Types of Chicken Breeds: Complete Guide with Pictures

Last updated: September 2026

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There are hundreds of chicken breeds and varieties, but nearly all of them fit into five types: egg layers, meat breeds, dual-purpose breeds, bantams and ornamental or heritage breeds. For most backyard keepers, a calm dual-purpose breed such as the Plymouth Rock, Orpington or Rhode Island Red is the easiest place to start.

This guide explains each type of chicken breed with pictures, compares 15 popular breeds in one table (egg color, eggs per year, size and hardiness), and shows you how to pick the right birds for your climate and goals.

The 5 Main Types of Chicken Breeds

All domestic chickens descend from the red jungle fowl of Southeast Asia, a 2 lb (0.9 kg) bird that lays only 10–12 eggs a season. Centuries of breeding produced birds for very different jobs:

The American Poultry Association also groups large breeds by origin into American, Asiatic, English, Mediterranean and Continental classes. Mediterranean breeds (like Leghorns) tend to be active, flighty and lay white eggs, while Asiatic breeds (like Brahmas and Cochins) are big, feather-footed and calm.

Chicken Breeds Comparison Table

Weights are the American Poultry Association standard weights for large-fowl hens (roosters are heavier), as published by University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension. Egg numbers come from The Livestock Conservancy and extension sources; real flocks vary with strain, age, feed and daylight. A dash means no reliable yearly figure is published.

Best Egg-Laying Chicken Breeds

Leghorns are the classic white-egg layer and the breed behind most commercial white eggs; a good commercial strain can lay 260-plus eggs in 12 months. They’re small, efficient and handle both heat and cold, but they can be noisy, nervous and hard to handle, so they’re rarely the best first choice for families.

Australorps, developed in Australia from Black Orpingtons, are famous for laying: an Australorp hen set a record of 364 eggs in 365 days under official trap-nest testing. A backyard Australorp typically lays 250 or more a year and is friendly, even the roosters. Rhode Island Reds are probably the best layers among dual-purpose breeds and keep laying even on poorer feed and housing.

Sex-link hybrids (Black Sex-Links, Red Sex-Links, Golden Comets and similar) are crosses where chicks can be sexed by color at hatch. They lay brown eggs very well and are calmer than commercial Leghorns, but they don’t breed true, so you can’t hatch more of the same from your own flock.

Colored-Egg Breeds

A handy rule: hens with white earlobes usually lay white eggs and hens with red earlobes lay brown eggs. The famous exceptions are the Araucana and Ameraucana, which lay blue eggs. Easter Eggers aren’t a breed but mixes that lay blue, green or even pinkish eggs. For deep chocolate-brown eggs, choose Marans or Welsummers.

Best Dual-Purpose Breeds for Beginners

Dual-purpose hens lay reasonably well, and the males grow big enough to eat. Most were developed on farms in the 1800s and are hardy, calm and easy to keep:

• Plymouth Rock (Barred Rock): first shown in Massachusetts in 1849. Calm, good with children, cold-hardy and a reliable brown-egg layer, sometimes laying into old age.
• Orpington: the gentle, fluffy Buff Orpington is a favorite family bird. Heavy, loose feathering keeps them warm in winter, and hens make good broody mothers.
• Wyandotte: known for laced feathers (Silver Laced and Gold Laced are popular). Their rose combs resist frostbite, making them a great cold-climate choice.
• Sussex: calm and curious, good for families. Lays 200–250 tan to brown eggs a year but doesn’t enjoy hot weather.

Watch: Chicken Breeds for Beginners

Epic Homesteading talks through popular beginner-friendly breeds in this video.

Meat Chicken Breeds

The Cornish Cross (a White Cornish crossed with a White Plymouth Rock) is the standard meat bird. It reaches 4–5 lb (1.8–2.3 kg) in about six weeks and 6–10 lb (2.7–4.5 kg) in 8–12 weeks, but it’s a poor egg layer and doesn’t forage as well as other breeds. Jersey Giants are the largest chicken breed, with hens around 10 lb (4.5 kg), but they grow slowly and take 8–9 months to reach a useful size. Slower-growing heritage and dual-purpose breeds suit pasture-based setups better. Our guide to raising meat chickens covers timing, feed and processing.

Bantam and Ornamental Breeds

Bantams are miniature chickens, roughly a quarter to a fifth the size of the large version. They eat less, need less space and are easy for children to handle. Some breeds, called true bantams, have no large version at all.

The Silkie is the best-known ornamental bantam, with fur-like feathers, black skin, five toes and a strong tendency to go broody, which makes Silkies popular for hatching other hens’ eggs. Cochins are big, feather-footed and extremely gentle, and Brahmas are huge (up to 30 inches tall), calm birds that lay mostly in winter.

What Is a Heritage Chicken Breed?

According to The Livestock Conservancy, a heritage chicken must meet four criteria: it comes from a breed recognized by the American Poultry Association before the mid-20th century, it mates naturally, hens stay productive for 5–7 years and roosters for 3–5, and it takes at least 16 weeks to reach market weight. Many classic breeds in this guide, including Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Orpingtons, Brahmas and Australorps, meet the definition.

Best Chicken Breeds by Climate

For cold winters, choose heavier breeds with small rose or pea combs, which are less prone to frostbite: Wyandotte, Brahma, Ameraucana, Plymouth Rock, Orpington and Welsummer. Pair them with a draft-free, well-ventilated coop (see our guide to winterizing a chicken coop).

For hot climates, lighter, active breeds like Leghorns cope best. Heavy, feather-footed breeds such as Brahma, Cochin and Jersey Giant, plus the Sussex, struggle in heat, and dark birds like Australorps need plenty of shade. This applies whether you’re in Texas, Queensland or South Africa.

How to Choose the Right Chicken Breed

1. Decide what you want most: the most eggs, eggs and meat, pets, or show birds.
2. Check your climate: cold-hardy or heat-tolerant breeds will stay healthier and lay better.
3. Think about temperament: with children, choose calm breeds like Plymouth Rock, Orpington, Australorp or Cochin.
4. Plan for broodiness: broody breeds (Silkie, Cochin, Orpington) are great if you want to hatch chicks, but they stop laying while sitting.
5. Size your coop: big breeds like Brahmas need more room and wider pop doors. Our chicken coop plans help you size it right.

You don’t need a rooster for hens to lay eggs. If you’re just starting out, our guide to raising chickens for beginners covers chicks, feed and daily care.

At a Glance: Types of Chicken Breeds

FAQ

How many chicken breeds are there?

There are hundreds. The American Poultry Association’s Standard of Perfection describes more than 300 breeds and varieties, and bantam groups list hundreds more miniature forms.

Which chicken breed lays the most eggs?

Commercial White Leghorns and sex-link hybrids are the top layers. Among heritage breeds, Australorps and Rhode Island Reds are standouts, with Australorps holding the record of 364 eggs in 365 days.

What is the friendliest chicken breed?

Orpingtons, Plymouth Rocks, Australorps, Cochins and Brahmas are known for calm, gentle temperaments, which makes them good with children.

What chickens lay blue or green eggs?

Araucanas and Ameraucanas lay blue eggs. Easter Eggers, which are mixed-breed birds, lay blue, green or pinkish eggs.

What is the biggest chicken breed?

The Jersey Giant is the largest, with standard weights of 13 lb (5.9 kg) for roosters and 10 lb (4.5 kg) for hens. Brahmas are close behind and can stand up to 30 inches tall.

Do hens need a rooster to lay eggs?

No. Hens lay without a rooster. You only need one if you want fertile eggs to hatch chicks.

Sources

• Chicken Breeds and Varieties (University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension)
• Heritage Chicken Definition (The Livestock Conservancy)
• Chicken Breed Selection (Ohio State University Extension)
• Selecting a Chicken Breed for Small or Backyard Flocks (Cooperative Extension)

Breed traits vary between strains and hatcheries. For flock health questions, talk to a poultry vet or your local extension office.