Not all chickens are the same, and not all eggs are white or brown. In order to create an ideal environment for your birds, you need to understand which breed you have. There are dozens of different options, but some are more popular than others.
1. Leghorns
Leghorns are white birds, and can lay an egg almost every day. The eggs are large and extra large. Leghorns are also known as “Duel Purpose” chickens. This means when the egg production declines, they can be used for meat as well.
2. Rhode Island Reds
This breed of chicken is good for almost any climate. They are a good breed for beginners, not being terribly feisty birds. They lay a good amount of eggs, and those eggs are usually medium in size, and brown.
3. Ameraucana
This breed of chicken is known as “Easter Egger” due to their eggs having some variation in color. They can be green, cream, blue, or a mix of the three. The eggs are medium in size, and the birds are non-aggressive.
4. Barred Rock
Also known as “Plymouth Rock” chickens, this birds lay one egg every two days. They need lots of space, so they’re not good for small back yards. These birds lay small to medium size eggs.
5. Blackstar
Blackstar birds are hybrids of Barred Rock and Rhode Island Red. As with most hybrid breeds, this bird combines the best of both. They have a solid egg production rate, and they produce large brown eggs. They begin around 5 months of age.
6. Sussex
The breed produces an egg every day or two. They come in either brown, cream, or white. The best thing about this breed is that they can be released into your garden and won’t tear up the plants.
7. Barnevelder
Produces a good amount of eggs, and comes from a hybrid of Duch Landrace and Asian Jungle Fowl.
8. Maran
These chickens don’t produce as any eggs as others, but still produce around 200 eggs a year. They look similar to Barred Rock hens. They are gentle, but not good for pets. They’re not easily tamed.
9. Buff Orpington
They come from Kent, England. They produce one egg every three days. They’re not the most efficient egg producers. However, they can be trained to eat seed from your hand. It may be a good exchange to have for a family pet. .
10. Australorp
The australorp breed combines the friendliness of Buff Orpington and the egg production of other breeds. They will give 250 eggs annually. However, they don’t play well with others. If you leave them with other breeds, they will attack the birds, and eat the eggs.
