Top Ten Chicken Breeds for Starting a Backyard Flock

Spring is on the horizon, and with it comes a blast of bright fresh hope that stirs an awakening in all of us. What you will do with these feelings of resurgence are of course up to you, but what better time to finally start your own backyard chicken flock! Our next series of posts will be aimed at starting a backyard flock, or expanding your current flock.

The benefits are as plentiful as springtime rosebuds: tasty fresh eggs, the joy of watching your funny little backyard companions, and the satisfaction of knowing exactly where your food is coming from, to name a few. But the task can seem daunting if you don't know where to begin. We're here to settle the old "What came first?" debate to tell you as a beginner, start with the chickens before the eggs. Or at least chicks.

Very soon, stores around the country will begin selling cute fuzzy chicks, and while they are all adorable, not every breed is perfect for a backyard flock. Of course not everyone is looking for the same things out of their backyard flock, so read the reasons behind our list before making your final judgments.

Top 10 Breeds for Backyard Chicken Flocks:

1. Rhode Island Red - Perhaps the standard bearer for backyard flocks, the Rhode Island Red is very popular for good reasons. Year round layers, these dual-purpose birds provide great egg production as well as enough mass to be good table fare. Hardy and easy to care for, they don't require a ton of space, though they are generally not as outgoing as others on this list. Reds will be happier when allowed to forage on occasion. On average you can expect around 275 brown eggs per year.
   
2. Buff Orpington - Very friendly and soft, this breed makes a great pet while still offering solid egg production of 200 light brown eggs per year. They are inclined to get broody (prone to wanting to nest), thus the lower egg production than some of the other breeds mentioned.  
3. Wyandotte -  A great dual-purpose bird, the Wyandotte will lay around 250 brown/tan eggs per year, and also makes a good meat source. Thick feathers make them hardy enough for cold weather environments, but they do require more maintenance to keep clean for the same reason. 
4. Australorp - Hardy and docile, these popular dual-purpose birds will lay around 250 brown eggs per year. These birds do like to free range for bugs so they need a little space, or at the very least a grassy run attached to their coop.
   
5. Plymouth Rock - Another easy to care for, dual purpose breed. Laying about 200 big brown eggs per year, these birds are extremely friendly, but do best when offered free range over a backyard.
6. New Hampshire Red - One can argue they are better overall choice than their brethren from Rhode Island, because this breed tends to be friendlier while offering similar egg production, great overall heartiness, and are easy to care for. However, they are not as common to find, and they can be aggressive to other chickens, so be careful introducing other birds to the flock.
7. Sussex - Originally considered a meat bird, the Sussex lays about 200 tinted colored eggs per year, making it a solid dual purpose breed for backyard flocks.
8. Leghorn - Not a great pet, but excellent egg layers offering upwards of 300 white eggs per year. More skittish than other breeds.
9. Ameraucana - Known for colorful eggs that tend to be blue, but can come in ranges from white, to pink, to green. Friendly enough breed that works great as a pet or egg layer, but they are not great for meat production. Expect around 260 colorful eggs per year. 
10. Hybrids - There are many hybrid strains available today, so it is hard to place them on this list, but we would be amiss not to mention them in here because many make ideal choices for backyard flocks. Not technically pure breeds, this group of chickens are usually cheaper to buy and are early, hearty egg layers, but production may decline after the first year. Also the overall life expectancy is often shorter. We suggest additional research into the particular strain you are considering to learn about its unique qualities and concerns.

Truthfully you can't go wrong with any of these reputable choices. Nutrition, care, and breeding are always factors in the health and production of any flock. Buy your stock from reputable breeders and you will enjoy all of the attributes a backyard flock brings to your life.