The Ultimate List of Backyard Chicken Breeds

Photo of Kassandra Smith

Kassandra Smith

Senior Editor • Backyard Chicken Coops

Last Updated: 17 July 2020

Whether you are a beginner chicken keeper or looking to add a new chicken breed to your backyard flock of chooks, there are so many chicken breeds to choose from! Which chicken breed will you choose? Have a peck at our ultimate chicken breed list below to find out more!

ancona chicken breed rooster

Ancona chicken breed

  • Country of origin
    • Italy
  • Eggs
    • Average 200 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White
  • Personality
    • Active and curious
  • Appearance
    • Mottled black and white plumage
    • Single or rose comb
    • Black mottled yellow legs

andalusian chicken breed

Andalusian chicken breed

  • Country of origin
    • Andalusia, Spain
  • Eggs
    • Average 165 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White
  • Personality
    • Cute and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Slate-blue plumage
    • Single comb
    • White earlobes
 

appenzeller chicken breed

Appenzeller chicken breed

  • Country of origin
    • Switzerland
  • Eggs
    • Average 220 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White
  • Personality
    • Active and curious
  • Appearance
    • Black, chamois, gold-spangled or silver-spangled plumage
    • V or rose shaped comb
    • Upright feather crest, upright tail feathers in both sexes

araucana chicken breed

Araucana chicken breed

  • Country of origin
    • Chile
  • Eggs
    • Average 270 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Blue or green
  • Personality
    • Active and curious
  • Appearance
    • Black, black-red, blue, crele, lavender, gold-duckwing, pile, silver-duckwing, spangled or white plumage
    • Pea comb
    • Bearded, muffed, tailed

Chickens

Australian Langshan chicken breed

  • Country of origin
    • Australia
  • Eggs
    • Average 250 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown
  • Personality
    • Active and curious
  • Appearance
    • Black, blue or white plumage
    • Single comb
    • Iridescent green in black plumage variety
  australorp chicken breed in chicken run Australorp chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • Australia
  • Eggs
    • Average 300 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown
  • Personality
    • Cute and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Black, blue or white plumage
    • Single comb
    • Iridescent green in black plumage variety
  barnevelder chicken breed Barnevelder chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • Netherlands
  • Eggs
    • Average 200 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown
  • Personality
    • Cute and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Black, double-laced, partridge, silver or white plumage
    • Single comb
    • Yellow legs
  Silver Porcelain Belgian D'Uccle chicken Belgian d’Uccle chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • Belgium
  • Eggs
    • Average 100 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Cream
  • Personality
    • Cute and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Millie fleur, black, porcelain, golden neck, mottled, blue or white plumage
    • Single comb
    • Feathered legs
  brahma chickens rooster in backyard Brahma chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • India
  • Eggs
    • Average 120 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown
  • Personality
    • Cute and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Black, blue-columbian, buff-columbian, dark, gold, light or white plumage
    • Pea comb
    • Feathered legs
  campine chicken breed Campine chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • Belgium
  • Eggs
    • Average 200 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White
  • Personality
    • Active and curious
  • Appearance
    • Gold or silver plumage
    • Single comb
    • Upright tail feathers in both sexes
  cochin chicken breed Cochin chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • China
  • Eggs
    • Average 120 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown
  • Personality
    • Cute and cuddly
  • Appearance
    • Black, blue, buff, gold-laced, partridge, silver-laced, splash or white plumage
    • Single comb
    • Feathered legs
  Cornish chicken in backyard Cornish chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • England
  • Eggs
    • Average 50 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown
  • Personality
    • Active and curious
  • Appearance
    • White, white laced red, dark plumage with brown patterning on a dark blue-green background (the Cornish Game) or lighter birds with the same patterning on a light wheaten background (Jubilee Cornish Game)
    • Pea comb
    • Thick yellow legs
  cream legbar chicken breed Cream Legbar chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • United Kingdom
  • Eggs
    • Average 150 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Blue, green or cream
  • Personality
    • Cute and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Gold, silver or cream plumage (cream is more common)
    • Single comb
    • Clean legs
  Johan & Croad Langshan Croad Langshan chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • China
  • Eggs
    • Average 140 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown
  • Personality
    • Active and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Black, white or blue plumage
    • Single comb
    • Feathered legs in males
  dominique chicken breed Dominique chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • United States of America
  • Eggs
    • Average 230 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown
  • Personality
    • Calm and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Black and white barred plumage
    • Rose comb
    • Five toes
  dorking chicken breed Dorking chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • England
  • Eggs
    • Average 150 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White or tinted
  • Personality
    • Calm and cute
  • Appearance
    • White plumage with a rose comb or silver-gray and red plumage with a single comb
    • Single or rose comb
    • Short legs, five toes
  faverolles chicken breed Faverolles chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • France
  • Eggs
    • Average 200 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Light brown or pink
  • Personality
    • Calm and cute
  • Appearance
    • White, salmon or mahogany plumage
    • Single comb
    • Feathered feet, five toes
  fayoumi chicken breed Fayoumi or Faiyumi chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • Egypt
  • Eggs
    • Average 90 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Cream or tinted
  • Personality
    • Active and curious
  • Appearance
    • Silver plumage
    • Single comb
    • Upright tail feathers in both sexes
  frizzle chicken breed Frizzle chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • South East Asia
  • Eggs
    • Average 150 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White or tinted
  • Personality
    • Cute and curious
  • Appearance
    • White, black, blue, buff or silver-grey plumage
    • Single comb
    • Upward curled feathers
  hamburg chicken breed Hamburg chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • Northern Europe
  • Eggs
    • Average 200 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White
  • Personality
    • Active and curious
  • Appearance
    • White, black, silver spangled, silver penciled, golden spangled, golden penciled, citron pencilled or citron spangled plumage
    • Rose comb
    • Upright tail feathers in both sexes
  houdan chicken breed Houdan chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • France
  • Eggs
    • Average 100 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White
  • Personality
    • Cute and friendly
  • Appearance
    • White or mottled plumage
    • Butterfly comb
    • Crest, five toes, beard
  isa brown chicken breed ISA Brown chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • France
  • Eggs
    • Average 300+ eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown
  • Personality
    • Curious and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Copper plumage
    • Single comb
  japanese bantam chicken breed Japanese Bantam chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • Japan
  • Eggs
    • Average 50 eggs per year
    • "
    • Egg colour: Cream or tinted
    • "
  • Personality"
    • Cute and calm  
    • "
  • Appearance"
    • White, black, black tailed white, black tailed buff, barred, brown red, grey or wheaten plumage
    • Single comb
    • Upright tail feathers in both sexes
  leghorn chicken breed Leghorn chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • Italy
  • Eggs
    • Average 280 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White
  • Personality
    • Active and curious
  • Appearance
    • Golden duckwing, silver duckwing, partridge, brown, buff, exchequer, columbian, pyle, white, black, blue, mottled cuckoo, blue-red, lavender, red crele or buff columbian plumage
    • Single or rose comb
    • Upright tail feathers in both sexes
  french copper maran chicken breed Maran chicken breed
  • Country of origin"
    • France
  • Eggs
    • Average 150 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Dark brown
  • Personality
    • Cute and friendly
  • Appearance
    • White, wheaten, black copper, birchen, blue, salmon, blue silver salmon, silver cuckoo or golden cuckoo plumage
    • Single comb
    • Feathered and clean leg varieties
  minorca chicken breed Minorca chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • Spain
  • Eggs
    • Average 200 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White
  • Personality
    • Active and regal
  • Appearance
    • Single comb black, rose comb black, single comb white, rose comb white or single comb buff plumage
    • Single or Rose comb
    • White earlobes
  naked neck chicken breed Naked Neck chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • Romania
  • Eggs
    • Average 150 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Light brown
  • Personality
    • Cute and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Black, white, cuckoo, buff, red, or blue plumage
    • Single comb
    • Featherless neck
  new hampshire chicken breed New Hampshire Red chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • United States of America
  • Eggs
    • Average 150 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown
  • Personality
    • Calm and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Red-brown plumage
    • Single comb
    • Yellow legs
  old english game chicken breed Old English Game chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • United Kingdom
  • Eggs
    • Average 100 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Tinted
  • Personality
    • Active and curious
  • Appearance
    • Black-breasted red, brown-red, golden duckwing, silver duckwing, red pyle, white and black plumage
    • Single comb
    • Upright, slim body type
  orpington chicken breed Orpington chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • United Kingdom
  • Eggs
    • Average 200 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Light brown
  • Personality
    • Cute and calm
  • Appearance
    • Black, white, buff, blue or splash plumage
    • Single comb
    • Voluminous feathers
  pekin chicken breed Pekin chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • China
  • Eggs
    • Average 50+ eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown or tinted
  • Personality
    • Cute and calm
  • Appearance
    • Black, blue, buff, cuckoo, mottled, barred, columbian, lavender, partridge, white, birchen or silver partridge plumage
    • Single comb
    • Feathered legs and feet, voluminous feathers
  plymouth rock chicken breed Plymouth Rock chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • United States of America
  • Eggs
    • Average 250 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Tinted
  • Personality
    • Curious and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Barred, white, buff, silver penciled, partridge, columbian, blue or black plumage
    • Single comb
    • Yellow legs
  polish chicken breed Polish chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • Netherlands
  • Eggs
    • Average 200 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White
  • Personality
    • Calm and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Black crested white, white crested black, golden, silver, white or buff laced plumage
    • Duplex comb
    • Crest
  rhode island red chicken breed Rhode Island Red chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • United States of America
  • Eggs
    • Average 300 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown or tinted
  • Personality
    • Curious and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Red or white plumage
    • Single or Rose comb
    • Deep yellow legs
  sebright chicken breed Sebright chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • United Kingdom
  • Eggs
    • Average 50 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Cream or white
  • Personality
    • Active and flighty
  • Appearance
    • Silver or golden laced plumage
    • Rose comb
    • Upright tails in both sexes
  silkie chicken breed Silkie chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • China
  • Eggs
    • Average 150-200 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White or tinted
  • Personality
    • Calm and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Fluffy black, white, partridge, buff, gray, blue plumage
    • Walnut comb
    • Feathered feet, five toes
  sultan chicken breed Sultan chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • Turkey
  • Eggs
    • Average 180 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: White
  • Personality
    • Calm and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Black, white, blue plumage
    • V shaped comb
    • Crest, vulture hocks, feathered feet, five toes
  sussex chicken breed Sussex chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • England
  • Eggs
    • Average 250-350 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Light brown
  • Personality
    • Curious and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Brown, buff, light, red, speckled silver, white and coronation plumage
    • Single comb
    • "
    • Voluminous feathers  
    • "

welsummer chicken breed

Welsummer chicken breed
  • Country of origin
    • The Netherlands
  • Eggs
    • Average 160 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Dark brown
  • Personality
    • Calm and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Partridge, silver duckwing and the gold duckwing plumage
    • Single comb
    • Yellow legs

wyandotte chicken breed

Wyandotte chicken breed

  • Country of origin
    • United States
  • Eggs
    • Average 200 eggs per year
    • Egg colour: Brown or tinted
  • Personality
    • Calm and friendly
  • Appearance
    • Golden laced, silver laced, white, black, buff, columbian, partridge and silver penciled plumage
    • Rose comb
    • Voluminous feathers

With so many amazing breeds to choose from, it can be eggstremely confusing and difficult to find the perfect breeds for you and your family. From looks, to personality, to egg-laying talents - where should you begin?

Cluckily, our friends over at Chickenpedia have created an amazing Chicken Breeds Course. This extensive online course shares useful advice on choosing the right chickens for you as well as size & frequency of eggs laid. You’ll even learn about their individual personalities, and be able to use their family-friendly compatibility scale through this well-structured program. It really is a great way to find your perfect backyard buddies which is why I highly recommend them to all of my readers! The courses are beginner-friendly and filled with vital information to help you raise a happy, healthy flock.

As chicken keepers, we want to do an eggcellent job when caring for our feathered friends, but many of us struggle to handle chicken health or behavior issues, especially in the first few years of having a flock. Chickenpedia have a full range of comprehensive online courses that cover everything you didn’t know you need to know and then some more! From healthcare to raising baby chicks to feeding and behavior, get the knowledge and confidence to successfully look after your chickens.

As a member, you will get access to ALL their fantastic courses. So, no need to wing it, become a confident chicken keeper. Click here to check out Chickenpedia today!