There is an enormous amount of chicken breeds out there. Therefore, choosing the one that best suits your needs can be overwhelming. This guide will help to cut out the stress of finding the right breed for you.
If you are looking to raise chickens for egg laying, there are a few things to take into consideration. Different breeds of chickens lay different sizes and egg colors. These colors can range from brown, to white, to green or even blue and dark red. Some people say the color of the eggs affects the taste; as in, the brown eggs taste richer than the white. This fact really boils down to different individuals taste preference. However, others say it all depends on if the chicken is factory or farm raised. This actually can make a difference in the taste, because what chickens have available to feed on can play a factor in the taste of the egg. Here are a few select breeds and the color eggs they lay:
- Wyandotte – Light to Rich Brown
- Minorca – White
- Rhode Island Red – Light to Rich Brown
- Ancona – White to Light Cream
- Fayoumi – Off-white to Light Tint
- Hamburgh – Low-gloss White
Another factor to consider would be what type of climate conditions the chickens would be raised in and how adaptable they are to being free ranged or caged. Different breeds can only handle warm weather, some prefer cold and a few can be hardy in either condition. Also, it is best to know why type of confinement your chickens can flourish in the best. Listed below are a few of these breeds, the weather condtions they prefer and the best type of confinement suited for them:
- Holland – Cold Hardy – Well Adaptable to Free Range or Confinement
- Faverolles – Cold Hardy(because of fancy feathering, not suited for foul weather) – Bears Confinement Well
- Leghorn – Tolerates Warm Weather Well – Adapts to Confinement Well
- Malay – Very Tolerable of Heat – Prefers Free Range
- Cornish/Indian Game – Cold Hardy – Easily Adapts to Confinement