by Dakota Storage Buildings, on July 11, 2019
Different strokes for different folks . . . or is it different chicken types for different owners?
Either way, it’s no mystery that people like different things — and animals — for a variety of reasons. In this case, depending on egg preference, level of expertise, and breed temperaments, you may want to do some homework before choosing a backyard chicken type.
In her article, Top 20 Chicken Breeds for Your Backyard Coop, Kassandra Smith, Senior Editor of Australian Backyard Chicken Coops, offers a comprehensive list of chicken breeds for backyard chicken keepers to consider. We highlighted six of our favorites from the list in random order.
1. Buckeye
Introduced in the late 19th century at Ohio State and later recognized by the American Poultry Association, the Buckeye, a hardy bird that can withstand cold weather, is the only breed of chicken to have been created by a woman, Nettie Metcalf.
Buckeyes are yellow-skinned chickens that lay brown eggs and are the only breed in the American Class to have a pea comb. This bird will tolerate some confinement but does better as a free ranger. This breed has a calm, friendly, and curious personality, although the roosters can be aggressive. The hen lays 150-200 eggs per year and weighs around 6 lbs.
2. Plymouth Rock
The Plymouth Rock is an American breed of domestic chicken. It was first seen in Massachusetts in the 19th century, and for much of the early 20th century was the most popular chicken breed in the United States. It is a dual-purpose breed, raised both for its meat and for its brown eggs.
The Plymouth Rock chicken is a good breed for first-time chicken owners. They are known for their egg-cellent egg-laying skills and their calm temperament. Additionally, according to thehappychickencoop.com, this breed does well in colder climates.
3. Wyandotte
The Wyandotte is an American breed of chicken developed in the 1870s. It was named for the indigenous Wyandot people of North America. The Wyandotte is a dual-purpose breed, kept for its brown eggs and its yellow-skinned meat. It is a popular show bird and has many color variants.
This type of chicken will lay 150-200 eggs per year and weighs roughly 6 lbs. The male weighs in at around 8 lbs. Both eggs and meat are said to be high quality and tasty. This breed has a docile and calm personality, although hens may occasionally be broody. They are hardy and robust, so the hens can lay eggs throughout the winter.
4. ISA Brown
The ISA Brown is a crossbreed of chicken with sex-linked coloration. It is thought to have been the result of a complex series of crosses including but not limited to Rhode Island Reds and Rhode Island Whites and contains genes from a wide range of breeds.
The breed was developed and patented by a French company in 1978. They are a well-known choice for backyard chicken owners and farmers alike. This gentle chicken breed socializes well with people and is good with kids and other domestic animals. They love to forage, so if they're free-range, ensure your flower beds and or vegetable gardens remain pest and weed-free.
5. Naked Neck
The Naked Neck breed is also called the Transylvanian Naked Neck as well as the Turken because it originated from Transylvania and primarily developed in Germany.
This type of chicken is distinctive, quirky, and downright bizarre-looking. Naked neck chickens are famous for having featherless necks which makes plucking easier and quicker, as they have less than half the feathers of other comparable fowl.
They are brown egg layers and can tolerate cold climates well. Hens weigh around 6 lbs. and roosters weigh roughly 8 lbs.
Like with most breeds, the males can be very territorial about their hens, but even more so with the Naked Neck, so it’s best to have more hens than roosters.
6. Leghorn
The Leghorn came from Northern Italy near the port of Livorno (Leghorn in English). They were a part of the Livornese fowl family and had a smallish body, but laid many eggs.
Leghorn chickens are adventurous, spirited, and friendly. The hens not only lay 150-300 generously-sized, bright white eggs per year, but they are splendid foragers and small eaters. The breed is prolific, highly fertile, and hardy.
Today a majority of Leghorns are for commercial use and dominate white egg production in America.
No matter the types of chicken you choose, proper nutrition and a safe chicken coop is essential.
No matter what breed of laying hens you get, quantity and quality of eggs all depend on your chickens leading happy lives with excellent nutrition and a safe and comfortable home.
Hens need a constant supply of food and quality feed in order to produce the best quality eggs. Look for a protein-rich chicken feed with adequate shell grit. Remember that egg-laying chickens need 16-20% protein and a complex combination of vitamins, minerals, and calcium. To learn more about chicken nutrition, read Nutrition for the Backyard Flock.
From roofing to flooring, your chicken's coop should be constructed with the highest quality components. Browse our Coop Collection to see coops that are perfect for up to 25 chickens. We only use premium materials because we believe the coops we sell are a representation of our integrity and our commitment to customers.
Here are some key features of our chicken coops — all are essential for happy backyard chickens.
Run: Even though the windows allow sunlight and fresh air to come inside, the coops feature an area outside where they can move freely.
Nesting Boxes: Give your hens a clean, dedicated space to build a proper nest, and you'll get good eggs that are well protected. Each nesting box is the right diameter — fill them with soft bedding like straw, and you’ll get lots of eggs.
Roost: Chickens like to sleep up off the ground at night. Our roosts give them the space they need to perch for a good night's sleep. Our coops provide the space needed for all hens to rest well.
Flooring: Our coops have LP ProStruct Flooring with SmartFinish and Epoxy Finish. This provides a durable yet attractive overlay that resists decay and warping.
Roof Sheathing: The chicken coops that we sell have roof insulation that is designed to block radiant heat and help maintain interior temperature.
To make sure you’re investing in the right size coop, call our sales team or download our Coop Collections catalog.
Read more articles on backyard chickens.
Our mission is to help you organize your life and keep your valued possessions safe—and yes, that includes your backyard chickens. We know chickens are an investment, and we want to help you keep them secure and happy. When you purchase with us, you can trust that you’re getting a premium coop, a knowledgeable and experienced team of experts, above-and-beyond customer service, honest prices, and flexible delivery.
