A recent study showed that Americans consume on average 280 eggs per person per year and that this figure is on the increase. Chicken is also rated the most popular protein consumed by Americans. With demands this high for chicken and eggs maybe you consider trying your hand at chicken farming for an extra income or simply for fun. This article will discuss the best chicken breeds for beginners.
The best chicken breeds for beginners are Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, Australorp, Plymouth Rock and Delaware. The easiest Dual Purpose Chicken Breeds are Turken, Brown and White Leghorn and the Egyptian Fayoumi chicken.
And the best Broiler Chicken Breeds For Beginners are Cornish Cross Chickens, Jersey Giants and Freedom Rangers. These breeds are easy enough to keep in your backyard.
Each chicken breed has its own characteristics and needs, and it is important that beginner breeders familiarize themselves with the breed they choose in order to get the most out of their efforts. In this article we will be discussing important things to consider before breeding chickens and provide information regarding egg laying chickens, broilers and dual-purpose chickens.
Contents
The 5 Best Chicken Breeds For Beginners
After doing the necessary planning, budgeting and research the time has arrived to decide on which chicken breed to choose. Following are the five breeds most recommended to beginner breeders seeing they are easy to maintain, good egg layers, not too noisy and fits most budgets.
1. Road Island Red Chickens
Road Island Red lay between 4 and 6 eggs per week and is considered the best chicken for beginners to start with. They are very popular worldwide for their great egg producing ability and perky personalities.
2. New Hampshire Chickens
New Hampshire’s are closely related to the Road Island Reds. They do very well in colder climates and produce 4 eggs per week. New Hampshire chickens need more places to roam so raising them as free range makes for happier healthier chickens.
3. Australorp Chickens
Australorps are exceptional egg layers producing 5 to 6 eggs per week. The world record for the most eggs produced in a year belongs to the Australorp breed. The record stands at 364 eggs per year. These chickens enjoy colder climates and need special attention in warmer regions. They are low maintenance and do very well even with a minimalist food-water-coop set-up.
4. Plymouth Rock Chickens
Plymouth Rock is a very old American breed and very popular among beginner breeders. A happy, well looked after Plymouth Rock will produce 4 eggs per week. They have great personalities and adapt well to different climates making them easy to keep.
5. Delaware Chickens
Delaware chickens were originally bred as broilers, but later became a firm favorite among backyard breeders for their egg laying capabilities. These chickens deliver 4 eggs per week. An added advantage is the fact that they are also a firm favorite to be enjoyed at the dinner table. Delaware chickens are explorers and therefore also need a little more space.
The 3 Best Broiler Chicken Breeds For Beginners
There are many options to choose from when choosing a chicken breed to start with. Egg layers, as already discussed, broilers and dual-purpose chickens.
Broilers are chickens specially bred for their meat. They gain weight quickly and are ready for slaughter from 5 weeks old. Some beginner breeders may consider raising broilers. Following are the three best broiler breeds for beginners.
1. Cornish Cross Chickens
Cornish Cross chickens have a very low activity level which makes for a quick growing broiler chicken that reaches its ideal weight of 12lbs within 6 to 8 weeks. They taste much better than dual purpose chickens and produce tastier meat than other broiler chicken breeds. These attributes make them firm favorites among commercial and backyard breeders alike.
2. Jersey Giant Chickens
Jersey Giant chickens are huge in size and were bred with the idea to replace turkey meat. These are pure bred birds and though they never managed to replace turkeys they did become a favorite breed. They do grow slower than other broilers and need more food to get to their ideal weight at about 6 months old. They can weigh anything from 9lbs to 15lbs.
3. Freedom Ranger Chickens
Freedom Rangers are excellent in finding their own food which makes them enjoy larger open pens These chickens were specifically bred for the pesticide free meat market. This breed does take longer to reach “slaughterhouse size”. The birds taste very good even with their diet of bugs and corn feed. Some would argue that they make the best rotisseries.
Dual Purpose Chicken Breeds For Beginners
Dual purpose chicken breeds refer to egg laying chickens that at the end of the egg production period can be slaughtered for their meat. The following three breeds are ideal dual-purpose birds.
1. Brown And White Leghorn Chickens
Brown and White Leghorn chickens are pretty much the same, the only difference being the color of their feathers. The white Leghorn is the better egg layer while the Brown Leghorn is more of a forager and loves warmer climates. Both lay white eggs and are a popular protein choice at the dinner table.
2. Egyptian Fayoumi Chickens
The Egyptian Fayoumi thrives in hot weather, are great foragers and they are disease resistant, which makes them an excellent choice for beginner breeders. These chickens mature early on in life, and this means that they produce a lot of eggs before they are used for their meat.
3. Turken Or Naked Neck Chickens
The Turken or Naked Neck, may be strange looking, resembling a Turkey. They are not cross bred chickens, but their resemblance to Turkeys led to their name. This breed makes excellent mothers and adapts to any climate. Their low stress levels cause them to put on weight easily and they are great egg layers.
Important Things To Consider Before Breeding Chickens
Chickens are the easiest type of animals to keep and the fact that you can have them as pets, egg layers or broilers make them a popular choice for those who would like to try their hand at breeding and raising livestock. Following are several things to consider before continuing this journey.
- Time is an important factor when breeding and raising livestock. Beginner breeders need to make sure they have enough time set out in their day to tend to and care for their chickens.
Fortunately, chickens are easy to care for. You need to feed and change your chicken’s water twice a day which should not take longer than twenty minutes. - Enough space is another important factor. Most beginner breeders start out with 6 chickens, and they will be quite comfortable in a 110 square feet area that includes the coup and the run. The ideal area per chicken is between 15 and 25 square feet.
- Climate may also be a concern. Chickens are hardy creatures; they easily adapt and thrive in most climates. Provided with a coop and fresh food and water daily chickens can adapt to any climate which makes them ideal animals to breed with.
- The Cost of breeding chickens is affordable if you choose some of the most popular breeds to start off with. Prices of the most popular beginner breeds may vary slightly. It is not advisable for beginner breeders to start off with exotic chicken breeds that are much more expensive and labor intensive to keep.
Conclusion
With proper planning and research, it is easy to start chicken breeding. Choosing the right breed and learning to care for it properly can provide years of joy, delicious meals and an extra income.
