5 Best Chicken Breeds For Backyard Pets

Looking for a chicken breed that would make a great backyard pet? Check out these 5 Best Chicken Breeds for Backyard Pets.

The Buff Orpington is a great dual-purpose breed. They are known for their “fluffy” appearance as well as their gentle demeanor. Buff Orpingtons are a heavy breed, with good egg production, and are cold hardy. They are friendly, and affectionate, which makes them a great choice for children.

Breed Spotlight: Ayam Cemani

The Ayam Cemani chicken is a popular breed because it is completely black, inside and out.

Ameraucana or Easter Egger, What’s The Difference?

What’s the difference between an Ameraucana and Easter Egger chicken? A lot if you want to be certain you’ll get blue eggs from them.

Breed Spotlight: The Polish Chicken

The Polish chicken is a great breed for those interested in showing poultry. The Polish come in several colors and are friendly and active

Breed Spotlight: The Legbar

Consider adding a few Cream Legbar chickens to your flock if you want beautiful sky blue eggs. They are great foragers, active and chatty.

What Is a Bantam Chicken and Why Own Them?

Bantam chickens are smaller sized and perfect for small backyard flocks and children. Read more about benefits to bantam chickens.

Best Chicken Breeds For Foraging & Free Ranging

We’ve picked the best chicken breeds for foraging and free ranging on your homestead. Some breeds are even known for evading predators.

Another calm and hardy breed is the Golden Laced Wyandotte. Golden Laced Wyandottes are known for their golden feathers with black markings. The Golden Laced Wyandotte’s body is well rounded, and they have a tight rose comb, making them very cold hardy. Golden Laced Wyandottes are a heavy breed, and have a very good egg production rate.

Looking for an exciting breed, full of colors? Then the Easter Egger is for you. Easter Eggers can lay a variety of colored eggs including olive green, turquoise blue, and sometimes brown.  Easter Eggers are also known for their exciting feather colors as well. They are very docile breed, and are both cold and warm hardy. Easter Eggers are a small breed that are active and friendly.  Another great breed for children.

What Exactly Is An Easter Egger Chicken? | Meyer Hatchery Blog

What Exactly Is An Easter Egger Chicken?

Easter Eggers are a good layer of large-sized eggs, which are primarily green but can also sometimes be blue, brown, creamy white or even pink. They are quiet and gentle and do great with children. 

The Speckled Sussex is a breed known to be excellent foragers, and is a great idea for free-range options. They are a very cold hardy, heavy breed. The Speckled Sussex has a calm demeanor and is an excellent dual-purpose breed.  

The Barred Plymouth Rock is a classic breed, loved by many. Barred Rocks are very friendly, and do well in cold climates. They have a high egg production rate, and are a heavy breed.  Their docile personality and hardiness make them a great addition to your backyard flock.

Barred Plymouth Rock chicken - Meyer Hatchery blog

Breed Spotlight: Barred Plymouth Rock

The Plymouth Rock breed was first seen on American farms in the middle of the 19th century. The breed first appeared in Massachusetts in 1849, then disappeared for about 20 years, resurfacing in 1869. 

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