Choosing a Breed

Choosing the right chicken breed is an important part of raising chickens. Here are some things to consider when trying to find the right chicken breed for you. Some things that you’ll want to consider include the number and color of eggs produced, the breed’s temperament, its noise level, and its adaptability to confinement. If you can’t let your chickens range free, the confinement factor is important for a happy, healthy flock. Noise level really matters if you do not reside in the country. Some sources advise against mixing ages, but I’ve never had trouble with older birds picking on younger ones.

Popular Breeds for Beginners

Australorp: Australorp chickens are a great choice for any flock owner. They are dual-purpose (useful for both eggs and meat), friendly, and hail from Australia. The Australorp is an excellent layer and very hardy. Australorps lay about 250 brown eggs a year and are available in black, white, or blue. They are good foragers as well as good layers. You cannot go wrong with the popular and easy to care for Australorp.
Orpington: Orpington chickens are fluffy, friendly, and beautiful. A dual-purpose breed, they are quite hardy, and come in many colors (blue, lavender, buff, black, and white). Orpingtons lay about 200 light brown eggs a year. Buff Orpingtons are a wonderful shade of gold. Beware: the lighter colors of white or buff Orpington chickens may make them easier targets for predators.
Easter Egger: Easter Egger chickens lay very colorful green, blue, or pink eggs. They are not really a breed, but a chicken that lays colored eggs and doesn't conform to breed standards for Ameraucana or Araucana chickens. Easter Eggers are charming and colorful hybrids. They vary widely in appearance, and they may have fluffy beards, ear muffs, or crests. Colorful egg laying chickens generally lay fewer eggs than other breeds.