • Hardy dual-purpose bird

  • Does well confined or free range

  • Color options include black & blue

5. ENGLISH ORPINGTON

  • Good producers of brown eggs; does well free range

  • Easy going, hardy, well suited for cold climates

  • Colors: silver laced, blue, brown, jubilee & mottled

4. ORPINGTON

  • Docile birds in buff, lavender, black, blue, or white

  • Dual-purpose bird, a high producer of large brown eggs

  • Do well confined & free range; heat & cold hardy

3. BARNEVELDER

  • Dual purpose, friendly and active bird

  • Moderate producer of dark brown eggs

  • Does well confined or free range

2.SILKIE

  • Moderate producer of medium white to tinted eggs

  • Forager, heat & cold tolerant, does well free range

  • Colors: black, blue, buff, red, white, etc.

1.  ISA BROWN

  • Dual-purpose does well confined, or free range

  • Commercial quality producer of large to XL brown eggs

  • Consistent and dependable eggshell strength

Previous
Previous

Blue Egg Chicken Breeds, Which is the Best?