The Best Chicken Breeds for Laying Hens and Good Egg Layers

An information guide on the best chicken breeds available for laying chickens and laying hens that will make good egg layers with images for your homestead and backyard.

TWO MAIN TYPES OF CHICKENS: Hybrids and Pure-Breds

There are so many types of laying chickens out there that it is understandably overwhelming when you first set out to get some backyard chickens as egg layers. However, they can be broken down into 2 simple types:

1) Hybrid Chickens - The majority of commercial birds are of hybrid stock. These being a cross between a number of different chicken breeds. They are hardy and less susceptible to diseases.

2) Pure Breeds - Many of these are of old heritage chickens are bred down through generations. They are ideal if you are going to exhibit your birds. Also ideal if you want to ensure the future of pure bred birds that have been bred for certain qualities that you will enjoy, whether it be for egg-laying or for meat production.

There is another type of chicken - Bantam Chickens which are in a class on their own, and ideal to keep when you don't have a lot of space as they are much smaller than the ones mentioned above. However, besides true bantams, there are also many large breeds of chickens which have been bred to become bantam chickens in size.

Of these hybrid and pure bred chickens there are those that are good as egg layers, those that are good table birds for meat production, and those that are dual-purpose; good for both eggs and meat.

CHICKEN BREEDS: BEST EGG LAYERS

LEGHORN CHICKEN BREEDS

These are probably the best laying chickens around, besides the Rhode Island Breeds. They are prolific egg layers of white eggs. A small, spritely, noisy bird with great style, Leghorns like to move about. They are good foragers and can often glean much of their diet from ranging over fields and barnyards. Leghorns are capable of considerable flight and often roost in trees if given the opportunity. Leghorns lay more than 300 eggs a year.

Very flighty
Good foragers
Rarely Broody

AUSTRALORP CHICKEN BREEDS

An Autralian bird developed from the Orpington chicken. Black feathers with a green sheen. Can lay from as early as 5 months. Australorps lays about 300 eggs a year, so another good layer for chicken eggs.

Dual Purpose
Hardy
Good Choice for Novice Breeder

ORPINGTON CHICKEN BREEDS

Originally from England. This is a heavy set bird and because of its size is not flighty. They are lovely, docile chickens and therefore make excellent pets as well as a breed for the novice chicken keeper. Orpingtons lay 220 - 240 eggs a year, making it another good breed for egg layers.

Broody
Gentle
Ideal for the novice

LIGHT SUSSEX CHICKEN BREEDS

The Sussex is an attractive little bird and makes a good all-round farm fowl. It is a good layer of cream eggs. 260-280 eggs per year. So not a bad egg layer.

Best Dual Purpose Bird
Good Foragers
Tend to go Broody

RHODE ISLAND RED CHICKEN BREEDS

The Rhode Island Red Chickens are prolific egg layers of medium brown eggs. Relatively hardy, they are probably the best egg layers of the dual purpose breeds. Reds handle marginal diets and poor housing conditions better than other breeds and still continue to produce eggs. 200-250 eggs a year.

Dual Purpose Bird
Hardy
Good Choice for Novice Breeder

ANCONA CHICKEN BREEDS

Italian breed of chicken, originating from the town Ancona. Black with white-tipped feathers. Laying chickens of large white eggs; 220 - 240 a year,

Very flighty
Broody
Gentle

HAMBURG CHICKEN BREEDS

Orignally from Holland, despite its name. Active and flighty chickens that are considered good laying hens, laying 200 - 220 small white eggs every year. Several varieties including Silver Spangled Hamburgs, Golden Spangled Hamburgs, Gold Pencilled and Silver Pencilled.

Active
Very flighty and need wings clipped

HOUDAN CHICKEN BREEDS

A striking bird, originally from France. It has a crest, beard and muffs and has 5 toes. 200 - 220 eggs per year, so making these average laying hens.

Exhibition bird

MINORCA CHICKEN BREEDS

Orignally from Spain. This ancient chicken, known to the Romans lays about 220 - 240 large white eggs every year during productivity. So good laying hens. The most common color is black, but you get white, buff and blue minorca chickens too. Large combs and wattles. Developed for the production of very large chalk-white eggs, the Minorca is today principally an exhibition fowl.

Good Foragers
Alert
Rarely go Broody

ARACUNA CHICKEN BREEDS

The Araucana is a South American bird that is rumpless and a producer of medium-sized blue/green eggs. Lays 180-200 eggs a year. So good laying chickens and a good layer for those unusally colored eggs.

Araucana Chicken
Dual Purpose
Hardy
Good Choice for Novice Breeder

BARNVELDER CHICKEN BREEDS

A quiet and often lazy little bird that lays 180-200 light brown eggs a year. Originally from the town of Barnvelder in Holland, it is the most popular dual purpose chicken in this country. Good chicken for damp and cold, windy climates.

Good Dual Purpose Bird
Docile
Hardy

INDIAN GAME FOWL

Also known as Cornish chickens. Originally from Cornwall. Not good egg layers; 160 - 180 eggs a year. Kept for meat purposes as it has a well muscled body, but also needs substantial amounts of food.

Broody
Meat Chicken
Prone to mite infestations

PENEDESENCA CHICKEN BREEDS

The Penedesenca, once close to extinction in the 80s but now only semi-rare. The Penedesenca has white ear lobes but lays deep red-brown eggs with a sheen to them. 160-180 eggs a year.

Gentle if hand-raised
Black Penedesenca are Dual Purpose

PLYMOUTH ROCK

An American breed of chicken. Plymouth Rocks are a good general farm chicken. They are docile and easy to handle. They will normally will show broodiness and possess a long, broad back; a moderately deep, full breast and a single comb of moderate size. Because of their size they are not flighty. The best known type is a barred plymouth rock chicken breed, as shown below. The Plymouth rock chickens are average egg layers with 160-180 eggs a year.

Broody
Dual Purpose
Docile

WYANDOTTE CHICKEN BREEDS

An American breed of chicken. Wyandottes have a well-rounded body and their docile natures make them ideal backyard chickens. They lay 180 - 200 eggs a year, and are pretty birds to look at. There are a number of types such as black, white, silver laced, gold laced, buff, columbian and silver pencilled.

Docile
Good Choice for Novice Breeder

Pictures courtesy of http://www.ansi.okstate.edu

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