Kinds of Chickens; Egg Laying Chickens

Courtesy of benimoto

Kinds of Chickens

There are many different kinds of chickens, and while the idea of “breeds” is useful, the types of chickens you want is the kind that accomplishes your chicken raising goals. There are standard breeds of chickens that meet certain breed characteristics, and which also have certain reliable traits, but if you’re getting chickens from heritage that you know to satisfy your needs, then their breed shouldn’t be too important to you.

Strategically planning your flock means knowing before you start what you intend to accomplish. It may even be to your advantage to get a few different kinds of chickens. You may want a few to lay eggs, a few to brood, and a few for meat.

Chickens get along well together and you can mix the types of chickens in your flock. For example, you can mix adult regular sized breeds with adult Bantam chickens, however, you cannot mix the big meat birds with either of these.

They are too big and bullying. If you ever have problems with chickens getting along, it may mean giving your flock more food and more space per bird, which daytime free range will take care of. With careful maintenance many chickens learn to get along.

Courtesy of benimoto

Chicken Breeds

There are as many kinds of chickens as there are reasons and places to have chickens! There are chickens designed to produce more breast meat, others designed to produce the maximum number of eggs.

Since you have so many options, and you’re probably not relying solely on your chickens for sustenance, you may want to consider how your flock will relate to you, and each other, when you’re choosing chicken breeds.

Some chickens are docile, while others are incredibly mean. If you think of your chickens partly as pets, you’ll want to get chicken breeds that will actually want to be around you!

Bantam Hens and Roosters are a riot and are also very beautiful. These show chickens can be very entertaining in the back yard, but the tradeoff is they are not going to lay large eggs, so breakfast will be small.

Some of the kinds of chickens you might recognize include Cornish Game, Leghorns, and Plymouth Rocks. There are also some truly amusing breeds, such as Ameraucanas, which lay blue tinted eggs. With just a little research, you’ll be able to find an entertaining, productive breed for your own back yard.

Courtesy of Joe Photo

Egg Laying Chickens

A lot of what makes egg laying chickens better or worse producers is environmental. That said, there are a lot of breeds that have been forcefully evolved into the production of eggs. The bodies of these birds divert more of their nutrients and energy into egg production than other breeds.

While all chicken eggs, no matter the breed, are of equal nutritional value, the eggs different kinds of chickens lay will look slightly different. Typically, chickens with white ear lobes will lay white eggs, while chickens with brown ear lobes will lay brown eggs. These eggs all taste the same, depending only on what you’re giving your flock to eat.

The most common egg laying chicken is likely the Leghorn variety, which Rhode Island Red coming in at a close second. These chickens both produce a large number of eggs. Leghorns do not make the best pets, but they lay around 280 eggs a year. They’re also inexpensive because they eat less food than other chickens.

Rhode Island Reds, on the other hand, are larger and can be viably eaten as well as produce eggs. They eat more food than Leghorns, but they can also produce up to 300 eggs per year. Being a particularly hardy bird, Rhode Island Reds are perfect for backyard flocks.

Other egg laying chicken breeds include Maran, Plymouth Rock, and Sussex. There are many, many beautiful breeds of chickens, and you are only limited by what your environment can sustain.

One consideration you must keep in mind is the noisiness of your chickens. Some breeds are quieter than others, and if you live in a city, this is a serious concern. You don’t want to risk making your neighbors angry with loud chicken noises!

Courtesy of Maxwell Hamilton

Types of Chickens

Of all these chickens, the kinds you are likely to need fall into three general categories: egg laying chickens, meat chickens, and dual-purpose birds. Egg laying chickens are best for laying eggs, not only because they always have the highest egg output, but also because they require fewer nutrients per egg.

Meat chickens are bred with the same goals applied to meat: they develop into meatier animals with less costly input on your part. With these types of chickens, it’s best to think of the process like an investment. You want the maximum amount of product for the minimum amount of investment.

It doesn’t always matter if a chicken produces more eggs if it costs more to feed it. Most people will also be happy with a dual purpose chicken. Dual purpose birds are great for both eggs and meat, and so they’re perfect for a backyard flock.

If you’re looking for the most varied uses for your chickens, dual purpose birds are the way to go, provided you are committed to the unpleasant process of scalding and processing the birds as they get too old to produce well. Usually you will have a turnaround time with your hens of 3 years at most for good egg production, at which time you need to do something with them, unless they are simply for pets and you are prepared to feed them at your cost.

Of course, these down to the decimal estimations of value aren’t always the most important selection criteria. In fact, thinking of other values you will get from your chickens is very important. Considerations like noise and docility are often more important to backyard farmers than commercial producers.

Most families new to chickens are not going there, so my recommendation for you is to avoid the meat birds (you can't tell when they are baby chicks so be sure to ask before you buy), and go for the regular sized egg layers like Rhode Island Reds, and one or two Bantams for entertainment.

So, when you’re thinking of the kinds of chickens you want living in your backyard, be creative and think of all the things you want from your flock. Planning ahead is the best way to be happy later.

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