With all the numerous, many wonderful chicken breeds on the market, it may be laborious to know the place to start out in selecting your first one. On this article, you’ll find out about 5 of one of the best hen breeds for yard flocks, and likewise get some useful tips about realizing which one is best for you.
Rhode Island Purple
The Rhode Island Purple is considered one of—if not probably the most—iconic and in style chickens on the planet, and there are a lot of causes for his or her dominance. Sensible homesteaders are interested in their versatility as a dual-purpose fowl and regular egg manufacturing—a heritage Purple will lay about 200 eggs a yr, whereas a extra fashionable manufacturing pressure will common nearer to 300 giant brown eggs at their peak.
Extra romantic hen keepers love the Purple for his or her brilliant crimson feathers and daring, brassy personalities. These hens could be pushy and even aggressive with different hens, however they’re typically docile and pleasant with their people. Rhode Island Reds, particularly heritage (learn: older) strains of the breed, are additionally famous for his or her longer intervals of egg productiveness.
The Rhode Island Purple was first bred within the 1850s and originated in Massachusetts and, in fact, their namesake Rhode Island. Due to their New England origins and supposed objective as a homesteader, they’re very hardy and comparatively low-maintenance birds.
Delaware
The Delaware is a helpful, dual-purpose heritage hen breed that’s really on the verge of extinction, however that is extra of a commentary on how industrial hen farming has developed and formed the wants of farmers, than on the fowl itself, which is an excellent homesteader.
Though they’re now thought of a dual-purpose fowl, within the Forties and ‘50s, the Delaware was the dominant broiler within the American hen trade. They had been phased out within the late ‘50s and ‘60s as newer, bigger, faster-growing breeds had been launched, and their in style decline was so dramatic that the breed remains endangered 60 years later.
Nevertheless, the very issues that led to their decline as an industrial broiler hen are the identical traits that suggest them to fashionable yard hen keepers. Along with their scrumptious meat, the Delaware lays as much as 300 giant brown eggs a yr. What was a waste of vitality of their industrial broiler days has made them doubly helpful to have in a small flock.
Plymouth Rock
The very first thing to say in regards to the Plymouth Rock is their hanging and distinctive look, particularly the black-and-white striped feathers that gave the breed its authentic title, the Barred Plymouth Rock or Barred Rock. Whereas different colours have since been bred into the breed, this barred look continues to be probably the most iconic and sought-after colour for the breed, and a few will argue the one true illustration of a correct Plymouth Rock.
Colours apart, the Plymouth Rock is a supremely helpful fowl—so helpful, the truth is, that it was the most well-liked breed in American historical past till the tip of World Battle II. As this reputation would recommend, the Plymouth Rock is a hardy, low-maintenance fowl. They lay about 250 giant brown eggs yearly, however are maybe much more notable for the massive portions of tasty meat that when made them a preferred industrial broiler.
Better of all for household farmers and yard homesteaders, Plymouth Rocks are comparatively mild, docile birds that might be simple for brand spanking new keepers to start out with, and nice with children.
Extra on Yard Chickens
Wyandotte
The Wyandotte may be probably the most versatile hen breed there may be. Small flock keepers like them for his or her dependable egg manufacturing—between 200-250 giant brown eggs a yr. They’re additionally famous nearly as good broilers, and so they’ll actually produce a whole lot of meat. Due to the Brahma affect within the breed’s background, a Wyandotte hen can attain seven kilos, and the roosters can develop to as much as 9 kilos.
Due to their featherless legs and comparatively dense, shut physique feathering, the Wyandotte is hardy in all kinds of climates, even chilly ones, and can also be much less more likely to have issues with mites and frostbite than different birds with flashier feathers.
The precise genetic origins of the Wyandotte are unclear, though we all know it was developed in the US within the 1870s. We additionally know that a whole lot of completely different breeds had been launched into the Wyandotte bloodline through the years as a result of they arrive in a really beautiful array of colours. The American Standard of Perfection acknowledges 9 commonplace Wyandotte colours, however the equal European group lists 30.
Essentially the most iconic is the unique colour, now referred to as silver laced, which options white feathers with a pointy black edge; the same gold laced Wyandotte has crimson and black coloring. These distinctive colorings have helped make the Wyandotte extremely in style as a present fowl, particularly in Germany.
Australorp
If what you’re in search of is uncooked egg-producing energy, then we’ve positively saved one of the best for final. The Australorp as soon as held the world file for many eggs laid in a single yr, with one enterprising hen within the fowl’s native Australia laying 364 in a single yr within the Nineteen Twenties. That file has since been topped by extra productive fashionable hybrids, however the Australorp’s historic dominance stays a key a part of their enchantment.
For one factor, although much less productive in sheer numbers than their descendants, a wholesome Australorp will lay for longer than a contemporary hybrid breed. Moreover, as a result of they had been bred for small farms within the early days of white Australian settlement, they’re good broilers as properly; in addition they rise up properly in nearly any local weather you set them in. Plus, their pleasant, mild nature makes them simple to fall in love with as a household pet.
Methods to Select Your Chickens
Selecting your first hen breed is a bit like selecting a marriage costume or a brand new automotive. It’s simple to let your head get turned by flashy colours, distinctive histories, or sky-high egg manufacturing numbers, however that doesn’t imply that you simply’ve discovered the precise hen. Nevertheless, with time and cautious considered what you really need, you could be sure that you simply’ve chosen precisely the precise one.
When selecting the breed of your first flock, crucial issues to bear in mind are what you want and need in a flock. If you wish to make your first shortlist by writing down each fowl you fell in love with whereas looking, that’s a very good begin, however then slim it down by contemplating:
- what local weather the birds will thrive in,
- how simple they’re to deal with for the extent of expertise you have got, or you probably have youngsters,
- how inclined they’re to sure ailments and well being issues,
- what number of eggs your loved ones or enterprise will really want, and
- whether or not or not you need to reap meat in addition to eggs.
You may additionally be restricted by worth and native availability; even basic breeds just like the Delaware could be laborious to come back by lately.
Most of all, do not forget that selecting one breed now doesn’t imply you’re married to that breed all the time. You may change or increase your flock as you be taught extra about preserving chickens and what you need from and in your flock.
