Selecting the Best Chicken Breeds for Your Backyard

For those who are aspiring to be chicken raisers at home, you’ll surely be delighted to know that there are various chicken breeds to pick from. You can pick according to your preference and depending also to one’s demands.

There are actually hundreds of domesticated roosters across the globe. Some breeds are even have well-developed features and behaviors due to the cross-breeding course of action which involves selected types of breeds. And the birds’ adaptation to its environment also affects its well-being.

Factors that distinguish one breed from the other are the size, plumage color, comb type, color of skin, number of toes, color of earlobes and eggs, feathering, and the geographical origin of the bird. These birds can even be further categorized according to main purpose –eggs or meat production, or for show purposes. Some may even be categorized as dual-purpose.

The common denominator among the chicken is that it lays eggs and edible meat as well. They appear to be very distinctive with its features that are commonly seen among their distinct breed. The uniqueness may be a end result of the cross-development in order to highlight traits. All chicken breeds may be used for agricultural needs and ornamental purposes at some degree, but each breed has its main use.

Egg-producing chickens

Chickens falling under this category are normally light in weight and have good character. Some of the egg-producing breeds are Ancona, Ameraucana, Andalusian, Araucana, Jaerhone, and Easter Egger.

Meat-producing chickens

For the people who want to produce meat from healthy chickens, they decide to raise dual-purpose breeds that actually produce eggs and meat all together.

This category includes Bresse, Ixworth and Indian Game (or Cornish) chicken breeds.

Dual-purpose chickens

As mentioned, dual-purpose chicken breeds are those that produce both eggs and edible meat for consumption. You can see these chickens in farms and backyards. Some breeds may be better in either egg or meat production than the other ones, but all together, they are considered as dual-purpose breeds. Australorp, Braekel, Brahma, California Gray, Derbyshire Redcap, Faverolles, Chanticleer, and the Jersey Giant are the common breeds falling under this category.

Game, Exhibition, and Show chickens

For a long time now, chickens for game, exhibition and show have been a great influence in the development of chicken breeds. The common breeds under this category are American Game G, Asil G, Appenzeller U, Barbu de Watermael, Bearded d’Anvers and Beardedd’Uccle varieties.

If you want more information on chicken breeds, visit Chickenbreeds.com.au today!