Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
P
ICKING
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HICKENS
Chickens come in all shapes and sizes, and there are a great many more different types of
chickens than you are probably aware of straight off the bat. While there are more than sixty
breeds considered to be the most popular to rear, we're only going to look at the top twenty-
five. The type of chicken you are going to want to choose to raise will be determined by
your location; certain chickens do better in cold climates than others, for example, and some
chickens do better in smaller spaces than larger spaces. The amount of space you have avail-
able and the climate of your location should play big parts in determining the type of chick-
ens you choose to raise.
Amber whites are the typical white chicken that everyone thinks of when they think of chick-
ens in general. They are active foragers and will supplement their diets with bugs and other
plants that they are able to locate. They are docile and friendly. These birds lay an above
average number of large brown eggs and work well in all climates. They are great for eating
in addition to egg production; however, they do not lay eggs all year round. They are calm
birds and are highly adaptable but are on the smaller side.
Ameraucana chickens became a recognized breed of chicken in 1984. There are two differ-
ent types of Ameraucana chickens: bantam and large types. The bantam version weighs in
at 30 ounces for roosters and 26 ounces for hens, while the large roosters weigh in at 6.5
pounds and the hens at 5.5 pounds. The Ameraucana chickens are typically quiet and do
well in confinement, making them a great choice for the city living chicken farmer. An in-
teresting aspect of the Ameraucana chickens is that their eggs are blue/green, making them a
novelty for children and, should you choose to go the route of eating your chickens as well,
their white meat and the fact that they mature early makes them tasty eating. They are good
brooders and do well in colder climates.
Andalusian chickens originated in Spain and England in the 1800s and may be blue, spotted,
or black in color. They come in two types: bantam and standard, with the bantam coming in
at about 1.75 pounds and the standard at around 5.5 pounds. The hens can lay up to 160 eggs
per year but, unlike the Ameraucana chickens, the Andalusians only produce white eggs.
They're flighty and do better as free range chickens, but they can adapt to confinement.
Like the Ameraucanas, they have white meat and mature early, making for tasty eating, and
they're economical eaters, making them cheap birds to raise; however, they do not do well
in cold climates; these birds are very heat tolerant.
Next on the list is the Aracauna chicken which, quite frankly, looks really silly. They have
tufts of feathers on either side of their heads, just below their beaks, making them look like
they have a decidedly misplaced old school mustache; in addition to these silly tufts, they
also lack a tail, giving them an incredibly unique look. They come in about eleven different
