The Ameraucana breed was derived from blue egg-laying chickens, but they do not have the breeding problems inherent to Araucanas. 4 / 8. This breed is for those who have the time, energy and devotion to care for them. With a New England heritage, they do not let winter blizzards interrupt laying. I have both smokey pearl an sapphire Gems. They lay up to 280 eggs per year, thats more than 5 eggs per week. Hens make good white egg layers and this breed is very vigorous, quick and alert. Expect a friendly breed, but not lap chickens. These friendly birds tend to be a calmer brown egg layer, laying a large sized egg.They are very hardy, and great year round egg layers. Most Golden Comets can lay between 250 and 320 eggs a year during their first two years of life. To anyone thinking of getting one of those cute little coops. The Altsteirer is an ancient breed that can be traced back to at least the thirteenth century. They lay medium-sized brown eggs and they lay them fairly often, up to 260 eggs annually. The Chantecler is Canadas first chicken breed. Unfortunately as they have been bred to lay eggs they usually have a short life (less than 5 years). They are a mix of several different breeds and are considered to be a dual purpose breed. They are extremely hardy to most climates, fly well and very predator savvy. Wyandottes were created to thrive in the cold winters of New York and Michigan. A chick could look completely different from the parent stock, lay different colored eggs, or have a different body shape or plumage because of something that was passed on from a generation or more back. We have many different breeds of rare baby chicks for sale, some of which are sold only as not sexed while others are . If you are looking for unique birds that are still good layers, these would be a great addition to your flock. Once fully grown she will reach around 6lb, however if you are restricted with space then bantams are available. Blue Cochin Standard Chicken. They are small but prolific layers of white eggs. Silkies come in a variety of colors and some have beards. The Red Jungle fowl is an ancestor of pretty much every chicken we see today. They are large and have copious feathering which comes in several varieties buff is regarded as the favorite. This is a good thing as they are expensive to feed so letting them roam will reduce their feed bill slightly. In my experience these mild mannered girls can bear the brunt of stronger personalities in the flock, keep a watchful eye out for these girls they tend to get bullied. Pearl Star Leghorns are classified as small to medium, with a hen weighing in around 5lbs. Mature Weight: 6-7 lbs. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. The Vorwerk was created in Germany around the 1900s. The Delaware is easy going and beautiful, the perfect addition to any backyard homestead. Broodiness: Occasionally The Serama owns the title of the smallest chicken in the world. Minimum quantity to purchase is 4. Ideally you should try to take someone experienced with you so they can help. Their small size and easy going nature makes them perfect if you have kids who want to be involved in daily chicken care. Their plumage is all black with a green sheen in the light. Sheep's Milk Cheese & Smoked Beets w/ Frisee & Chicory Caesar. Some towns prohibit poultry and some just prohibit roosters. Hens are poor layers producing 2 white eggs each week. They are suitable for beginners and children although their size can be a bit intimidating! Although initially they will be shy, she will become curious and love to investigate things. Purpose: Dual-Purpose The hatchery included the Smokey Pearl Chicken in their 2023 catalog for the first time and describes the chickens as unique birds that are still good layers. They are excellent producers of large cream-white eggs and boast beautiful patterns of multi-colored feathering adding a unique splash of color to both flock and The goal was to create a hardy, Dual-Purpose bird that could withstand the harsh Canadian winters, lay a good number of eggs, and produce a good carcass for the table. They are a shy chicken but are friendly, docile, alert and always curious. Production chickens are very often hybrids. Overall this is a confident, active, talkative and very friendly chicken that would be ideal for children. 8. Vorwerks are a calm, docile and friendly hen which makes them good for novices and children. The Leghorn is a heavy hitter in the chicken world, and with good reason. Around 25% of all Araucana chicks will die in the shell because of the tufting gene. You could potentially get seven eggs per week from your golden comet hen. Although they cannot really be described as friendly, they are pretty calm yet aloof. Hens are good layers of large brown eggs and will usually lay 3-4 each week. As for their personality they are calm and friendly with strong streaks of curiosity and intelligence. They are not known for being broody, but sadly when they do, they often break the eggs with their weight or step on the chicks accidentally. Broodiness: Often These chickens are rock star layers, and will give you around an egg a day. They are known to be quiet so an urban setting is ok for them. There are some unscrupulous breeders out there so buyer beware! Because of this they are considered poor layers since they only put out around 80 cream colored eggs a year. They are great foragers and will enjoy a free-range environment. The hens are not prolific layers but will give you a respectable 3-4 medium white eggs each week. Add noodles; cook according to package . They also have splashes of dirty brown here and there, looks like dirt but is not. Help support our family and channel! Smaller brown = from Asian Black chicken. The first rule of chicken keeping is to do your homework. We will notify you via email when your order is ready. To this day they remain wary of humans and avoid contact if possible. Read our complete list of the best egg-laying chickens. *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. They are so cute! This is a great hen for novices and children and will frequently become lap chickens. Whatever color egg it lays first is the color it will continue to lay for a lifetime. From punny names like Feather Flocklear and Mary Poopins, to earthy names like Pearl and Willow, we have them all here. Looks like you haven't made your choice yet Also make sure to place perches slightly lower to the floor. Hens generally produce 3-4 large brown eggs each week (even through the winter). 85.00mg. {{br}} Production: 240 X-Large Brown Eggs/Year Chicken Coop Review (2023), 5 Best Automatic Chicken Coop Doors Real-Life Testing (2023), Run Chicken Automatic Coop Door Review (2023), Best 3 Portable Chicken Coops (+Free DIY Plan), Can Chickens Lay 2 Eggs a Day? They evolved from the Landrace Chicken and remain a slow grower by todays standards. They are a remarkably friendly breed, and will not be afraid to jump into your lap to tell you about their day. This breed is mainly kept for eggs and ornamental purposes. The breed is quite hard to find and is on the Livestock Conservancy watch list. This breed is not a good choice for urban or suburban chicken keepers, as their constant cackling might annoy the neighbors. They are bred to convert feed into eggs very efficiently, and often have smaller bodies; therefore they don't eat as much as their standard counterparts. Call 413-341-0064. They love their humans and children as well as lap time. This breed is known for being gentle, calm, and, unfortunately, loud. This all black melanistic chicken originated in the Indonesian Islands. Standard sized ones will weigh around 6lb, but they do come in bantam size too. As a result they have not yet admitted to the American Poultry Association. Hens are good brown egg layers, especially in winter, are likely to set, and make good mothers to their young. 2/4 are laying; mine are 24 weeks. If you are looking for a chicken that is friendly, docile and calm make sure you do not pick a breed that is known for fighting! Minimum quantities must still be met in these cases. Despite their record-breaking egg production, they are still considered a dual-purpose breed that grows at a good rate and has a well-fleshed carcass. An Easter Egger chicken can lay blue, green, brown, or pink eggs! They were new and novel and were crossed with just about every breed known, giving us the richness of breeds that we see today. In addition, rather than ear tufts, they have muffs and a beard, and are very hardy and sweet. Today they are mainly used as show breeds and there are several color varieties to choose from. Overall they are calm, docile and friendly to their humans. These days the Malay is considered to be an ornamental or show bird. Do a body scan and check for signs of illness, wounds, or disease so you can catch them early. Keep their water clean and constant, especially during times of stress and super hot or super cold weather. They can be a bit raucous so urban living is not really for them. They were used for cock fighting in their homeland as roosters are known for being aggressive. Originally from Italy they have the slender Mediterranean build. They are mainly used for ornamental or show purposes these days, but they do lay fairly well. Hopefully it has helped you to decide what you want in your coop. This breed is not as fast to mature as the industrial chickens of today, but they are well worth the wait! Posted on Published: June 18, 2021- Last updated: June 27, 2021. They are available in both standard and bantam sizes. Black Copper Marans have become enormously popular because of their dark chocolate colored eggs. The name Marsh Daisy may come from their oversized rose comb which is said to look like a Marsh Daisy. They are excellent layers and are rarely broody. Developed in New York, they are quiet, easy to manage, and one of the most winter-hardy of all breeds. Rhode Island Reds are docile and friendly with humans, but can be pushy with other breeds. Their personality is calm, docile and active. Words like shy, aloof and independent all give you clues that this is not a pet chicken. This created an egg laying superstar and Australorps are the national bird of Australia. Whatever your motivation for reading this we hope you will find it helpful and interesting, Choose Your Breed: A-Z All Breeds This breed does not like being handled and if allowed to free range will wander far and wide. Nashville Style Spicy Fried Chicken, Pimento Cheese, and Green Tomato Relish on a House Made Biscuit, Served w/ a side of House Made Chips . These little birds are friendly, active and very social. The feed should also include amino acids for chick development, prebiotics and . When raised from chicks they can be very tame and friendly with a good temperament. Buttercups have a very good feed conversion ratio which makes them fairly inexpensive to feed. Derbyshire Redcaps are relatively pure since there has been little cross breeding with this breed. Egg incubators are devices that mimic the process that a Read More , The Barnevelder chicken is a lovely breed for your backyard flock. Brahmas can be huge with boys weighing up to 10lb and hens weighing 8lb! Although it can be used as a dual purpose hen, it is not very meaty. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. Buff Orpingtons are large chickens that weight around 8lb. Unfortunately there is a high mortality rate for chicks in this breed making them difficult to raise so not a hen for a novice. The Cream Legbar was created in the UK back in the 1930s by Professor Punnett. I love that they are so friendly. Special fried rice with chicken, crab, crawfish and shrimp. I have Smokey pearls that are 16 weeks old and sapphire gems that are 14 weeks old. The Jungle fowl is a smallish chicken with hens reaching only 2lb. These girls are dark grey and white mottled that are created by crossing a pure bred Rhode Island Red rooster with a Marans hen. They are a true bantam and have no large counterpart. 0.00mcg. She will frequently perch on your shoulder and talk to you needless to say she is a perfect chicken for kids. Their feathers curl up and away from the body, looking like a bad hair-do! If allowed to free range they are excellent foragers but they do tolerate confinement well. She possesses a beautiful black and white mottled plumage which gets better with age. These beautiful birds tend to be very beautifully colored with some having what we describe as ghost barring. Thank you! These arent really leghorns at all, but rather a cross between Partridge Rocks and Sussex. Males are silvery white and lustrous greenish black. They are generally a placid and calm hen. If you have never heard of a Smokey Pearl chicken, dont worry! The Marans are a combination of several breeds brought together in western France during the early 1900s. The American Bresse has been around for a few years now. Interestingly the roosters are hen feathered which means there is no plumage difference in the sexes. They have beards, muffs, vulture hocks and feathered feet, so an all round profusion of feathers! Their dense plumage and rose comb makes them a cold hardy breed. This is a large breed that will weigh between 5-6lb. If you did happen to breed a hybrid rooster with a hybrid hen the chicks will likely have recessive genes that will show up from past ancestors, that the parents themselves dont show. They are gentle, quiet, docile and make great beginner chickens. In-store inventory is not a guarantee and is subject to change at any time. They are a cross between a Rhode Island Red or New Hampshire rooster with a Barred Rock hen. The New Hampshire breed was created in the State of New Hampshire around 1918 as a dual purpose hen. Raising this hen is very strictly controlled and only farmers that conform to the specifications are allowed to sell their chickens as Bresse. They are described as calm, docile and friendly so they do well with children and do not object to being picked up. Orpingtons are docile, gentle and calm. The Orpington breed comes in a variety of interesting colors, including Buff, Black, Blue, White, and Lavender! Purpose: Egg Layer Production: Approx. Personality wise they are known for being gentle and talkative. Hens will lay around 3 large brown eggs each week and will even lay during the winter. Some of the links below are affiliate links. Green (looks blue) = from Starlight Green Egger chicken. As you begin shopping for chickens and researching breeds you will often run across classifications that are intended to describe the chicken, although different suppliers sometimes use different terminology. Hardiness: Cold and Heat Hardy Personality-wise they are a calm, docile and friendly bird. There are several color varieties to choose from and they are all bearded with muffs. The hens are very sought after because they lay chocolate colored eggs. This is a friendly and docile hen that does well with children. Give them a try. Now, it's time to give your chicken a name that suits its unique personality. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 2001-2023 CountryMax.com|Web design and development byMustBeOnline. The Buckeye is the ultimate combination of beautiful plumage, utility, and hardiness for the backyard flock. Temperament: Docile, Calm, Gentle, Friendly Mature Weight: 6-7 lbs. If you are looking for unique birds that are still good layers, these would be a great addition to your flock. Purpose: Dual-Purpose Here are some pictures of their eggs. They are known as an active breed that loves to forage. Hardiness: Cold and Heat Hardy The Lavender Orpington is one of the newer additions to the Orpington family. We believe that ghost barring is the addition of an Autosomal Red color, making the chance higher of the bird carrying the barring gene. When do chickens start to lay eggs? Expect a friendly, docile and calm breed that is easily handled. Participant Hens will grow to around 6lb and Roosters will get heavier. Their other genetic makeup comes from the Leghorn and Barred Rock. The Cubalaya was developed in Cuba from Filipino poultry. This chicken is a good little forager who enjoys free ranging. It is a landrace bird that has evolved for survival in a harsh landscape. Also the plumage of the hens and roosters is totally different with the ladies having a spangled appearance. You will receive a good mix of both varieties in this assortment, with no guarantee in the number of each color. She was bred for egg production and will lay 4+ large eggs each week. Lovely little birds. Overall this is a docile and sweet chicken that enjoys lap time and is good with kids. They love to free range and are very predator aware. The Smokey Pearl can be kept in both warm and cold climates. The first Chanteclers were created by crossing Wyandottes, Cochins, Cornish, and Leghorns. These girls are true production birds and can begin laying at 16 weeks of age and continue to be very productive up to around the two-year mark. Hens are moderate layers of medium sized white eggs (roughly 3 each week). She is the national bird of Switzerland and as you may guess, they are very cold hardy! 11 December, 2022 . Less rare than Araucanas, they are . Hens will lay approximately 280 eggs a year. They were captured and semi-domesticated around 8000 years ago by humans. They are very hardy, and great year round egg layers. Mature Weight: 5-6 lbs. They are a hybrid chicken that performs very well at egg laying. They tolerate heat very well but do not tolerate confinement at all as they are an active and restless chicken. You are using an out of date browser. They are slow to mature but they are very economical since they love to free range and are very active foragers. The Golden Laced Wyandotte is one of Americas premier breeds! Ameraucana. This breed cannot be kept with other fowl as it will fight them even the hens will fight. It is a large dual purpose chicken with a very upright carriage. She was only used for the poultry industry however this lovely lady has become a backyard favorite. Categories Backyard Chickens, Backyard Flock, Predator Attacks & Poultry Wound Care Essentials, 5 Best Backyard Chicken Books That You MUST Read. Do chicken checks once per week to check on the health of your flock. You should expect a shy and gentle chicken. In general they are a friendly and docile breed that is easily handled. Bielefelders are an excellent dual-purpose breed that lays an abundance of brown eggs while still having a well-fleshed carcass. The Swedish Flower hen was relatively unknown until the early 2000s. The Chantecler is a cold-hardy, Dual-Purpose breed that was originally developed in Canada in the early 1900s. JavaScript is disabled. In bygone days when nearly every farm had a chicken flock, the utility and beauty of these birds made them the breed of choice. Cabbage Roll Soup. These friendly birds tend to be a calmer brown egg layer, laying a large sized egg. Add to this beautiful gray and blue color varieties and you have one of the most desirable gray chicken breeds around! For local CountryMax inventory, see the In-Store Availability tab below. The Wyandotte was developed in New York state in the 1870s and was named for the indigenous Wyandotte people of North America. Whilst she is friendly enough to humans, she does not enjoy being picked up or cuddled. Their name comes from the Brabant area which covers part of Belgium and Holland. They are called Buckeyes because their deep red plumage resembles the color of the buckeye nut. Information provided is general purpose only and not meant to replace professional and medical advice. Originally developed in France around 1978, the ISA stands for Institut de Slection Animale. Egg laying is considered to be low to moderate with 2-3 large white eggs per week. Today it is critically endangered and in need of support. Their small pea comb, great size, and heavy feathering make them almost immune to cold weather. Mature Weight: 5-6 lbs. I've got 5 pullets and last week got 34 eggs! Shop today! Expect them to lay around three medium white eggs a week. Hens will lay approximately 280 eggs a year. They are quiet too so urban living could be for them. Hens will lay 4 large eggs each week and are not known for being broody. Several of our selections are critically endangered and in need of conservation help (perhaps you will find something that you would like to help conserve). Brahmas are calm, friendly and quiet, so are well suited for beginners. A chicken like this requires special handling and accommodations. They begin laying at 4 to 5 months of age. Chickens And More is quickly becoming the online destination for all backyard chicken enthusiasts. Granny's Coop 15K. However what do you do if you want to hatch eggs but do not have a broody hen? They are very hardy and will produce large brown eggs year round! They rarely go broody, they just aren't genetically predisposed to wanting to sit. They can still be a bit flighty on occasions but are generally calm and docile. Bring just to a boil, then remove from the heat. Roosters should be separated out at six months or they will fight to the death. They are very hardy, and great year round egg layers. They are a calm, docile and very friendly hen well suited to pet status. She will mature early and will weigh around 5.5lb. The market for chicken meat has grown dramatically since then, with worldwide exports reaching nearly 12.5 million metric tons (about 13.8 million tons) by the early 21st century. The hens lay around three large white eggs each week and are not known for being broody. The Leghorn is small and sprightly, quite flighty and hard to catch. She is very well suited to small farms and homesteads. Everything bagel, herbed cream cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions, capers . The melanoma means that everything is black: muscles, organs, heart and even the tongue! They are a calm and quiet chicken but not overly friendly or docile. Comb Type: Rose Comb, These lacy girls are not just all show with their elegantly patterned feathers, they are also great egg layers. Fully grown hens weigh around 5lb or so, but if you want smaller they come in bantam size as well. The Marsh Daisy is sadly in need of people to help conserve the breed. Originally they are from Turkey where they were known as the Serai Taook or Sultans fowl. You can use a chicken egg incubator. Colored Egg Layer Dark Egg Layers Dual Purpose Meat Birds Polish & Crested Rare Breeds White Egg Layer Clear All Egg Color Blue Brown Cream Dark Brown Olive White Egg Size Small Medium Large X-Large Eggs Per Year 100-150 150-200 200-250 250-300 CHARACTERISTICS Winter Hardy Warm Climate Hardy Breeds True Heritage Free Ranges Best Sort by Browse by 2) Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. 7 Ways To Get More Eggs From Your Chickens 1. For each breed we describe their temperament and egg laying ability so you can find your perfect chicken. Ingredients: Sugar, Partially Defatted Peanuts, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Palm Kernel Oil, Soybean Oil), Corn Syrup Solids, Dextrose, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Artificial . Receive sale notifications, exclusive coupons, and MUCH MORE! Mix & match for 6 chick minimum order. All these traits make them very well suited to cold northern climates. The Speckled Sussex is one variety of the very old Sussex breed. If you want a good production layer thats also a good family pet, the Isa Brown is your girl. All eggs are large in size and brown colored. Save 25% Let's Do This! Broodiness: Rarely The incubation period for guinea eggs is 26 to 28 days, similar to the incubation period for turkeys. Ameraucanas lay bright blue eggs, and Easter Eggers can lay blue, green, cream, or even pink eggs. 5 / 8. There are two main varieties: white and partridge but there are other varieties too. Their looks can vary but the hens will lay an olive colored egg. Despite the name, the Yokohama was created in Germany from Japanese parents back in the 1880s. But they start laying ahead of most hens: around January or Late December. Their parents are a black Australorp rooster with a white Leghorn hen. The hens have a mixed reputation as layers. Temperament: Docile, Curious, Active, Gentle I hope Ive encouraged you to take another look at crossbred chickens! If raised from chicks you can get them to be accepting of you, but they are not a very social breed where humans are concerned. The Barbu DUccle is a delightfully friendly little hen that enjoys being held. They are a low maintenance breed that is smart, curious and friendly with humans. However towards people, the Cubalaya is friendly, curious and remarkably tame. She is an active breed and said to be great mousers. The males and females are completely different colors, the males are more white while the females are red. In the commercial world Isa Browns are culled in their 2nd year of life because egg production begins to decrease at that point, although she will continue to lay. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission, that will help support this site. They are decent layers producing 3-4 eggs per week. {{br}} They do well in confinement as long as they have enough room, but prefer to free range when they can. They do equally well confined or free ranging but if they are allowed to roam they are great foragers. Add . Created in the US as a dual purpose breed the Rocks are enduring success story. Wyandottes. The Phoenix is a German creation that came into being around the 1800s. Surprisingly though, they can be friendly and talkative with their humans. Egg production was a high priority for the creators of ISA Browns, but her sweet temperament was undeniable, and the bird who was initially bred for commercial purposes easily found her way into the coops and hearts of backyard farmers. This chicken has it all: V comb, crest, beard and muffs, vulture hocks, feathered feet, a long tail and five toes. Let us know in the comments section below, In nature it is broody hens that hatch fertilized eggs. Hardiness: Cold and Heat Hardy My Golden Comets are great foragers, and because of their smaller size they are able to easily fly over my electric fence in search of new places to forage. Smoky beetroot scotch egg with piquillo relish. Feed them high quality layer-specific feed and supplement with healthy treats and kitchen scraps. Selection of the store only applies in the cart/checkout. Average number of eggs per year. Start your birds strong by providing a complete starter-grower feed with at least 18 percent protein to support chick growth. Check out our Coop Size and Run Calculator to ensure you provide the minimum amount of space. Temperament: Docile, Easy Going Fried chicken on a biscuit with gravy and egg. Lastly make sure to check that chickens are allowed where you live. Production: 200 Medium Cream Eggs/Year Has anyone even heard of the breed before? The Leghorn prefers a warmer climate but can tolerate cool climates. My Pearl Star Leghorns are among the tamest birds in my flock, and I have one girl who will seek me out, and choose to hang with me instead of her flockmates. Roosters are known for being great flock defenders and their nickname is hawk fighter! This classic chicken breed is a heavy layer at up to 280 eggs per year. Hens are known for being a bit broody but they do make great mothers. These beautiful birds tend to be very beautifully colored with some having what we describe as ghost barring. The Smokey Pearl was created as an excellent egg layer, not as a dual-purpose breed. You may have heard this breed referred to as a Tophat or Paduan. While there are a lot of factors that go into selecting birds for your flock, today we are focusing on disposition, production and availability. From a conventional standpoint, if your chicken has white ear lobes, it will lay white eggs. Comfortable in Weather - Golden comet chickens can do well in both very warm . She is a docile, friendly and active breed that will become attached to their keepers. They thrive outside as close confinement will make them flighty, nervous and neurotic. Speckledys lay less than some of the other birds on the list, but their eggs are a pretty chestnut brown and often speckled. Plan These beautiful birds tend to be very beautifully colored with some having what we describe as ghost barring.