for all of you new backyard chicken keepers (or even experienced ones who want a new breed) it is all ways hard choosing a good breed.
today i am going to go over the thing you need to ask your self before getting chickens.
#1 why do you want chickens?
.do you want them for eggs?
.do you want them for meat?
.do you want to breed a old breed?
.or just want chickens for the fun of it?
#2 how much room do you have?
do you have lots of room or not much?
if you dont have much you might consider getting bantams.
#3 are you aloud a rooster?
if yes then you can get one and you can hatch your own eggs (which allows you to breed them)
if no then you might consider a crow collar (be careful as they have been known to kill the bird if you are not careful enough). or putting your rooster in a box at night and letting him out only when he has stopped trying to crow so much (this box must have a low enough roof to stop him from throwing his head back).
you can also bring him inside to help muffle the noise (but it wont help you sleep any better if he dose crow).
and now you can ask yourself what breed.
here is a a-z guyed for some moor commonly known breeds.
ancona
the ancona is kind of like a spotty leghorn and come in three standardised colours in NZ all appearing mottled,
the most common one (the colour you will see when you google ancona chicken) is black mottled,
grate breed if you want a egg laying breed or a exhibition breed,
araucana
this breed comes in two kinds:
.tufted rumples
.tailed,crested, bearded, and muffed,
araucana's lay blue/green eggs.
can be for exhibition or eggs.
i would say the most common colour is lavender/self blue (same colour)
americana
much like the araucana but they have a beard and muffs
i think the most common colour is partridge
barbu d,anver
this is a very cute chicken breed and is a true bantam meaning it has no large foul counter part
they are known for having a beard and muffs
probably the most common colour is quail
exhibition is really the only thing they are good for as they dont lay a huge amount of eggs and the eggs they do lay are small
and they are terrible for meat as they are bantams,
barbu d,uccle
very much like the d,anver except for the following,
d,uccle's have feathered feet
the most common colour is milleflur,
Brahma
Brahma's have a lot of fluff and are huge birds having feathers on there feet probably just adds to the fluff,
the most common colour is columbine/light (same colour)
Brahma's are duel purpose breed meaning they are good for meat eggs and exhibition
plymouth rock
most of you have probably heard of the plymouth rock.
plymouth rocks come from america and are good for meat eggs and exhibition
the most common colour is barred
Cochin
cochin's are also a very fluffy breed and a big breed of chicken with no bantam version
the most common colour of cochin is buff
there mostly for exhibition
Cornish
aka Indian game are crossed with sussex to create the Cornish cross or cobbs
they do not lay very much (or very big eggs) so are really only good for meat and exhibition
the most common colour is dark
dorking
NZ poultry standard bred dorking's should have five toes and look rather long and stumpy
they are good for eggs meat and exhibition
the most common colour is silver grey
Delaware
are currently critically endangered so if you want a rear breed....look no further!
these beautiful chickens are good for eggs meat and exhibition plus look really pretty!
there is only one colour for this breed as far as i am aware good thing its a pretty one
Rhode island red
the rhode island red is a american breed of chicken
they are good for eggs meat and exhibition
they come in red
Rhode island white
rhode island whites are much like rhode island reds but they also come in a rose comb verity
they are good for eggs meat exhibition
they come in white
silkie
these adorable puffs are so hard to say no to, they make grate mothers.
they are good for exhibition and make grate broody hens
the most common colour is white
serama
the worlds smallest chicken, very cute and are known for doing a chicken dance
they are good for exhibition
i think the most common colour is buff
leghorn
every one have heard of the leghorn, right? they are probably the best heritage egg laying breed.
they are good for eggs and exhibition
the most common colour is white
marans
layer of dark eggs, reasonably friendly from what i have heard,
they are good for exhibition, and are mostly keeped for there dark eggs
the most common colour is cuckoo
naked neck
baby naked necks are so cute! just look at there little faces!
they are good for eggs meat and exhibition
the most common colour is buff
orpington
big floofy orpingtons might fool you with how big they look, well there all fluff,
it is said that orpingtons are good for eggs and meat but i have had some before and they where not very meaty nor did they lay lots of eggs, but they are good broody hens when you get one that wants to go broody, and good exhibition birds
the most common colour is buff
polish
chickens with a crest, sounds good. polish also called Poland did not come from Poland, they come in both bearded and non bearded
they are good for exhibition
the most common colour is white crested black or silver laced
pekin bantam
(AKA cochin bantams) it would be near impossible to wright a whole article with out talking about pekin bantams,
they are true bantams and are very round, have feathered feet, and sort legs, they are really friendly.
they are good for exhibition are grate broody's and lay a decent amount of eggs (considering they are not a hybrid laying hen)
the most common colour is ether white or millefleur.
welsummer
a nother dark egg laying breed, the welsummer is a beautiful chicken,
good for eggs and exhibition
most common colour is partridge
wyandotte
you may know the wyandotte as a laced breed but they actually come in many colours such as white, partridge, columbian, blue, etc
they are good for eggs meat and exhibition.
the most common colour is silver laced,
today i am going to go over the thing you need to ask your self before getting chickens.
#1 why do you want chickens?
.do you want them for eggs?
.do you want them for meat?
.do you want to breed a old breed?
.or just want chickens for the fun of it?
#2 how much room do you have?
do you have lots of room or not much?
if you dont have much you might consider getting bantams.
#3 are you aloud a rooster?
if yes then you can get one and you can hatch your own eggs (which allows you to breed them)
if no then you might consider a crow collar (be careful as they have been known to kill the bird if you are not careful enough). or putting your rooster in a box at night and letting him out only when he has stopped trying to crow so much (this box must have a low enough roof to stop him from throwing his head back).
you can also bring him inside to help muffle the noise (but it wont help you sleep any better if he dose crow).
and now you can ask yourself what breed.
here is a a-z guyed for some moor commonly known breeds.
ancona
the ancona is kind of like a spotty leghorn and come in three standardised colours in NZ all appearing mottled,
the most common one (the colour you will see when you google ancona chicken) is black mottled,
grate breed if you want a egg laying breed or a exhibition breed,
araucana
this breed comes in two kinds:
.tufted rumples
.tailed,crested, bearded, and muffed,
araucana's lay blue/green eggs.
can be for exhibition or eggs.
i would say the most common colour is lavender/self blue (same colour)
americana
much like the araucana but they have a beard and muffs
i think the most common colour is partridge
barbu d,anver
this is a very cute chicken breed and is a true bantam meaning it has no large foul counter part
they are known for having a beard and muffs
probably the most common colour is quail
exhibition is really the only thing they are good for as they dont lay a huge amount of eggs and the eggs they do lay are small
and they are terrible for meat as they are bantams,
barbu d,uccle
very much like the d,anver except for the following,
d,uccle's have feathered feet
the most common colour is milleflur,
Brahma
Brahma's have a lot of fluff and are huge birds having feathers on there feet probably just adds to the fluff,
the most common colour is columbine/light (same colour)
Brahma's are duel purpose breed meaning they are good for meat eggs and exhibition
plymouth rock
most of you have probably heard of the plymouth rock.
plymouth rocks come from america and are good for meat eggs and exhibition
the most common colour is barred
Cochin
cochin's are also a very fluffy breed and a big breed of chicken with no bantam version
the most common colour of cochin is buff
there mostly for exhibition
Cornish
aka Indian game are crossed with sussex to create the Cornish cross or cobbs
they do not lay very much (or very big eggs) so are really only good for meat and exhibition
the most common colour is dark
dorking
NZ poultry standard bred dorking's should have five toes and look rather long and stumpy
they are good for eggs meat and exhibition
the most common colour is silver grey
Delaware
are currently critically endangered so if you want a rear breed....look no further!
these beautiful chickens are good for eggs meat and exhibition plus look really pretty!
there is only one colour for this breed as far as i am aware good thing its a pretty one
Rhode island red
the rhode island red is a american breed of chicken
they are good for eggs meat and exhibition
they come in red
Rhode island white
rhode island whites are much like rhode island reds but they also come in a rose comb verity
they are good for eggs meat exhibition
they come in white
silkie
these adorable puffs are so hard to say no to, they make grate mothers.
they are good for exhibition and make grate broody hens
the most common colour is white
serama
the worlds smallest chicken, very cute and are known for doing a chicken dance
they are good for exhibition
i think the most common colour is buff
leghorn
every one have heard of the leghorn, right? they are probably the best heritage egg laying breed.
they are good for eggs and exhibition
the most common colour is white
marans
layer of dark eggs, reasonably friendly from what i have heard,
they are good for exhibition, and are mostly keeped for there dark eggs
the most common colour is cuckoo
naked neck
baby naked necks are so cute! just look at there little faces!
they are good for eggs meat and exhibition
the most common colour is buff
orpington
big floofy orpingtons might fool you with how big they look, well there all fluff,
it is said that orpingtons are good for eggs and meat but i have had some before and they where not very meaty nor did they lay lots of eggs, but they are good broody hens when you get one that wants to go broody, and good exhibition birds
the most common colour is buff
polish
chickens with a crest, sounds good. polish also called Poland did not come from Poland, they come in both bearded and non bearded
they are good for exhibition
the most common colour is white crested black or silver laced
pekin bantam
(AKA cochin bantams) it would be near impossible to wright a whole article with out talking about pekin bantams,
they are true bantams and are very round, have feathered feet, and sort legs, they are really friendly.
they are good for exhibition are grate broody's and lay a decent amount of eggs (considering they are not a hybrid laying hen)
the most common colour is ether white or millefleur.
welsummer
a nother dark egg laying breed, the welsummer is a beautiful chicken,
good for eggs and exhibition
most common colour is partridge
wyandotte
you may know the wyandotte as a laced breed but they actually come in many colours such as white, partridge, columbian, blue, etc
they are good for eggs meat and exhibition.
the most common colour is silver laced,
