Chicken Breeds and their Differences

An important thing to consider when getting chickens is the breed of chicken. The first major differentiation is layer breeds, or chickens that produce eggs, and meat chickens, which are bred and raised for consumption. Each of these have several different breeds with their own benefits. By no means am I an expert on every breed but I would like to share what I have learned through my own research and experience on the layer variety.

Some layer breeds include Barred Rock, Easter Eggers, and Golden Comets. These breeds are all known for producing large eggs. Some breeds such as the Sussex chicken are dual purpose and are therefore good for egg production and for consumption. Some breeds produce more eggs than others. I based the amount and breed of chickens that I have based on a guess of how many might get sick or die of natural causes and how many would be roosters. Which in the end turned out perfect because of the 12 chickens I started out with, five ended up being roosters.

Some breeds are more docile than others as well. In my experience, Rhode Island Reds tend to be more aggressive than the Barred Rock breed. My Sussex hen isn't necessarily aggressive, but she is definitely more skittish than the other and more likely to defend any eggs she sits on. The Golden Comet hens are my most curious hens and don't mind if I reach under or around then when collecting eggs.

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Have Fun with It!

While I normally use this section to say how important it is to have fun trying a recipe or starting your flock, I also want to emphasize that these are, at the end of the day, animals that I have brought into my care and that any that you may get are too. This comes with responsibility, including providing healthy food, water, and shelter at the bare minimum. I suggest taking this into consideration when getting chickens.