What Are The Best Chicken Breeds? : chicken breeds

There are literally hundreds of chicken breeds to choose from when you decide to raise and keep chickens. We are going to break them down into the best breeds to work with based on their purpose.

Chickens have three purposes, ornamentals or pets, meat, and egg production.

Best 3 Chickens for Pets
These chickens are chosen for their docile nature, friendliness with children, and beauty.
Cochin: These chickens come in standard and bantam sizes. They are bred for a wide variety of colors and splash patterns, with fluffy feathers down to their toes. The tail feathers are droopy, with a waterfall shape. They are easily handled and fun to watch. There is very little squabbling among the flock, and they are not loud and noisy.
Brahma: Beautifully patterned feathers with dark patterned areas around the neck and rump on a pale background. Patterns remind one of Spanish lace. Very easily tamed and handle well. A beautiful chicken to have wandering on your property.
Silkies: These chickens look like they are wearing a Persian cat coat. Their feathers have no hooks that make normal feathers lay flat and close. Their feathers look and feel like fur. They are very docile, extremely easy to handle, and the Bantam weighs in at less than 4 pounds. These gentle little gems are sometime kept as incubators for other chickens eggs because they go to brood so easily.

Best 3 Chickens for Meat
When growing chickens for meat, time is critical. Getting past 16 weeks in age produces tough meat. The best meat chickens are fast growing so that you can produce a decent sized chicken for the table by the time they are 10 weeks old.
Cornish Cross: This is a hybrid chicken (Cornish x Plymouth Rock). They are ready to dress in 6-8 weeks. Very fast growing with large breasts.
New Hampshire: Hardy in all climates and handle easily. Also a fair layer.
Wyandotte: Hardy in all climates, easily handled and pretty to look at while they are growing. Also a pretty good layer.

Best 3 Chickens for Egg Production
Gathering fresh eggs every morning for breakfast is a great reminder that you have pets that pay room and board.
Leghorns: Long laying cycle producing an egg everyday fro up to 3 years. White eggs. Can be a little flighty, but usually handles well and the egg production is second to none.
Pendesenca: Spanish chicken that lays dark chocolate brown eggs each day. Easily tamed.
Brahma: Lays light brown eggs daily and looks beautiful while doing it! Gentle and friendly. Big egg production in a relatively small bird.

There are many other chicken breeds, but these have a lot going for them and are well rounded in personality, health, and value. Many breeds are considered exotic and are expensive. Some are just plain mean to each other and their owners. Its hard to enjoy a chicken, no matter what its purpose, when it is pecking or flogging you or your children. So choose you chickens wisely and know the breeds qualities. Even the mean ones are cute when they are little balls of fluff.

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