35 Chicken Breeds (and Egg Colors) That Are Perfect for Your Flock

Looking to add chickens to your farm or home? These are the most popular chicken breeds you can get.

35 Chicken Breeds (and Egg Colors) That Are Perfect for Your Flock

Chickens can be a great addition to any ranch, hobby farm or even your urban home where permitted. Aside from being a source of fresh eggs and meat, chickens are great at pest control. Plus, their feces can make an incredible nitrogen boost to your yard, garden or fields — so much so that some farmers put chicken tractors on their hay fields once they are cut. Chickens also aerate and till the soil as they scratch with their talons.

Overall, chickens are a positive addition to any home. When you’re ready to add some to your house, you may be surprised at the number of breeds of chickens. What kind should you get? Which chicken breeds lay blue eggs or brown eggs? Read on to learn about the 35 popular chicken breeds and their egg colors.

Cochin

Temperament: Friendly, good-natured

Weight: 8.5-11 pounds

Lifespan: 5-8 years

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: Cochin

Black cochin rooster — This is a black Cochin rooster.

The Cochin chicken is a great breed for any sized yard. They are friendly and are pretty to look at with their full feathers and leg tufts. They are fine in smaller areas and not big wonderers like some breeds, which makes them great for the backyard.

Cochin chickens are also special in that they tend to lay their eggs in winter and are not prolific layers, laying around 180 a year.

ISA Brown

Temperament: Gentle, docile

Weight: 5-6 pounds

Lifespan: 4 or more years

Egg Color: LightBrown

Bottom Line: ISA Brown

ISA Brown Chicken and Egg Color — The ISA Brown chicken lays light-brown eggs.

The ISA Brown chicken is a unique one because it’s not actually a breed. This hybrid chicken is a copyrighted brand name.

It was developed by a French company in the late 1870s to be the ultimate layer. And that she is — ISA hens lay up to 500 eggs a year!

Easter Eggers

Free Range Easter Egger Chicken Breed — Easter Egger chickens live 5-8 years.

Temperament: Exceptionally friendly, hardy

Weight: 4-5 pounds

Lifespan: 5-8 years

Egg Color: Blue to Green

Bottom Line: Easter Eggers

Petting an Easter Egger Chicken — Easter Eggers lay blue or green-colored eggs.

Easter Eggers are a popular chicken for home farming because they produce eggs in a range of colors, from pale to dark blue and green to pink-brown. They are also good for meat.

Cackle Hatchery does note that one out of 100 Easter Eggers are born with a beak misalignment that will get worse as the chicken gets older.

Barred Plymouth Rock

Chicken walking on green pasture — The Barred Plymouth Rock chicken gets along with other birds.

Temperament: Calm, gets along with other chickens

Weight: 7-10 pounds

Lifespan: 8-10 years

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: Barred Plymouth Rock

Free Ranging Chicken — The Barred Plymouth Rock lays brown eggs.

The Barred Plymouth Rock is a pretty chicken with black and white barred (spotted) feathers. They prefer free-range living and will lay up to 300 large eggs year-round.

If you’re thinking of getting into showing your chickens at the County Fair, the exhibition type is easy to handle according to Cackle Hatchery.

Barnevelder

Temperament: Friendly, good with children

Weight: 5-8 pounds

Lifespan: 7 or more years

Egg Color: DarkBrown

Bottom Line: Barnevelder

Double laced Barnevelder Rooster — The Barnevelder rooster is a beautiful bird.

In Australia, the Barnevelder is one of the most popular chickens, and it’s no surprise. Their docile temperament makes them especially good with children.

They are perfect for a hobby home. A dual-purpose breed, they are good for meat as well. They will lay dark-brown speckled eggs year-round.

Leghorn

Temperament: Very active, good flyer

Weight: 4-6 pounds

Lifespan: 5-8 years

Egg Color: White

Bottom Line: Leghorn

Leghorn chicken breed — The Leghorn is a very active chicken.

The Leghorn is a Heritage Breed listed under The Livestock Conservancy. They are very active and do better with some room to roam.

They are one of the main breeds used for commercial egg production, according The Livestock Conservancy. Hobby farmers like them for their hardiness, egg production and how easy their chicks are to raise.

Buff Orpington

Temperament: Great with children, likes attention

Weight: 7-8 pounds

Lifespan: 8 years

Egg Color: Light Brown

Bottom Line: Buff Orpington

Buff Hen and Chicks — Buff Orpington hens are attentive mothers.

If you want a larger chicken with a sweet temperament that lays a good amount (up to 280) of brown eggs yearly, look into the Buff Orpington.

They are known for their sweet nature, liking attention and being great with kids. They also make good meat birds, according to Murray McMurray Hatchery.

Australorp

Temperament: Shy but will warm up to someone with treats

Weight: 8-10 pounds

Lifespan: 8+ years

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: Australorp

Black australorp roosters and hens in the paddock — The Australorp is the favorite chicken in Australia.

A favorite chicken in Australia, the Australorp comes in beautiful bright white, black and blue colors, making them a nice addition to a flock.

They lay a bit less than other large chickens, up to 250 eggs.

Frizzle

Red hen in bluebonnets — The Frizzle doesn't get frazzled.

Temperament: Friendly, docile

Weight: 5-8 pounds

Lifespan: 6-8 years

Egg Color: White

Bottom Line: Frizzle

Frizzle Chicken Close-Up — The Frizzle has a unique look.

Let’s be honest, most of us who own chickens have a Frizzle or two purely because of how they look. These cute chickens look like someone gave them a perm.

Due to their crinkled feathers, they are unable to fly, making them great for backyards or free-ranging. They do not lay too many eggs, around 200 a year.

Naked Neck

Temperament: Calm, friendly

Weight: 5-7 years

Lifespan: Up to 12 years

Egg Color: Light Brown

Bottom Line: Naked Neck

Red haired hen with a bare neck — The Naked Neck chicken can help with pest control.

The Naked Neck chicken is sometimes referred to as a Turken because its featherless neck makes it look like a cross between a turkey and a chicken.

However, it's not a cross between the two; it's just a chicken with a unique look. They will be helpful with pest control, and if you are only looking for a small number of eggs a year, they lay around just 100.

Maran

Temperament: Quiet and friendly, easy to handle

Weight: 5-9 pounds

Lifespan: 7+ years

Egg Color: Dark Brown

Bottom Line: Maran

Maran chickens — Marans can live to be 7 years old and up.

The Maran chicken comes in a variety of subtypes that boost a range of colors, from the pitch-black French Black Marans to the colorful Cuckoos.

Owners of the Maran say they are easy to handle and produce beautiful, dark brown eggs at about 150 a year. According to Murray McMurray Hatchery, they are also a nice dual-purpose breed, often raised for meat as well.

Araucana

Temperament: Can be temperamental

Weight: 5-6 pounds

Lifespan: 8+ years

Egg Color: Blue

Bottom Line: Araucana

An Araucana blue egg laying hen — The Araucana chicken lays blue eggs.

Currently, The Livestock Conservancy is studying the Araucana, as it’s considered a rare breed of chicken that may be eligible to make their list of endangered heritage breeds.

Although hard to find, those that own them enjoy their bright blue eggs. They produce around 200 a year but not in winter. They require a correct upbringing to not be aggressive.

Rhode Island Red

Free Range Hens Feeding — Rhode Island Red chickens are easy to raise.

Temperament: Easy to raise, docile

Weight: 6-9 pounds

Lifespan: 5-8 years

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: Rhode Island Red

Hens on a Henhouse Ladder — The Rhode Island Red is the world's best-known chicken.

The classic red chicken, you may be surprised that the Rhode Island Red (non-industrial type) is also on The Livestock Conservancy list as a breed to “watch.”

According to the Conservancy, they are one of the world’s best-known chickens because they are not only excellent layers but also great for meat.

Brahma

Temperament: Friendly, active

Weight: 8+ pounds

Lifespan: 8+ years

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: Brahma

If you’re looking for a gentle giant of a chicken, the Brahma is for you! These large chickens are great at pest control and not just bugs! They will keep those mice and snakes away as well.

They make great pets, too — even the roosters are fairly calm — and come in a variety of colors. Brahmas lay around 150 eggs a year and are listed as "recovering" by The Livestock Conservancy.

Jersey Giant

Temperament: Gentle, friendly

Weight: 9-15 pounds

Lifespan: 8-12 years

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: Jersey Giant

The Jersey Giant chicken is another large chicken breed that is gentle and easy to raise. They will also help keep out those pesky mice and snakes, along with bugs.

The Jersey Giant is another breed that is on The Livestock Conservancy’s watch list. They can lay up to 200 eggs a year.

Silkie

Temperament: Friendly, calm

Weight: 2-4 pounds

Lifespan: 7-8 years

Egg Color: Cream

Bottom Line: Silkie

White Chinese Silkie Chicken Walking Outdooes — The Silkie chicken is a soft fluff ball.

If you wish your chickens could stay as fluffy balls of soft fluff, like they are when they are chicks, then the tiny Silkie is the chicken for you.

Like the Frizzle, many chicken owners have these purely for their looks and temperament. They are calm, friendly and easy to care for. They lay small eggs at about 100 a year.

Wyandotte

Hen Strutting Around Her Outdoor Coop — The Wyandotte chicken lays brown eggs.

Temperament: Friendly

Weight: 6-10 pounds

Lifespan: 5 or more years

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: Wyandotte

Wyandottes are another good-sized chicken with a nice temperament. They are easy to care for and are generally friendly.

They come in some beautiful colors and patterns — check out the newer Blue Laced Red Wyandotte for a really flashy bird! — so they add some nice interest to your flock. Wyandottes lay around 200 eggs a year.

Polish

Temperament: A bit nervous but calm once they get to know you

Weight: 4-7 pounds

Lifespan: 7-8 years

Egg Color: White

Bottom Line: Polish

Buff Laced Polish Chicken — Polish chickens lay white eggs.

The Polish chicken is another breed that is known for its unusual looks. The bred is defined by its fluffy crest of feathers on top of its head.

They come in many fancy colors, like the Silver Polish and the Golden Polish. They lay around 150 to 180 white eggs a year.

Belgian d’Uccle Bantam

Barbu d'Uccle — Belgian d’Uccle Bantam chickens are sweet and friendly.

Temperament: Sweet, friendly

Weight: No larger than 2 pounds

Lifespan: 8 years

Egg Color: Cream

Bottom Line: Belgian d’Uccle Bantam

The Belgian d’Uccle is a tiny breed of bantam chicken that is known for its sweet disposition. In 1956, the Belgian d'Uccle and Booted Bantam Club was formed to foster togetherness between breeders and fanciers.

If you’re looking for a sweet-natured and small chicken, that’s also one of the most colorful breeds out there, check out the Belgian d'Uccle.

Speckled Sussex

Temperament: Friendly, likes attention

Weight: 6-10 pounds

Lifespan: 8+ years

Egg Color: Light Brown

Bottom Line: Speckled Sussex

Speckled Sussex hen — The Speckled Sussex has a lifespan of 8-plus years.

The Speckled Sussex chicken is a great choice for novice chicken owners due to its friendliness. They are also easy to care for. Once they know you, don’t be surprised if you find yourself being followed by your new poultry friends, who are always looking for treats.

The Speckled Sussex is also a visual treat, with its brown feathers speckled with white and green. They are prolific layers, averaging 200 to 250 eggs a year.

Crested Cream Legbar

Cream Crested Legbar chick close up in the garden — The Crested Cream Legbar chicken is a docile bird.

Temperament: Friendly, docile

Weight: 6-7.5 pounds

Lifespan: 5-10 years

Egg Color: Blue

Bottom Line: Crested Cream Legbar

Cream Crested Legbar — Crested Cream Legbar chickens lay blue-colored eggs.

Known for being curious and friendly, the Crested Cream Legbar is a rarer but popular breed due to its temperament and its beautiful green-blue eggs.

They do well in a free-range setting. Crested Cream Legbars lay more than 250 eggs a year on average.

Dominique

Temperament: Gentle, sweet

Weight: 5-7 pounds

Lifespan: 8+ years

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: Dominique

Free Range Dominique Chicken — Dominique chickens have a nice temperament.

This black-and-white-speckled chicken breed is popular for its gentle and sweet temperament, as well as its prolific laying. The Dominique chicken averages around 250 eggs a year.

This American-developed breed is a beautiful addition to any flock.

Welsummer

Temperament: Good-natured, calm

Weight: 5-8 pounds

Lifespan: 5-8 years

Egg Color: Dark Brown

Bottom Line: Welsummer

Welsummer Red Partridge — The Welsummer chicken is a Dutch breed.

A Dutch breed, the Welsummer is liked for its good-natured disposition and its adaptability to both cold and heat.

They are a fast-growing breed if you are looking for meat production but are also good layers. They have beautiful brown speckled eggs and produce about 200 a year.

New Hampshire Red

Temperament: Can be aggressive

Weight: 5-8 pounds

Lifespan: 7+ years

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: New Hampshire Red

New Hampshire Red Hen Chicken — The New Hampshire Red chicken breed was developed in the 1930s.

The New Hampshire Red chicken is a breed of chicken developed in the 1930s. According to the Oklahoma State University Department of Animal Science, they are a specialized outbreeding of the Rhode Island Red.

Unfortunately, they tend to be more aggressive than the Rhodie, especially the roosters. They are a dual-purpose breed, developed for meat as well as being good layers, averaging 200 eggs a year.

Ameraucana

Temperament: Somewhat friendly, can be broody

Weight: 5-7 pounds

Lifespan: 7-8 years

Egg Color: Blue

Bottom Line: Ameraucana

Araucana juvenile rooster — Araucana chickens are a popular breed.

The Ameraucana is a chicken breed derived from the Araucana. It has fewer health problems than the Aarucana and is a bit friendlier.

They can be broody — wanting to sit on eggs — and can get aggressive if you try to move them off their roost. They are a popular chicken because of their blue eggs. Note: They are slow to mature and won’t start laying as quickly as other breeds.

Japanese Bantam

Temperament: Sweet, easygoing

Weight: Up to 1.3 pounds

Lifespan: 5-6 years

Egg Color: Cream

Bottom Line: Japanese Bantam

Japanese Bantam trio — Japanese Bantam chickens make great pets.

The Japanese Bantam is a "true" bantam, meaning it has no larger counterpart.

This bantam has short legs and a well-spread tail that should point upward. It also has large combs and wattles, but be careful — these make the chickens more susceptible to frostbite.

They're mostly ornamental (they'll lay only about an egg a week), but they make great pets.

Burmese Bantam

Temperament: Quiet and friendly

Weight: About 1.5 pounds

Lifespan: 4-8 years

Egg Color: White

Bottom Line: Burmese Bantam

The ornate Burmese Bantam — The Burmese Bantam chicken lays white eggs.

This exceedingly rare breed hails from Myanmar, and while its numbers aren't plentiful, it is making comeback.

This true bantam is almost always white with foot feathers and can be bearded or not. It sometimes carries "creeper gene," which means it can have exceptionally short legs. This gene is a mark of high mortality, and embryos that carry it die before hatching.

Burmese lay plenty of brown eggs and are good mothers.

Sebright

Temperament: Sociable and friendly

Weight: 1.4 pounds

Lifespan: 4-8 years

Egg Color: White

Bottom Line: Sebright

Sebright standing tall — The Sebright chicken is easy to tame.

The American Bantam Association states that the Sebright is one of the most popular chicken breeds. It is another true bantam, but it has the distinction of being the only hen-feathered chicken and comes in two colors — golden and silver.

Sebrights are mostly ornamental. They are easy to tame, get along with other breeds, and make wonderful pets.

Booted Bantam

Temperament: Friendly and calm

Weight: 2 pounds

Lifespan: 10 years

Egg Color: White

Bottom Line: Booted Bantam

Booted Bantam on grass — Booted Bantam chickens are a petite breed.

They call this breed the "supermodel" of chickens. They're petite, with ornate feathers covering even their legs and feet.

They yield about 150 to 180 eggs small eggs a year.

They do not like cold, which means they get invited inside many homes, but they're a welcoming presence as they get along with kids and other chicken breeds.

Shamo Chicken

A Shamo, standing tall — The Shamo Chicken has a lot of energy.

Temperament: Feisty, combative, spunky

Weight: About 11 pounds

Lifespan: 6-8 pounds

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: Shamo Chicken

A trio of Shamo chickens — Shamo chickens have become beautiful show birds.

While they were originally bred for fighting, Shamo chickens have become beautiful show birds over the years due to their height and striking features.

If you're thinking about getting Shamos, make sure to keep the roosters separate as they can be very aggressive. However, the hens can be tamed. Keep an eye on them initially as they tend to dominate other breeds.

The Shamo chicken loves roaming. Therefore, you should have plenty of space for the bird, but keep it separate from other animals. They do not fly, so you do not have to cover the coop.

Old English Pheasant Fowl

Old English Pheasant chickens and their egg color — Old English Pheasant chickens are nimble.

Temperament: Nimble, energetic

Weight: 5-7 pounds

Lifespan: 15 years

Egg Color: White

Bottom Line: Old English Pheasant Fowl

Reddish Old English Pheasant Fowl — Old English Pheasant Fowls can live up to 15 years.

Because they are active, wild, and flighty (they often roost in trees), the Old English Pheasant Fowl are best suited to a free-range lifestyle.

As they hail from northern England, they do best in cold weather. They make excellent mothers and can lay up to 200 eggs per year.

Indian Giant

Temperament: Friendly and docile

Weight: Up to 10 pounds

Lifespan: 10-20 years

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: Indian Giant

Indian Giants eating — Indian Giants come from Brazil.

The Indian Giant (aka, Indio Gigante) hails from Brazil and can stand up to 36 inches tall or more. They are said to get along with other breeds and are easy to take care of, according to breeders.

This breed is one of the largest in the world and lay medium-sized pink to tan (or speckled) eggs.

Scots Dumpy

Duo of Dumpys — Dumpys can live in virtually any climate.

Temperament: Quiet and sociable

Weight: 7 pounds

Lifespan: 7 years

Egg Color: Cream

Bottom Line: Scots Dumpy

Champion Scots Dumpy and egg color — Scots Dumpy are a quiet chicken breed.

The Scots Dumpy makes a great pet. As they are peaceful by nature, they are easy to tame.

They can tolerate virtually any climate, but do best in colder temperatures. They are loud and the roosters crow first thing in the morning.

The Scots Dumpy hen is a known nurturer. Their motherly instincts come to light when they lay eggs or are around their chicks. However, the roosters can be more aggressive.

This chicken lays about 180 eggs per year.

Swedish Flower Hen

Temperament: Calm and confident

Weight: 5 pounds

Lifespan: 5-10 years

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: Swedish Flower Hen

Duo of Swedish Flower Hen roosters — Swedish Flower Hens lay brown eggs.

The Swedish Flower Hen did not make it to U.S. shores until about 2010, and before that, it was on the verge of extinction in its native country.

This hen is independent but friendly, particularly when treats are forthcoming. These chickens are curious and love to roam but tolerate confinement and can live in temperatures from 32 degrees Fahrenheit to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

They are not aggressive, but they are loud and can lay up to 200 eggs a year.

Kadaknath

Temperament: Calm, likeable

Weight: 2.5-4.5 pounds

Lifespan: 12 years

Egg Color: Brown

Bottom Line: Kadaknath

Kadaknath's face — The Kadaknath chicken is also known as "Kali Masi."

The Kadaknath is also known by the name "Kali Masi" which means "bird with black flesh." However, it's not only their skin that's black. Every part of them is.

The Kadaknath is a healthy, robust chicken that is resistant to a lot of illnesses that affect other breeds. It can also survive harsh conditions that other breeds cannot.

They lay about 120 eggs in a year, and their shale color is brown.