15 Common Chicken Breeds in the World

Common Chicken Breeds
Photo by Jenny Hill
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Today, we will look at the common chicken breeds you can easily find.

These chicks are commonly found on backyard poultry farms

These popular chicken breeds are also bred primarily for producing meat and eggs.

So here is an excellent selection to choose from if you want to raise any common chicken breed. 

You might be shocked to learn that there are numerous breeds of chickens to pick from if you’re new to keeping chickens

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These birds each have distinctive characteristics that make them more or less fit for a particular circumstance. 

Great egg layers exist. A lot of meat is produced by others who develop swiftly.

Any characteristic you’re looking for in a flock of chickens can be found in one of these breeds.  

Furthermore, hundreds of chicken breeds are available, each offering an advantage. 

You won’t have trouble finding a species appropriate for you in our list of the top 15 common chicken breeds below. 

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Additionally, you will find chicken breeds from the friendliness of the Sussex to the egg-laying skills of the Australorp

1. Plymouth Rock Chicken

by Just chaos is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Barred Rock and other types of Chicken are also included in this category. Plymouth Rock Chicken is highly well-liked in the US, Australia, and the UK. 

Additionally, they can be distinguished from the flock by their black and white striped plumage. 

(Dual-purpose Chicken) or the best chickens for pets and eggs. They are suitable for both meat and eggs.

One of the world’s most well-known breeds of Chicken, the Plymouth Rock Chicken comes in several variants. 

Some include Barred, Black Frizzle, Partridge, Blue, Columbian, Buff, Silver Penciled, Black, and White. They have a positive, composed demeanor. 

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These hens also produce 200 to 280 brown eggs (or pinkish-brown eggs) annually, making them good layers. 

2. The Australorp

by pam.gaynor is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The Australorp is also one of the most common chicken breeds in Australia. Additionally, the Australorp is a chicken breed that is uniquely Australian. 

Additionally, the Australorp was developed from English-born Orpington chickens.

It is well-liked locally and abroad due to its lovely disposition and consistent egg-laying tendencies. 

However, with 364 eggs laid in a year, this wonderful breed holds the record for the most eggs ever laid by a chicken. Not bad for a local chicken! 

3. Orpingtons

by Pete Cooper is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Sitting pretty, the third most popular chicken breed is the Orpington. They are among the world’s cutest and fluffiest chicken breeds

Additionally, these popular chicken breeds have calm, courteous personalities. When fully grown, they appear to be a giant breed weighing about 10 lbs. 

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And despite their size, they adapt to captivity reasonably well. Additionally, they eat both meat and eggs while growing up. Their hens are excellent mothers, literally. 

Furthermore, they typically become pregnant and adore raising their kids. Additionally, they may give you 280 medium-sized light brown eggs annually. 

The Orpington chicken also has many lovely hues, such as black, white, buff, blue, etc. Their sizes are unaffected by these colors in any manner.  

4. Russian Orloff

by soapydishwater is licensed under CC BY 2.0

This Chicken is one of the most popular chicken breeds.

A stern, erect breed with white flecks covering its plumage that can be mistaken for tiny snowflakes at first glance! 

Some have compared its appearance to that of a “hawk.” They also struggle in the heat since they were raised in Russia’s harsh, cold climate, where they are extremely egg-tough in winter. 

Furthermore, females produce about 150 light brown eggs yearly, a respectable number. 

The “spangled” white and red feathered type has emerged as this breed’s most sought-after color variation, which has recently gained popularity in the colder regions of America. 

5. Leghorn

by Just chaos is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Leghorn chickens are also one of the most common chicken breeds right now.

They are a very clever, intelligent, and energetic breed—these birds like roaming freely and can obtain food independently. 

Although these birds come in various colors, white is the most prevalent. Furthermore, their bright red combs and rattles are quite a sight. 

Additionally, they hold their tails somewhat higher to display their feathers. They have yellow skin and legs as well.

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This bird is not only gorgeous but also has a great egg layer. 

Each year, they lay between 280 and 300 giant white eggs. As I already explained, they enjoy foraging a lot.

Finding their food isn’t difficult for them because they are skilled foragers. 

Furthermore, they are the perfect breed for a poultry farmer on a tight budget.

Nevertheless, when given adequate space to move around, they also fare well when confined. 

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6. Rhode Island Reds

by Garrett Heath is licensed under CC BY 2.0

It seems sensible that the Rhode Island Reds, the state bird of Rhode Island, is one of the country’s most well-known chicken breeds

The Rhode Island is thought to have been bred from Asiatic, Leghorn, and Red Malay Game chickens.

Additionally, Rhode Island was developed in America to be a fantastic dual-purpose chicken, and it still is today! 

This magnificent, richly colored bird is a fantastic all-around breed and is consequently common in backyards worldwide, including Australia.

Rhode Island is productive egg layers, producing 250–300 eggs annually. 

7. Silkie Chicken

by sandyseek is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The Silkie chicken is a beautiful addition to your farm’s flock. These birds are miniature varieties of Chicken with silky feathers. 

Additionally, they are composed of meat, skin, and dark-colored bones. In addition, these birds have five toes rather than the usual four. 

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Despite being coated in silky feathers, they are frequently cold-sensitive. As a result, they need extra care when it’s cold outside. 

Furthermore, it’s interesting that many believe their meat from them has healing powers.

Even though they don’t make great egg layers, they are frequently retained for their capacity to raise chicks.  

Silkies happily raise an egg and sit on it until it hatches. However, you can count on a Silkie to produce roughly 100 eggs yearly. 

8. Ancona

by Joe Mabel is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Next on our list of common chicken breeds is the Ancona Chickens. Strong Italian birds like the Ancona have gained popularity all around the world. 

It comes from the eastern Italian town of Ancona and has been exported to the United States, Europe, and Australia. 

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Who wouldn’t want one of these chickens in their backyard flock with its stunning red combs, silky mottled feathers, and impressive green-tinted tail? 

Their attractive look makes them one of the most popular chicken breeds. 

9. Jersey Giant Chicken

by normanack is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The Jersey Giant chicken is another popular huge chicken breed. The Brahma chickens are smaller than these. 

Furthermore, these varieties of Chicken are indeed giants in the chicken world, just as their names suggest. 

They are among the heaviest birds, ranging between 9 and 15 pounds. Initially, the Jersey Giant bird was bred for meat. 

However, it developed into a breed that serves two purposes and can quickly produce 150 to 200 substantial brown eggs annually. 

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Additionally, the vast brown eggs from Jersey Giant will win your heart if you’re an egg enthusiast.

The black breed is the most prevalent despite being in three distinct colors. 

Despite their size, these chicken varieties are gentle, peaceful, and easygoing, and they enjoy foraging a lot. 

However, they can also tolerate confinement and are suitable as family pets. Amazingly, the Jersey Giant Chicken has some height and is a large bird. 

10. Appenzeller Spitzhauben

by gailhampshire is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The national bird of Switzerland is the Appenzeller Spitzhauben, and they are undoubtedly easy to detect. 

The weird crest on their head, which usually faces forward but has feathers that shoot out in various directions, makes them distinctive. 

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Additionally, they are a reasonably good egg layer but are uncommon outside their place of origin (about 156 eggs per year). 

Furthermore, they will need space to spread out, or else they might behave as bizarrely as their crests suggest! 

When raising your flock, you might use the nation’s favorite breed of Chicken.

However, give the many other excellent species some severe thought. 

11. Sussex

by normanack is licensed under CC BY 2.0

If you love the taste of fresh eggs, then you’ll probably adore the Sussex.

They are also known as the English Game Hen because they were initially bred for hunting.

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The name of this breed is derived from the county where it originated. 

In addition, they come in different colors, including white, buff, black, and barred.

The average number of eggs the Sussex hen produces is between 160 and 180 per year. 

12. Wyandotte

by ripperda is licensed under CC BY 2.0

This is another most common chicken breed. It is named after the city of Detroit, Michigan, where it was developed.

The Wyandotte is a dual-purpose chicken that produces both meat and eggs. 

Additionally, it is a hardy breed that can withstand cold weather. The average number of eggs a Wyandotte hen lays is 140 to 150 per year. 

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These chickens also make excellent mothers and take outstanding care of their young.

Additionally, these birds can also be pretty daring and adventurous. 

13. Polish Chicken

by fotopamas is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The Polish Chicken is a beautiful backyard hen with a distinctive appearance.

Furthermore, these birds are sometimes blinded by their feathered crests, making them wary of people. 

It is usually preferable to maintain their crest trimmed to prevent this. The Polish Bird is a friendly chicken, and you’ll like it. 

Additionally, this is because they are gentle and straightforward to tame.

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Also available is the Polish Chicken, which is a beautiful, cuddly chicken. Despite their keen curiosity, they adapt well to captivity. 

14. Minorca

by Tatiana12 is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Next on our list of most Popular Chicken breeds is Minorcas Chicken.

Minorcas are one of the oldest breeds of domestic fowls. They have been around since ancient times. 

They are also called the Spanish Cock, because they originated in Spain. Furthermore, they are incredibly affectionate and friendly. 

The average number produced per year is around 100 eggs. However, the Minorca is not recommended for beginners. 

15. Faverolles

by steve p2008 is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Rounding off our list of most common chicken breeds is the Faverolles. These chicken breeds are early-maturing medium-sized chickens. 

The Faverolles chicken is an unusual breed of Chicken with five toes as opposed to the usual four. It has fluffy cheek feathers and a fully feathered beard.

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You may also assume this Chicken is French based on its name. 

They came from the French town of Faverolles. They often come in many colors, but the salmon shade is the most popular. 

Furthermore, this kind of Chicken is among the friendliest and most accessible to tame chickens. They, therefore, make excellent pets for children. 

Conclusively, we hope this article helped you understand what’s unique about each of these most common chicken breeds. 

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