Breeds of Chickens

For a comprehensive guide on raising chickens plus detailed plans for building your chicken coop, I strongly recommend that you take a look at:

Building A Chicken Coop

Typically, a breed’s physical traits distinguish it from other breeds of chickens, for example size, color of plumage, type of comb (style), color of skin, amount of toes, feathering, color of earlobes and eggs, as well as geographical origin.

In addition, chicken breeds are usually categorized based on their main use, whether for eggs, meat, or ornamental purposes; some can also be categorized as dual-purpose.

Click Here to Find Out More About Keeping Different Breeds of Chickens

All breeds of chickens lay eggs, have edible meat, and have a distinctive physical appearance common to their specific breed. Nevertheless, distinct breeds are usually as a result of selective breeding in order to emphasize certain characteristics. Any breed may technically be used for general agricultural purposes, and all breeds are shown to some extent. However each poultry breed is known for a primary use.

Chickens for Egg Production

Egg producing hens are normally light-weight and have a well balanced temperament.

Egg Producing Chicken Breeds

Breeds of Chickens for Meat Production

People who raise chickens for the meat alone prefer dual purpose breeds for meat production purposes. The following breeds are generally used.

Common Meat Producing Chicken Breeds

Bresse
Indian Game (or Cornish)
Ixworth

Dual-Purpose Chickens

The breeds of chickens typically found in farms and backyards worldwide are usually chickens that produce both meat and eggs. While some of these breeds are somewhat better for either egg or meat production, they are commonly referred to as dual-purpose breeds.

Common Dual-Purpose Breeds of Chickens

Chickens for Game, Exhibition and Show

For more than one hundred years, the breeding of chickens for competitive game, exhibition and show has significantly influenced the development of breeds of chickens. Several breeds have been cross-developed with other breeds in order to produce game, exhibition and show birds.

Game, Exhibition and Show Breeds

Chicken Raising Information You Need to Know About

In the course of flock breeding and management, it is necessary to pick up and handle chickens at various times. Correct catching and handling techniques for chickens can prevent both injury and discomfort not just to the birds but to the individuals handling them too.

How to Find out if the Chicken is a Layer

Simply by understanding the way to tell which hens are layers in your flock, you'll be able to segregate those that can be used as a meat source and save unnecessary expenses by removing non-layers and using them for cooking.

The simplest way to visually tell if a chicken is a layer or not is by checking the space between the pubic bones. If a hen is a good layer, there is usually a two-finger spread between the pubic bones; if the hen is a non-layer, the pubic bones tend to be rigid and close together.

Furthermore, the majority of good layers have yellow skin that shows signs of bleaching of pigment; yet, there could be instances of disease and abnormality in chickens where the skin color might exhibit faded pigment.

Distinguishing Chicken Breeds

The very first and most critical decision a producer or backyard chicken raiser should make is the selection of the particular breed that is ideal for his needs. Possessing a basic familiarity with chicken breeds makes it simpler to identify and recognize the traits of chickens for easier flock management.

Probably the most common resource for any kind of purebred chicken is to check if it is listed in the Standard of Perfection book. It lists breeds of chickens as well as varieties recognized by the American Poultry Association, although breeds of foreign origin might not be listed such as the Cornish Rock which is a crossbreed between the Cornish and White Rock breeds.

The most common characteristics of chickens which help identify their breed distinction are size, shape, color, feather pattern, and comb type.

For more detailed information on the various breeds of chicken....

Click Here to Visit Building A Chicken Coop Now

FREE 7 Part Mini-Course! In our highly informative course, you'll discover: How to Choose the Type of Coop You Require How to Keep Your Costs Down How To Build A Coop That Will Last How to Protect Your Chickens 7 Deadly Mistakes When Keeping Chickens at Home And much more...   NOTE: I HATE spam as much as you do. Your e-mail address will never be shared with any third parties for any reason.

 Site created using XSitePro