5 Best Chicken Breeds for Your Backyard Chicken Coop

Customers are always asking which chicken breeds we recommend to raise in our chicken coops.  Below, you'll find our 5 favorite chicken breeds for you to consider before buying a chicken coop.

1 • Rhode Island Red Chickens

Rhode Island Red's are the official state bird of Rhode Island. Once a very popular chicken breed in the US, they declined when small farms declined, but are now making a resurgence. The hens are a great layer of extra large, brown eggs and healthy hens average up to 5 - eggs per week. They have a good, gentle disposition and are a good looking chicken. A hardy chicken, these birds do very well in cold weather as well. Their feathers tend to be a rust-color, but some birds can have a darker shade, including maroon almost to a black color. Rhode Island Red's eyes are a red-orange color. They have yellow feet, with reddish-brown beaks. Rhode Island Red Roosters have an average weight of about 8.5 pounds, the Hens average 6.5 pounds.

2 • Buff Orpington Chickens

An English breed of Chicken, the Buff Orpington hen is a fat, golden-feathered chicken, weighing on average, 7.9 lbs to 10.6 lbs. Buff Orpington's are excellent layers of medium to large brown eggs, laying as many as 200 per year or more. a Very docile disposition, the Buff Orpington is calm and friendly. They're a hardy bird and do very well in cold weather.

3 • Barred Rock Chickens

Originating in the United States, the Barred Rock Chicken is also known as Plymouth Rocks or just Rocks. A hardy, cold weather bird, this chicken is perfect for small farms or backyard coop owners. The Barred Rock has an interesting black and white pattern on its feathers with a bright red face and comb. An excellent layer of large eggs which can vary in color from light to medium brown. Barred Rocks can have a gentle and docile disposition, but can be bossy amongst other chicken breeds. Roosters can weigh approximately 9.5 lbs, while hens usually weigh in around 7.5 lbs.

4 • Ameraucana Chickens

Uncertain of its origin, the Ameraucana is believed to have been first bred in the United States. Available in both large and bantam (small) varieties, the large Ameraucana roosters weighing approximately 6.5 lbs while the hens weigh about 5.5 lbs and the bantam Ameraucana roosters can weigh 1.9 lbs while the hen weighs about 1.65 lbs. Exceptional layer of medium sized, blue color eggs, one of only a few chicken breeds to lay blue eggs. Generally, Ameraucana Chickens have a friendly disposition and do well in free range or confined environments. Fuzzy faces without a comb, these chickens come in different colors including tan and black.

5 • White Leghorn Chickens

Made famous by the Loony Tunes character Foghorn Leghorn, the White Leghorn chickens originated in Tuscany, Italy. White Leghorns are a curious chicken breed with a calm and friendly disposition, but can be nervous and flighty at times. They are prolific layers of white eggs. Leghorn Roosters can weigh approximately 6.0 lbs while the hens weigh in around 5 lbs. White Leghorns are full bodied with white feathers and a red comb. They're hardy chickens and do well in cold weather.

We hope this list of chicken breeds will help in your decision making process.  If you have any questions about chicken breeds or our chicken coops, please do not hesitate to ask.