Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
year. They weigh in at 9 pounds for a rooster and 6 ½ to 7 pounds for a hen, so they make
good table birds. They are known to have nice yellow skin, good thigh meat, and a large
breast. The Buckeye is an active breed well suited to being free-range. They can be vocal and
noisy, the roosters are known to be territorial, and hens of this breed tend to be friendly. This
is an endangered breed.
Best Pet Chickens
You may want to keep chickens for a pet, as a hobby, and for companionship. Eggs are an ad-
ded bonus. The following breeds are easy to raise, gentle, and attractive. They are not neces-
sarily good egg layers or good for their meat.
Jersey Giants
This bird is large and needs lots of space to move about. They were originally bred for their
meat, but their slow-growing nature deters chicken owners from this purpose. The plumage is
a dark black with a dark beak and an angled tail. Some varieties are white, blue, and splash
(having one solid color with a splash of a darker color on top). The single comb is red, as are
the wattle and earlobes. They have a clean, dark-colored leg.
Despite their size, Jersey Giants are calm and easy to handle. They are alert and interactive,
which makes them good pets. Roosters can weigh up to 13 pounds, and hens can weigh up to
10 pounds. Bantams are not typical for this breed because their main trait is their size. They
produce up to 180 brown eggs per year. They also have a gentle crow, so the neighbors should
not mind. Their home should be large enough to house the flock comfortably. You will know
they have enough space when the birds have room to move around, perch, and sleep.
Orpingtons
This chicken makes a great choice to raise in the backyard because of its docile and cuddly
nature. They have small heads on robust bodies, and they come in black, blue, buff, and
white. They have a single, red, serrated comb and an elongated wattle. The earlobes are small
and red, and their legs are short and clean with four toes. The dark-colored birds have darker
eyes, and the lighter colors have red eyes.
Orpington roosters weigh about 8 pounds, and the hens weigh about 6 to 7 pounds. Bantams
weigh about 4 pounds. They are decent egg layers and produce 160 brown eggs per year.
Some varieties produce a pink-tinted egg. They do well in confinement but enjoy the chance
