Chicken Breed Chart to Help Choose Your Chicken

Bird Brooding/Best
Size Coop
Egg
Recommendation
Chicken Color Cold Egg
Picture Behavior
Breed lb. and Hardy Laying
Size

occasional
brooder
well adaptable
to confinement Best coop:
Ameraucana 4-5 blue yes or free range; good
mostly calm,
non-aggressive GGC Chic Mobile
for 8-12 birds

non-setter
prefers free
range; nervous Best Ccoop:
& restless in
confinement;
Ancona 4-6 white yes flyer; active, Large Wood Excellent
flighty, marked Backyard Chicken
wildness, Coop Poultry Hen
avoids human House with
contact Outdoor Run

mostly a non-
setter
semi-adaptable
to confinement, Best Coop:
but prefers free
Andalusian 5.5-7 white no range; active, Large Wood good
flighty, noisy, Backyard Chicken
avoids human Coop Poultry Hen
contact House with
Outdoor Run

can be broody

early maturing
not very
tolerant of close
Appenzeller white no confinement; Best Coop: good
flyer; active,
flighty
Walk in chicken
coop for 6 to 8
 Bird Brooding/Best
Size Coop
Egg
Recommendation
Chicken Color Cold Egg
Picture Behavior
Breed lb. and Hardy Laying
Size

good, or frequent,
brooder
well adaptable
to confinement Best Coop:
Araucana blue yes or free range; good
calm, non-
aggressive EZ-fit 3 x 4
Chicken Coop

bears
confinement
better than
most other
game breeds; occasioal brooder
extremely fierce
5- & pugnacious,
but docile & Best Coop:
Aseel cream yes easily handled excellent
5 3/4
when away from Walk in chicken
other cocks; coop for 6 to 8
because of
aggressiveness,
not
recommended
for a mixed
flock

mixed brooding
well adaptable
to confinement Best Coop:
Australorp or
or free range;
Black 6.5-8.5 brown yes good
calm, docile;
Australorp Walk in chicken
more easily
handled coop for 6 to 8

mixed brooding

Best Coop:
well adaptable
dark to confinement 67" Farmhouse
Barnevelder excellent
brown or free range; Wooden Chicken
calm, docile Coop with Display
Top, Run Area
and Nesting Box
 Bird Brooding/Best
Size Coop
Egg
Recommendation
Chicken Color Cold Egg
Picture Behavior
Breed lb. and Hardy Laying
Size

broody

Belgian Best Coop:

D'Anver, or active, flyer;
Antwerp hens calm, Large Wood
white no fair
Belgian, cocks can be Backyard Chicken
Barbu aggressive Coop Poultry Hen
d'Anvers House with
Outdoor Run

broody

adaptable to Best Coop:

confinement or
free range; 67" Farmhouse
Brahma 9.5-12 brown yes good
mostly gentle; Wooden Chicken
more easily Coop with Display
handled. Top, Run Area
and Nesting Box

broody
adaptable to
confinement, Best Coop:
very adaptable
to free range; 67" Farmhouse
Buckeye 6.5-9 brown yes good
calm, docile; Wooden Chicken
can be curious; Coop with Display
more easily Top, Run Area
handled. and Nesting Box

good, or frequent,
brooder
Buff white adaptable to
Sablepoot/ or Best Coop:
confinement or
tinted free range;
in yes Excellent
Botted mostly gentle; 144" Large
Bantam color more easily Backyard Hen
handled. House Chicken
Coop w/ Long Run
 Bird Brooding/Best
Size Coop
Egg
Recommendation
Chicken Color Cold Egg
Picture Behavior
Breed lb. and Hardy Laying
Size

economical
eater; semi- non setter
adaptable to
confinement, Best Coop:
but prefers free
range; flyer;
Campine 4-6 white no 144" Large good
alert, lively; can
be curious; Backyard Hen
some are rather House Chicken
wild, others can Coop w/ Long Run
be quite tolerant
of humans

non setter
less tolerant of
close Best Coop:
confinement;
Catalana 6-8 white no active, 144" Large good
vigorous, Backyard Hen
avoids human House Chicken
contact Coop w/ Long Run

broody
bears
confinement
well; calm, Best Coop:
Chantecler 6.5-8.5 brown yes docile, although excellent
there are Amish Chicken
reports of Mansion for 12-18
skittishness.

non setter
suited for close
(and dry) Best Coop:
Crevecoeur white no confinement; good
active; can be Amish Chicken
aggressive Mansion for 12-18
 Bird Brooding/Best
Size Coop
Egg
Recommendation
Chicken Color Cold Egg
Picture Behavior
Breed lb. and Hardy Laying
Size

broody

well adaptable Best Coop:

to confinement
Delaware 6.5-8.5 brown yes excellent
or free range;
calm, docile Amish Chicken
Mansion for 12-18

broody

well adaptable Best Coop:

to confinement
or free range;
Dominique 67" Farmhouse
5-7 brown yes calm mostly, good
or Dominiker Wooden Chicken
but more flighty
than other dual Coop with Display
purpose breeds Top, Run Area
and Nesting Box

very broody
adaptable to
confinement or Best Coop:
free range;
calm; docile;
Dorking 7-9 white yes stately or 67" Farmhouse poor
awkward; Wooden Chicken
fattens easily; Coop with Display
more easily Top, Run Area
handled and Nesting Box

occasional
bears brooding
confinement
well; alert; Best Coop:
calm; very
docile; genteel;
Faverolles 6.5-8 cream yes Large Wood good
prone to
bullying by Backyard Chicken
others, so may Coop Poultry Hen
not do well in a House with
mixed flock Outdoor Run
 Bird Brooding/Best
Size Coop
Egg
Recommendation
Chicken Color Cold Egg
Picture Behavior
Breed lb. and Hardy Laying
Size

broody

Best Coop:
well adaptable
Holland or to confinement
American 6.5-8.5 white yes or free range; Large Wood good
Holland calm, good Backyard Chicken
tempered Coop Poultry Hen
House with
Outdoor Run

non setter

Best Coop:
Jaerhon or adaptable to
Norwegian confinement,
Jaerhon or white yes but prefers free Large Wood excellent
Norske range; active, Backyard Chicken
Jærhøne flighty Coop Poultry Hen
House with
Outdoor Run

broody

well adaptable Best Coop:

to confinement
Java 7.5-9.5 brown yes good
or free range; Chicken Coop
calm Poultry Hen House
w/Run - Green

occassional
brooder
because of size,
not an
Best Coop:
economical
eater; adaptable
Jersey Giant 10-13 brown yes to confinement Chicken Coop excellent
or free range; Poultry Hen House
calm, gentle, w/Run - Green
more easily
handled.
 Bird Brooding/Best
Size Coop
Egg
Recommendation
Chicken Color Cold Egg
Picture Behavior
Breed lb. and Hardy Laying
Size

non setter
well adaptable
to confinement Best Coop:
or free range;
La Fleche 6.5-8 white yes excellent
active, flighty, Chicken Coop
avoids human Poultry Hen House
contact w/Run - Green

occasional
brooder
well adaptable
to confinement Best Coop:
or free range;
active for their
Langshan 7.5-9.5 brown yes Large Wood good
size; graceful;
not as calm or Backyard Chicken
docile as other Coop Poultry Hen
large breeds House with
Outdoor Run

economical non setter

eater; better
adaptable to
confinement Best Coop:
then some
Mediterranean; Large Wood
Leghorn 4.5-6 white no excellent
enjoys free Backyard Chicken
range; flyer; Coop Poultry Hen
flighty; spritely, House with
noisy, nervous, Outdoor Run
usually avoids
human contact.

needs to be
active;
intolerant of
close broody
confinement;
among the most Best Coop:
aggressive, but
more placid
Malay 7-9 brown no 96" Wooden good
than most game
birds; because Backyard Hen
of House Chicken
aggressiveness, Coop Tractor
not
recommended
for a mixed
flock
 Bird Brooding/Best
Size Coop
Egg
Recommendation
Chicken Color Cold Egg
Picture Behavior
Breed lb. and Hardy Laying
Size

brooder

Best Coop:
varies widely by
dark
Marans no individual and 96" Wooden excellent
brown
strain. Backyard Hen
House Chicken
Coop Tractor

non setter
adaptable to
confinement, Best Coop:
but prefers free
range;
Minorca 7.5-9 white no 96" Wooden excelent
restlessly
active, flighty, Backyard Hen
avoids human House Chicken
contact Coop Tractor

broody
well adaptable
Naked Neck
to confinement Best Coop:
or
light or free range;
Transylvanian yes excellent
brown active; calm,
Naked Neck Amish Chicken
docile; more
or Turken Mansion for 12-18
easily handled

occassional
well adaptable brooder
New to confinement
Hampshire or or free range; Best Coop:
light
New 6.5-8.5 yes calm; can be excellent
brown
Hampshire docile or
Red aggressive; can Amish Chicken
be curious Mansion for 12-18
 Bird Brooding/Best
Size Coop
Egg
Recommendation
Chicken Color Cold Egg
Picture Behavior
Breed lb. and Hardy Laying
Size

frequent, brooder
adaptable to
free range; very
Best Coop:
adaptable to
Orpington 8-10 brown yes confinement; excellent
docile; more 144" Large
easily handled; Backyard Hen
can be bullied House Chicken
Coop w/ Long Run

broody

well adaptable Best Coop:

to confinement
Plymouth or free range;
7.5-9.5 brown yes 144" Large excellent
Rock calm, docile;
more easily Backyard Hen
handled House Chicken
Coop w/ Long Run

well adaptable non setter

to confinement
or free range; Best Coop:
active, calm &
fairly docile,
Rhode Island 6.5-8.5 brown yes 144" Large excellent
can be
aggressive Backyard Hen
(cocks are House Chicken
especially Coop w/ Long Run
notorious)

Spanish, adaptable to non setter

White-Faced confinement,
Black but prefers free Best Coop:
Spanish, white no range; flighty, excellent
Spanish haughty, noisy,
White Ear, or avoids human The Garden Coop
Clownface contact
 Bird Brooding/Best
Size Coop
Egg
Recommendation
Chicken Color Cold Egg
Picture Behavior
Breed lb. and Hardy Laying
Size

needs to be
active; broody
intolerant of
close Best Coop:
confinement;
pugnacious;
Sumatra white no 96" Wooden good
because of
aggressiveness, Backyard Hen
not House Chicken
recommended Coop Tractor
for a mixed
flock

broody
well adaptable
to confinement Best Coop:
or free range;
light
Sussex 7-9 yes calm; gentle; 96" Wooden good
brown
active; can be Backyard Hen
curious; more House Chicken
easily handled Coop Tractor

mixed broody

well adaptable Best Coop:

to confinement
Welsumer or dark or free range;
yes 96" Wooden excellent
Welsummer brown lively, but more
docile than Backyard Hen
flighty. House Chicken
Coop Tractor

occasional
brooder

Best Coop: excellet

well adaptable
to confinement
Wyandotte 6.5-8.5 brown yes
or free range; 96" Wooden
calm. Backyard Hen
House Chicken
Coop Tractor