What Chicken should I get – This is a common question many first time chook owners ask when considering the many breed recommendation from friends and family.
Well, we understand how hard it must be for you right now with more than 200 breeds to choose from. However, we have compiled a list of some of the best ones to choose.
From friendly, to meat production, to egg production to docile etc, You are bound to find one that is CHICKFect for you.
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What Chicken Breed Should I Get?
Read on to get answers to your question – Which Chicken breed should I Get?
Plus, you also get a list of chicken breeds that suits different purposes. At the end of it, you should know what breed of chicken fulfils your dreams!
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Do you live in a hot or cold climate?
Some chicks are better at adapting to cool environments; others do better at hot conditions.
For instance, in Australia, you get extremes of various temperatures depending on where you live – if you’re up South, you get freezing temperatures – if you’re up North, you get extreme heat.
So, it is advised you pick a breed that will do well in your climate.
If you’re in a location that get an insignificant degree of hotness now and again, these breeds will do well:
- Leghorns,
- New Hampshire Reds,
- Brahmas
- Rhode Island Reds,
On the other hand, if temperature near is almost freezing, you’ll be wanting a chicken that doesn’t mind some degree of frost!
These breed are generally heavier in terms of size and have full feathered coats, such as;
- Australorps,
- Silkies,
- Dorkings,
- Wyandottes,
- Sussex
- Plymouth Rocks,
- Cochins,
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What do you want chickens for?
The second step to answering your question – What chicken breed should I get would be to ask yourself what needs you want met by getting a chicken.
From my experience, people get chickens for a bunch of reasons, including:
- The need for fresh eggs on a daily basis
- The desire for a great family pet that’s different to your conventional cat or dog
- Need the chickens for their meat supply
Or a combination of all three! Not all chook breeds possess the same attributes – some don’t lay as much as their feathered counterparts, some are more docile in nature and therefore like being handled, and are calm around children.
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Great egg layers
If eggs are the main reasons you want to get a chicken, then these poultry breeds will keep your breakfast table looking delicious and stacked:
- Isa Browns,
- Rhode Island Reds,
- Sussex,
- Welsummer,
- Wyandotte
- Australorps,
- Leghorns,
- Plymouth Rocks,
Do not forget, fresh backyard eggs are the best kind of eggs you’d ever eat – taste wise and nutrition wise!
Getting chickens for a consistent supply of fresh eggs too is a good reason to start keeping them.
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Beautiful egg layers
Perhaps a clutch of colourful eggs is something you wouldn’t mind seeing on your kitchen table each morning.
Various breeds lay different colored eggs – from green, to blue, to a chocolate brown!
If what you’re after is a specific colour of egg, here the breeds that lay them.
- Blue Eggs – Araucana
- Blue/Green Eggs – Easter Eggers
- Cream Coloured Eggs – Sussex, Polish
- White Eggs – Anconas, Campines, White Leghorns
- Brown Eggs – New Hampshire Reds, Rhode Island Reds, Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Delawares
- Reddish Brown Eggs – Welsummers, Barnvelders
- Dark Brown Eggs – Marans
- Pinkish Brown – Salmon Faverolles, Plymouth Rocks
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Docile breeds for family pets
By now, you should be satisfied with your question – What chicken breed Should I get? If not, read on!
If you’re after a family pet that wouldn’t mind snuggling up against you and your family, and won’t become too stressed by the sight of a toddler, then these are some docile chicken breeds for you:
- Silkies,
- Isa Browns,
- Sussex,
- New Hampshire Red
- Plymouth Rocks.
- Orpingtons, Australorps,
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Good table birds
Some people love to raise backyard chickens to be table birds, so they know the meat is safe, fresh and ethically raised.
If you’re looking to use your chickens for meat, here are some chook breeds that carry the most:
- Faverolles,
- Houdans
- Leghorns,
- Brahmas,
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Dual purpose breeds (eggs and meat)
If you’re after chickens that are both good for meat and productive egg layers, there these breed type will be best for both:
- Rhode Island Reds,
- Australorps,
- Wyandottes
- Plymouth Rocks,
- Orpingtons,
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How much space do you have for your chickens to live in?
Some birds are hugely glad to be roaming a run enclosure or a small backyard area, others prefer to free range and forage across a wide space.
When choosing what breed is right for you, you need to have to take into account how much space they’ll have to live in.
If you select a chook breed that loves to stretch their wings and put them in a run permanently, you might end up with some unhappy, frustrated, and quick dying birds on your hands!
Breeds that are happy to roam around in a small space, or stay safe together in a include:
- Silkie Bantams,
- Plymouth Rocks
- Australorps,
- Orpingtons,
While breeds that need some extra room to roam, and the chance and freedom to stretch their wings over an average sized backyard include:
- Rhode Island Red,
- Wyandottes
- Ancona,
- Hamburg,
Bear in mind, before you decide on what chicken breed you’re going to purchase (and definitely before you bring your new feathered friends home!), you’ll have to get them the perfect chicken house – otherwise you’ll have some grumpy chooks no matter how big your backyard!
Our list of the best backyard chicken coops and walk in chicken coops with runs attached if you’re thinking of choosing the breeds happy in small, medium or large spaces, and Amazon also has a run option available.
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How often are you home?
Do you work in an office? Or are a stay at home parent? How long will you leave your chickens for? The answer will also affect what chicken breed you can get, and what coop type you’ll need.
If you work full time and unable to let the chickens out to free range during the day, you’ll probably need to keep your chickens in a run.
So, you’re also going to want to acquire chickens that are happy poking around small spaces.
On the other hand, if you are home to let the chickens out during the day, then you can definitely have chicken breeds that like to free range.
Before you answer your question -What Chicken Breed Should I get? Ensure you organise their chicken coop.