Choosing your chickens - what's the best breed for you?

What breed of chicken is best for my backyard chicken house? Getting this right goes a long way to determining the success of your project. Read on to learn how to choosing your chicken breeds is easy if you follow these guidelines.

To select the right chicken breeds for you, first focus on the main reasons that you want to raise them. You should also take into account your climate and the amount of space you want to use for raising chickens. What follows are some general guidelines for selecting a breed of chickens for your chicken coop.

Egg Production

If you want the best possible egg production, limit your search to
the laying breeds. Understand, however,
that many people feel the best layers

(like White Leghorns) have a tendency
to be more inconsistent and nervous
and to avoid human contact. A couple
of other breeds for exceptional
egg production are Minorca and
Sussex.

Dual Purpose

For most backyard “chicken farmers” a dual purpose breed is a great solution.  These are breeds that will provide good quantities of eggs as well as being excellent table fare if you so choose.  

The following breeds not only excel as dual purpose, but are generally quite docile and easy to deal with.  Examples of this type of breed are Rhode Island Reds, Australorp, Sussex and Plymouth Rock.

Cold Weather Chicken Breeds

If you live in an area where you experience cold weather, you want to make sure to select a breed that can handle the cold. Generally speaking, it is better to have a standard size chicken than a bantam in cold weather areas. 

Some of the breeds that do well in cold climates are Plymouth Rock, Sussex, Wyandotte and Rhode Island Reds.  It’s a good idea to talk to some of your local farm stores and other local sources of information to determine what breeds are well suited to your climate.

Selecting the right breed of chicken is important.  But even if you choose a great breed to meet your needs, you will need to make sure that the home for your chickens is a good match.  

The size of the chickens, the number of birds in your flock and your local environment all are important considerations in your chicken coop design. 

There are a number of products that include plans and other information to help in building your own chicken coop.  They all offer good value but there is one that stands apart because it also includes complete video instructions. 

Read our review of the top coop plan products and judge for yourself.

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