80 Chicken Breeds Information (A-Z List)
When we think of animals in our lives, one of the last ones that I think about is the chicken even though we eat eggs and chicken weekly. So today, I’m going to enlighten you all on the breeds and differences in chickens.
I will describe to you, what chickens are best for laying eggs, which ones are best for meat purposes, the chickens that are best for eggs and meat, show poultry, and Bantam.
At the end of the article, you’ll see a list of chickens to have as a reference source.
Chicken Breeds - Type, List, Picture & Information
Meat Breeds
We have chicken breeds that are for meat. Many people are worried about hormones in our foods, therefore decided to raise their own food. If you want to follow their lead, these are the chickens to raise.
The Cornish Cross is preferred when picking a chicken for meat. They can be up to 12 pounds in 6-8 weeks. The Jersey Giant weigh up to 13 pounds, but they are slow growers who need a lot of food.
Bresse is a white chicken that is a fairly large chicken breed. With their bright blue feet, it's not hard to see this bird. They are expensive and popular. They can get up to 7 pounds. Orpington is the last meat chicken I’ll cover. They average 8 pounds and have tender meat.
Dual Purpose
The three best dual-purpose chickens include Black Australorp, its friendly, a great egg layer, and a great mother. They are protective of the flock. Speckled Sussex, which is beautiful and nice, protective as well.
Rhode Island red, great layer and meat, they get up to 8 pounds. There are many resources to find the best meat birds online, so you can pick your favorite chicken to raise and eat.
Exhibition/ Show Poultry
The poultry show is a small piece of a livestock show, which involves an exhibition and competition of the chickens. Chickens are trained for these shows and they are cleaned very well and given manicures too. The chicken breeders are highlighted at the shows as well. It’s a display of beautiful birds.
Related Article - Poultry Farming Guide and Information
Bantam
What are Bantam chicken breeds? They are a little smaller than other birds and they’re great for small backyards. They are very adorable birds.
They are little versions of Brahma chicken. They lay eggs as well, but they do not produce that many eggs per year. They don’t eat much though and their eggs are smaller, but they still taste the same.
Now that you know more about breeds of chickens, I’ll provide a list of the breeds of chickens that we have.
The A-Z of Chicken Breeds - Choosing the Perfect One
Ameraucana
Egg Laying:Excellent (5/wk)Egg Color:Light BluePrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Broody
COMING SOON
American Game
Egg Laying:Fair (2/wk)Egg Color:Whitish/CreamPrimary use:OrnamentalCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Hardy
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Ancona
Egg Laying:Excellent (5/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Active
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Andalusian
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:NoTemperament:Active, Gentle
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Appenzeller Spitzhauben
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:Yes (in winter)Temperament:Forager
COMING SOON
Araucana
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:BluePrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Flighty
COMING SOON
Asil (Aseel)
Egg Laying:Poor (1/wk)Egg Color:Cream or TintedPrimary use:OrnamentalCold Hardy:Yes (in winter)Temperament:Aggressive
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Australorp
Egg Laying:Excellent (5/wk)Egg Color:BrownPrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Hardy, Docile
COMING SOON
Ayam Cemani
Egg Laying:Fair (2/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:OrnamentalCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Flighty
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Double-Laced Barnevelder
Barnevelder
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:Light brownPrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Friendly, Active, Quiet, Lively
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Braekel
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Active
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Brahma
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:BrownPrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:FriendlyTemperament:Yes
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Buckeye
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:BrownPrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Peaceful
COMING SOON
California Gray
Egg Laying:Excellent (5/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Quiet
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California White
Egg Laying:Excellent (5/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Quiet
COMING SOON
Campine
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Active
COMING SOON
Catalana
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:Pinkish CreamPrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Active
COMING SOON
Chantecler
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:BrownPrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Gentle
COMING SOON
Cochin
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:BrownPrimary use:OrnamentalCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Friendly, Calm, Quiet
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Cornish
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:BrownPrimary use:MeatCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Aggressive
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Cubalaya
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:Light brownPrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:Yes (in winter)Temperament:Forager
COMING SOON
Derbyshire Redcap
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Hardy
COMING SOON
Dominique
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:BrownPrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Forager, Calm, Personable, Hardy
COMING SOON
Dorking
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Calm, Docile
COMING SOON
Dutch Bantam
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:Light BrownPrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:NoTemperament:Friendly, Flighty
COMING SOON
Easter Egger
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:Green/Blue/Pink/MultiPrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Peaceful
COMING SOON
Faverolles
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:Light brown, PinkishPrimary use:OrnamentalCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Gentle, Docile
COMING SOON
Fayoumi
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:Off-white, TintedPrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:NoTemperament:Flighty
COMING SOON
Hamburg
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Docile
COMING SOON
Holland
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Calm
COMING SOON
Houdan
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:NoTemperament:Sweet, Easily handled
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Iowa Blue
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:BrownPrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:-Temperament:Skittish
COMING SOON
Ixworth
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:TintedPrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:-Temperament:Alert, Active
COMING SOON
Jangmigye
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:Light BrownPrimary use:OrnamentalCold Hardy:-Temperament:Friendly, calm
COMING SOON
Japanese Bantam
Egg Laying:Fair (2/wk)Egg Color:Cream or tintedPrimary use:Exhibition /OrnamentalCold Hardy:NoTemperament:Hardy, Bit flighty
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Java Chicken
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:Cream or tintedPrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Hardy, Docile
COMING SOON
Jersey Giant
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:BrownPrimary use:MeatCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Calm, Docile
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Kuroiler
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:BrownPrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:-Temperament:Friendly, Feed Continuously, Good Foragers
COMING SOON
Lakenvelder
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:Tinted, WhitePrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:NoTemperament:Active, Quick
COMING SOON
Lamona
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:MeatCold Hardy:-Temperament:Friendly, Docile
COMING SOON
Legbar
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:Light BluePrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Forager
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Leghorn
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:NoTemperament:Nervous, Flighty
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Malay
Egg Laying:Fair (2/wk)Egg Color:Light-brownPrimary use:MeatCold Hardy:-Temperament:Aggressive
COMING SOON
Marans
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:Dark brownPrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Quiet, Docile
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Marsh Daisy
Egg Laying:Good (3/wk)Egg Color:TintedPrimary use:EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Calm, Active
COMING SOON
Minorca
Egg Laying:Very Good (4/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:OrnamentalCold Hardy:NoTemperament:Noisy, Flighty
COMING SOON
Modern Game
Egg Laying:Poor (1/wk)Egg Color:WhitePrimary use:OrnamentalCold Hardy:NoTemperament:Curious, Friendly
COMING SOON
Naked Neck
Egg Laying:Fair (2/wk)Egg Color:Light brownPrimary use:Meat/EggsCold Hardy:YesTemperament:Cold hardy
COMING SOON
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