Breeds of Chickens - what will work with your family, lifestyle and climate

When we started our research into chickens, we looked for certain breeds that would do well in our climate, are family (kid) friendly, and who produce good eggs. (Ironically, me and my two girls are allergic to eggs!)

We went to our local Runnings to check out the different breeds they carry. They probably had about 15 different breeds, but could also special order anything we wanted. We could also purchase online, but I was a little hesitant to order something alive and have it shipped. The poor baby chicks! 

We started our flock with Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, Buff Orpingtons, and Black Sex Links.

Rhode Island Reds: good for beginners, cold-hardy, dual purpose (meat + egg laying). We started with 3 of these guys and adopted 12 last year. So we have a bunch of these girls. 

Barred Rocks: these are also good for beginners, cold-hardy, dual purpose and friendly! We started out with 3, and then I think I lost 2 along the way. 

Buff Orpingtons: same as above - and these are big chickens! Again, we started out with more than 1 of these guys, but I lost one to a fox that fateful night 2 years ago. I watched a fox take away one of these guys. It was horrible. We've only got Buffy left! She's an interesting bird. For the longest time, she would not leave the coop. She'd hang out in the hen house, or chill in the covered coop, but refused to go outside. Not sure why! As of late last fall/early winter, she finally decided to head outside and enjoy nature with the other birds. 

Black Sex Links: we had 3, but only Hei-Hei is left. Sex linked chickens are hybrids - a cross between two standard breeds (in our case, likely a Rhode Island red rooster and a Barred rock hen). These guys are super hardy and good foragers. Hei-Hei is super social and has been since she was a chick. She was the first and only chick to be SUPER interested in us whenever we interacted with them. She jumped on our hands and will eat out of our hands now. She likes to be picked up and petted! I never knew chickens could have personalities, or that I'd ever love a chicken. 

This was our initial flock. Year two we tried different breeds - we welcomed Brahmas, Silver-laced wyandotte (sadly, they liked to leave the safety of our fenced in area and were likely taken/eaten by a fox) and New Jersey Giants to our flock. 

Brahmas: we have a rooster and a hen. They are both big. The rooster is huge. He's much bigger than Abu. They are generally friendly, docile and calm birds. We've had no issues with aggression. 

Silverlaced Wyandotte: these guys are gorgeous. Absolutely stunning. We had 3 and lost them all to the damn fox (we think). These birds liked to leave the fenced area and we found lots of feathers. 

New Jersey Giants: Amongst the heaviest of all birds. My rooster is HUGE! He does not seem to be a jerk, either. They are known as docile and gentle birds, who are kid-friendly. 

I'm hoping to add some silkies to our flock this year. They are the long-haired kinds. They look hilarious. 

There's also a breed of chicken that has super long legs and looks like they are on stilts. I would love a couple of those guys! 

I would also like the very "traditional" Leghorn. Think of Looney Toons' Foghorn Leghorn character. They look similar to my New Jersey Giant, but I read that they are "nervous and flighty" so perhaps they are not a good breed for our farm. 

Here is a good link that lists the breeds and if they are a good fit for your family. Just like with any other pet you bring into your home, it's YOUR responsibility to make sure it will fit into your family. We have never brought a pet into our home and then rehomed it. We research and then we commit. Once the pet is ours, it's ours and we do our best to give it the best home.