CHICKEN BREEDS I HAVE KEPT AND HOW I RATE THEM OUT OF 10

I’ve kept quite a few breeds over the years. Here are my ratings.

*Indicates breeds I currently keep

• Partridge Chantecler 6/10
• White Chantecler 4/10
• Buff Chantecler 6/10
• White Cornish (pure) 5/10
• Blue Cochin 3/10
• Silkies (White, Black, Lavender) 0/10
• Bantam Barred Rock* 4/10
• Barred Rock 2/10
• Partridge Rock 6/10
• Silver Pencilled Rocks 4/10
• Dominique 4/10
• Cuckoo Marans 4/10
• Houdans 6/10
• Lakenvelder 3/10
• Light Brahma 6/10
• Easter Egger 5/10
• Olive Egger 5/10
• Barnyard Mix* 5/10
• Ameraucana 4/10
• Columbian Wyandotte 6/10
• Silver Laced Wyandotte 6/10
• Australorp 4/10
• Rhode Island Red 5/10
• Welsummer 5/10
• Sex Sal Link Browns* 9/10
• Red Sussex* 9/10
• Red Rock Cross* 9/10
• Cornish Giants* 8/10
• Random Bred 1976 5/10

Why are the hybrids my favourite after owning, and even showing successfully, so many different heritage breeds? Because hybrids perform consistently the way they are supposed to with minimal inputs. I have two year old Red Sussex who lay a big egg every single day. I have a batch of Sex Sal Link Brown pullets who are the friendliest, quietest chickens I have ever owned – and they lay an egg every day, sometimes I get 6 eggs from 5 pullets in 24 hours. Cornish Giants have hands-down the best feed conversion, which makes them more environmentally friendly as meat birds. So while it can be fun to have pretty feathers to look at, if chickens don’t perform their job (producing eggs or meat), they ultimately are not the right choice for my farm.