Many breeds of chicken are suitable for backyard homesteading. Dual-purpose breeds are particularly hardy and reliable.

Sussex chickens are intelligent dual-purpose birds that enjoy foraging while adapting well to cold environments. Their body fat content allows for rapid gain; plus their prolific egg production amounts to around 250 large brown eggs annually from each hen!

Java

The Java chicken is an all-purpose breed well suited to cold climates. Hens lay moderate numbers of small cream colored eggs; they are friendly, docile and active – ideal companions or pets! Favorelles are heavy birds with distinctive crests, beards, muffs and fully feathered legs and toes that make popular home flock choices; their abundant egg production also makes them excellent egg layers!

The Brahma chicken is well known for its strength, vigor, and size; one of its traits helped spread “hen fever” throughout America and England during the mid 1900’s when people went nuts over poultry.

The Sussex chicken breed was highly prized during England’s Victorian era for both egg-laying and meat production purposes, being an exceptional hybrid breed that lay up to 250 large brown eggs annually and rapidly gained weight – perfect for meat production! Additionally, their curious yet friendly nature make them great additions for families with young children as well. However, they can sometimes be noisy enough that your neighbors might object – so consider other options first before opting for these breeds.

Jersey Giant

Jersey Giants were developed during the 1800s to compete with turkeys as meat chickens. This dual purpose breed is well known for laying large eggs while maintaining excellent feed-to-weight ratios, proving very resilient in cold environments and cold climates alike. Unfortunately, their slow growth rate can make commercial enterprises uncertain; as it takes them some time before reaching their maximum size potential.

Jersey Giants can come in several colors; black is their original hue and are commonly known as Jersey Black Giants; breeding two recessive whites will produce white Jersey Giants while breeding two recessive beetle green varieties will result in blue shades with beetle green flecking covering its gray body. As such, it is often compared to Cemani, a black chicken that costs $2500 in most places.

Jersey Giants chickens are peaceful and friendly chickens despite their massive appearance, making them great help for children with chores and tend to be less aggressive towards humans than other breeds of poultry. Although larger living spaces and coops may be necessary, as well as larger nesting boxes; lower roosting perches must also be secured so as to prevent falls that result in injuries to giants from falling off and getting bumblefoot.

New Hampshire

New Hampshire chickens are versatile birds that serve both practical and aesthetic functions, producing an abundance of brown eggs while boasting deep bodies with rapidly-growing feathers. Hens are moderately broody and make excellent mothers to their chicks.

Coop owners with limited time or experience can find it easy to raise backyard chickens, thanks to the ease of their upkeep and their susceptibility to less health conditions than other breeds. They make for excellent pets!

These chickens are cold-hardy, making them suitable for even harsh winter conditions. Their heavy bodies and dense feathers protect them from the elements while their small single combs have proven more tolerant than larger combs of cold temperatures. Their peaceful temperament also makes them family-friendly: they don’t become disturbed easily by other chickens or children playing close by, enjoying free range living conditions as they make great family pets – making this breed one of the easiest docile breeds to raise!

Norfolk Grey

Naked Necks are a hybrid breed between chickens and domestic turkeys that make ideal dual-purpose utility breeds, being suitable for either meat production or egg laying. Laying an impressive number of large brown eggs every week, these chickens make great foragers in colder climates; their smaller comb and wattles help protect them against frostbite more than most breeds do.

The Norfolk Grey was developed between 1910 and 1914 by Fredrick Myhill under the name Black Marias. This dual-purpose breed, consisting of Silver Birchen Game and Duckwing Leghorn influences, produces extremely flavorful meat while autosexing itself; males can distinguish themselves from females via a distinct chipmunk strip on their back and slate gray or black legs.

This breed of chickens is an ideal option for beginner chicken owners or families, as they rarely go broody and interact well with both humans and other chickens. Furthermore, they’re very hardy, being able to tolerate both heat and cold, without needing high fencing for protection.

Favorelles

Favorelle chickens were first developed as dual purpose breeds in North Central France during the 1860s. Hens are excellent winter layers of off-white eggs while their quiet nature makes them great additions to mixed flocks.

This breed is an enormous dual-purpose fowl known for its hardiness. They’re curious and friendly birds who make great companions for kids; however, due to being so wide and long they do require plenty of room.

The Sussex is another dual-purpose breed of chickens popular in England during Victorian era. Hens produced up to 250 large brown eggs per year while remaining very quiet, calm, and cold resistant. Perfect for beginners due to their easy care requirements; males are known as roosters while females are known as hens; if broody occurs they will produce eggs in their nest.

La Fleche

La Fleche chickens are multipurpose birds that are excellent sources of both meat and eggs, laying an estimated 200 light brown jumbo eggs per year. Hardy and self-reliant, yet aggressive when kept confined – for optimal performance, keep these as free range birds with plenty of space to roam!

This beautiful dual-purpose breed of chicken is the classic backyard bird raised by Grandma. Hens produce many large brown eggs while their male roosters make great meat sources. These chickens are easy to care for and make great pets for children and families, especially if broody. Having plenty of room in your coop allows your birds to lay their eggs each year.

This French breed takes its name from La Fleche, located equidistant between Le Mans and Angers. Established since 16th Century, this acclaimed meat producing breed is recognized for producing exceptional meat quality. Male birds are known as cockerels while females are known as pullets.

Wyandotte

Few chicken breeds can compare to the Wyandotte in terms of appearance. This stunning heritage bird was developed through crossing several other breeds for dual purpose breeding; making this bird less likely to frostbite while keeping heat inside their bodies longer. It features an elegant rose comb for frost protection as well as large bodies which help it retain heat more effectively.

This breed comes in various shades. The American Poultry Association recognizes Columbian, gold laced, silver penciled, Partridge, and blue Wyandotte varieties. Chicks tend to have light yellow to white feathers with black stripes that gradually change into solid color as they grow older.

Hens can produce three to four medium-sized eggs every week, and are known to brood when it’s the right time. Wyandottes are great pets for families with young children as their calm demeanor and feathers don’t irritate skin as easily. They can also be easily trained.

Araucana

The Araucana chicken breed is an uncommon one with a distinct look. These dual-purpose birds feature no rump, ear tufts that may or may not appear, as well as beards that come from lethal genes and don’t always pass down to offspring, though show quality chickens must have these ear tufts to compete at competitions.

Araucanas come in both standard and bantam sizes and are well adapted to cold weather conditions, producing many pale blue eggs per year. Hens can produce significant numbers of these beautiful birds.

An Araucana could make an adorable addition to any homestead flock, with its quirky appearance sure to bring smiles from neighbors and the delicious blue eggs produced from these charming birds! Docile chicken breeds tend to be less likely to peck or chase children around; hence why chickens have become such popular pets among children. However, proper training of how to care for and handle chickens must still take place for optimal outcomes!

Marsh Daisy

Even those living in limited spaces have access to many chicken breeds which will provide eggs and meat while also making great pets and teaching children about animal care and responsibility.

Leghorn chickens are famed for producing large numbers of white eggs. Due to their active nature and love of scratching and foraging, they flourish best in free-range environments. As these birds don’t tend to be very calm or docile, roosters must also be present in order to prevent broodyness from developing.

The La Fleche is an unusual French dual-purpose chicken, known for their heavy bodies with beards, muffs and 5 toes on each foot. Hens tend to be relatively gentle and quiet without going broody; their non-broody nature also means they do not go broody easily. A Speckledy hybrid created through crossing Rhode Island Red with Marans provides good brown egg production that’s great for beginners.