A variety of backyard chicken breeds

Chicken Breeds

In-depth backyard chicken breed guides covering eggs per year, egg color, temperament, cold and heat hardiness, size, and what each breed is best for.

Best Egg-Laying Chicken Breeds

Leghorn (280-320 white), Australorp (250-300 brown, record holder), Rhode Island Red, ISA Brown, Plymouth Rock, and Sussex compared by eggs per year, color, and temperament. Best for maximum egg production.

Best Chicken Breeds for Beginners

Calm, hardy, forgiving first hens: Buff Orpington, Australorp, Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Sussex, and Wyandotte, with friendly temperaments and reliable laying. Best for new keepers and families.

Best Cold-Hardy Chicken Breeds

Brahma, Wyandotte, Orpington, Plymouth Rock, Australorp, and Chantecler, chosen for dense feathering and frostbite-resistant combs, plus winter care tips. Best for cold climates and winter eggs.

Rhode Island Red

~250-300 large brown eggs a year. Hardy, active dual-purpose all-rounder; calm hens, assertive roosters; very cold-hardy; ~6.5 lb hen. Best for reliable brown eggs and beginners.

Buff Orpington

~180-220 light-brown eggs a year. Very gentle lap-chicken temperament; excellent cold hardiness; heat-sensitive; broody; ~8 lb hen. Best for families, pets, and cold climates.

Australorp

~250-300 brown eggs a year (world record 364). Calm, friendly; good in heat and cold; ~6.5-8 lb hen; glossy black plumage. Best for top egg production in any climate.

Plymouth Rock (Barred Rock)

~200-280 brown eggs a year. Friendly, sociable dual-purpose bird; excellent cold hardiness and winter laying; ~7.5 lb hen. Best for cold climates and family flocks.

Leghorn

~280-320 white eggs a year, prolific. Active, flighty, independent; heat-tolerant but comb frostbite risk; lightweight ~4.5 lb hen; rarely broody. Best for maximum white eggs and hot climates.

Wyandotte

~200-240 brown eggs a year. Calm, confident; stunning laced plumage; rose comb for exceptional cold hardiness; ~6.5 lb hen. Best for cold climates and ornamental appeal.

Easter Egger

~200-280 blue, green, and olive eggs a year (one color per hen). Friendly, curious crossbred; often pea-combed and cold-hardy; ~4-5 lb hen. Best for colorful eggs and families.

Silkie

~100-120 small cream eggs a year (poor layer). Extremely gentle fluffy bantam; outstanding broody mother; needs dry shelter, cannot fly; ~1.5-2 lb. Best for pets, kids, and hatching.

Brahma

~150-200 brown eggs a year, strong winter layer. Calm gentle giant; exceptional cold hardiness with pea comb and feathered legs; heat-sensitive; ~8-10 lb hen. Best for cold climates and calm flocks.

Sussex

~250-280 tan eggs a year, strong winter layer. Calm, curious, friendly dual-purpose breed; cold-hardy and heat-tolerant; ~7 lb hen; popular Speckled variety. Best for beginners, families, and four-season eggs.

Best Heat-Tolerant Chicken Breeds

Leghorn, Andalusian, Minorca, Welsummer, Easter Egger, and the Egyptian Fayoumi compared for hot climates, plus how to keep any flock cool. Best for hot summers and desert regions.

Best Dual-Purpose Chicken Breeds

Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, Sussex, Wyandotte, Orpington, and Australorp compared for eggs and meat, size, and hardiness. Best for homesteads wanting one all-purpose flock.

Friendliest Chicken Breeds

Orpington, Silkie, Australorp, Cochin, Sussex, Plymouth Rock, and Faverolles ranked for gentle, people-loving temperaments, plus tips to tame any flock. Best for families and pets.

Marans

~150-200 dark chocolate-brown eggs a year (the darkest of any breed). Calm, quiet, confident; very cold-hardy single comb; good in heat; ~7 lb hen. Best for dark eggs and calm flocks.

Welsummer

~160-200 deep terracotta, often speckled, eggs a year. Friendly, intelligent, active forager; cold-hardy and very heat-tolerant; ~6 lb hen; rarely broody. Best for speckled dark eggs and hot climates.

Ameraucana

~150-200 true blue eggs a year (blue through the shell). Friendly, curious; pea comb for excellent cold hardiness; ~5.5 lb hen. Best for guaranteed blue eggs and cold climates.

Olive Egger

~150-200 olive-green eggs a year (blue x dark-brown cross). Friendly, hardy hybrid; often pea-combed and cold-hardy; ~5-6.5 lb hen. Best for unique olive eggs and colorful baskets.

Cochin

~150-180 brown eggs a year. Extremely gentle, fluffy, feather-footed; outstanding cold hardiness but heat-sensitive; very broody; ~8.5 lb hen. Best for pets, broody mothers, and cold climates.

Polish

~150-200 small white eggs a year. Gentle but easily startled by its big crest blocking vision; moderate hardiness, keep crest dry; ~4.5 lb hen. Best for ornament, show, and white eggs.

Faverolles

~150-200 pink-tinted eggs a year, strong winter layer. Very gentle, five-toed, bearded; excellent cold hardiness; can be bullied; ~6.5 lb hen. Best for families, gentle flocks, and winter eggs.

Speckled Sussex

~200-250 tan eggs a year, strong winter layer. Friendly, curious, calm; cold-hardy and heat-tolerant; speckling grows with each molt; ~7 lb hen. Best for beginners, families, and four-season eggs.

Jersey Giant

~150-200 large brown eggs a year. The largest purebred chicken; calm gentle giant; cold-hardy, heat-sensitive; slow-growing ~10 lb hen. Best for meat, large brown eggs, and calm flocks.

ISA Brown

~300-350 large brown eggs a year, top production hybrid. Friendly, calm sex-link; hardy and adaptable; rarely broody; ~4-5 lb hen with a shorter laying life. Best for maximum brown eggs and beginners.

Golden Comet

~280-330 large brown eggs a year, early-laying sex-link hybrid. Friendly, calm; hardy and adaptable; rarely broody; ~4-5 lb hen. Best for maximum brown eggs, beginners, and small spaces.

Lavender Orpington

~150-200 light brown eggs a year. Ultra-gentle lap chicken; self-blue plumage; excellent cold hardiness but heat-sensitive; broody; ~7-8 lb hen. Best for pets, families, and cold climates.

Barnevelder

~150-200 deep brown, often speckled, eggs a year, strong winter layer. Calm, friendly, quiet; cold-hardy single comb; striking double-laced plumage; ~6 lb hen. Best for dark eggs, winter laying, and quiet flocks.

Cream Legbar

~180-230 blue eggs a year. Friendly, curious, active; autosexing chicks sortable at hatch; crested; cold and heat hardy; ~5-6 lb hen. Best for blue eggs and avoiding surprise roosters.

Swedish Flower Hen

~150-200 large cream eggs a year. Calm, friendly, self-reliant rare landrace; unique speckled white-tipped plumage; very cold-hardy; broody; ~6 lb hen. Best for hardy homesteads and natural hatching.

Bielefelder

~200-230 large brown eggs a year, strong winter layer. Exceptionally calm gentle giant; autosexing chicks; cold-hardy; ~7-8 lb hen, ~10-12 lb rooster. Best for families, dual-purpose, and winter eggs.

Dominique

~230-270 brown eggs a year. Calm, docile heritage breed; frostbite-resistant rose comb; barred plumage; America's oldest breed; ~5 lb hen. Best for cold climates, foraging, and heritage flocks.

New Hampshire Red

~200-280 large brown eggs a year. Friendly but assertive, fast-maturing dual-purpose bird from Rhode Island Red stock; cold and heat hardy; ~6.5 lb hen. Best for dual-purpose homesteads and fast growth.

Delaware

~200-280 large to jumbo brown eggs a year, strong winter layer. Calm, friendly, fast-growing heritage breed; white with black barring; ~6.5 lb hen. Best for dual-purpose homesteads and large eggs.

Andalusian

~150-200 white eggs a year. Active, alert, flighty Mediterranean breed; elegant slate-blue laced plumage; excellent heat tolerance; ~5 lb hen. Best for white eggs, hot climates, and striking looks.

Hamburg

~200-225 small glossy white eggs a year. Active, flighty, excellent forager; frostbite-resistant rose comb; spangled plumage; strong flier; ~4 lb hen. Best for white eggs, free range, and ornament.

Langshan

~150-200 brown, often plum-tinted, eggs a year, strong winter layer. Calm, gentle, tall stately breed; cold-hardy; excellent broody mother; ~7.5 lb hen. Best for dual-purpose, winter eggs, and natural hatching.

Best Chicken Breeds for Kids

Silkie, Buff Orpington, Cochin, Faverolles, Australorp, and Plymouth Rock compared for gentleness, ease of handling, eggs, and hardiness. Best for families and children.

Best Quiet Chicken Breeds

Barnevelder, Cochin, Brahma, Buff Orpington, Australorp, and Plymouth Rock compared for low noise, calm temperament, and eggs. Best for suburban yards with close neighbors.

Best Blue and Green Egg Laying Breeds

Ameraucana, Cream Legbar, Easter Egger, Olive Egger, Whiting True Blue, and Araucana compared by egg color, output, and temperament. Best for a colorful rainbow egg basket.

Best Meat Chicken Breeds

Cornish Cross, Freedom Ranger, Jersey Giant, Bielefelder, New Hampshire Red, and Brahma compared by growth rate, carcass size, and hardiness. Best for homestead meat birds.

Best Bantam Chicken Breeds

Silkie, Pekin, Belgian d'Uccle, Sebright, Japanese Bantam, and Dutch Bantam compared by size, eggs, and temperament. Best for small yards, pets, and show.

Breed-Keeping Essentials

Purina Layena Layer Pellets - Complete 16% protein feed for any laying breed at point of lay
Oyster Shell Calcium Supplement - Free-choice calcium for strong shells across every breed
Metal Chicken Nesting Boxes - Roll-out nests keep eggs clean from layers of any size

Backyard Chicken Keepers Planner

10 printable worksheets to track your flock's health, eggs, feed, and coop care.

Get the Planner for $39