Our Top 5 Chicken Breeds
Due to the New England climate that we live in, our flock of chickens are cold-hardy! Here are our Top 5 chicken breeds that we love to have on our farm!
Rhode Island Reds were the very first chickens we raised so naturally, this breed is our number one. They have such a great personality and super friendly. One time, our RIR Ruby, walked up to me while I was sitting in a lounge chair and I wondered if she would hang out with me on the chair so I started patting my leg calling her up to my lap to see if she would jump up onto it and sure enough she did! I was so excited I even caught it on camera! I may be biased but the Rhode Island Red is my favorite! They are a wonderful dual purpose bird and can lay 200-300 eggs a year!
Another great cold-hardy bird is our buff Orpingtons. We have a very bossy Orpington “Big Mama”. She loves to rule the roost and will make it known when she is displeased, especially when another chicken is found in her favorite nesting box. I’m certain that if I let her, she would make excellent broody hen. The orpingtons we have on our farm are LOUD. They will sing their very beautiful songs when ready to lay an egg. I would not reccomend this breed if you are in a suburban area because your neighbors might not appreciate the noise. Orpingtons are great layers too!
Silver-laced Wyandottes are absolutely stunning. They are graceful in appearance with their intricate black laced feathers, definitely a show-stopper bird! Wyandottes make the perfect chicken breed for us during the colder months because they are less prone to frost bite due to their small rose comb. Their temperament is very docile and sweet. They go about their business in peace unless we have treats! Our Wyandotte love to travel, they are excellent foragers, so our mobile coop is perfect for them!
We are excited to raise Plymouth Barred Rocks this year! One of the main reasons we chose this breed is for their ability to lay eggs during the winter. Its always disappointing when egg production stops during the colder weather so we are really looking forward to having eggs this winter.
Easter Eggers might not be the most cold-hardy chicken breed but they are one of our favorites! It’s always a surprise seeing what color eggs these little ladies will produce. They mainly lay blue eggs but occasionally a green egg will sneak in! They are extremely friendly and will follow you where ever you go, even without treats. Easter Eggers are a delight to have in your flock.
Interested in raising your own chickens? These are our go-to books on everything you need to know.
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