Breeds of Chickens

As cry of ‘cock-a-doodle doo’ fills the air, one can’t help but grin at mankind’s oldest yet very attractive morning alarm. Although called domestic fowl, over time everyone from roosters, hens to chicks are today collectively referred as chickens. The dear old colorful bird scientifically belongs to the animal kingdom, has been an integral part of the human society since time immemorial. Since ancient times, breeds of chickens have been bred for providing eggs, meat and entertainment. Cockfighting used to be a regular and immensely popular form of recreation, which is banned in most of the civilized societies of today.

A long list of distinguished breeds of chickens are available today and are categorized by their commercial use; egg production and meat on the plate. A large number of chickens today are raised through cross-breeding for commercial purposes to take advantage of the best of both the worlds. Some of the widely available cross-breeds of chickens include Broiler, Black Sex Link, Red Sex link, Cornish- rock, Daisy Belle.

Certain breeds of chickens are raised for obtaining eggs only. An individual hen can lay eggs up to 12 years of age after that her fertility steadily declines. The breeds of chickens that are considered best for producing eggs are Ameraucana, Andalusian, Campine, Minorca, Sicilian Buttercup and many more.

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A large number of breeds are reared for the sole purpose of meat. Actually the term ‘chicken’ stands for the meat of the fowl but as stated earlier, in normal parlance, it stands for the living ones too. The meat of the chickens is lean, easy to cook and delicious. It is very popular with health conscious people while staunch meat lovers do not give it the same respect as they do to mutton, pork and beef. Yet the chicken meat is a source of many tempting delicacies in different cuisines. The breeds of chickens that are raised exclusively for meat are Bresse, Indian Game, Ixworth and Jersey Giant.

The bright plumage, colorful feathers and other striking features of certain exotic breed of male roosters makes them ideal for shows and exhibitions. As they strut around in open podium or even spacious enclosures, they earn admiration while their owners receive awards. The breeds of chickens that are mainly reared for exhibitions purposes are Modern Game, Frizzle, Phoenix, Nankin and so on.

Just as people keep dogs and cats for company, a significant number of urban citizens are raising chickens as pets. But it is simply impossible to keep just one single hen. They will die of ennui. A pair of them or few more as space permits would suffice for them to run around the house making their clucking sound while adding a lively touch to any family. Some of the breeds of chickens which are very popular as pet and also supply their owners with fresh and nutritious eggs are the Bantam varieties. These are very small sized chickens almost one fourth the size of a standard chicken. Some breeds of chickens have their bantam version also but an authentic bantam breed has no large counterpart. They are unique and original like Silkies, Sebrights, Rosecomb and others.

If you’re ready to build a chicken coop check out this complete guide and design plans.