Keeping chickens at home for eggs

Peking Bantam

Peking Bantams are said to have originated in Peking and favoured by the Emperor of China in and around the 1860s. These birds were crossed with other breeds and have developed as Peking Bantams.
They are a placid bird and a good layer of eggs. They are a recommended breed for having around children due to their tame nature and their ability to flourish in relatively small spaces. Another advantage is they tend not to scratch as much as other species and so often favoured in urban environments. They are a fairly sociable bird and tend to live for relatively long periods. As you would suspect they are a very popular breed in the United Kingdom there colours include blue, silver, red, lavender, Colombian, black, white plus more.

The Dorking chicken  

Said to have originally originated in Italy during the Roman period. The Dorking chicken was introduced to Great Britain by the Romans early on. They were used to promote other breeds including Faverolles and Sussex breeds. They have short five toed legs with a predominantly rectangular body. The birds are susceptible to cold weather due to their large comb. A very versatile breed for both their egg laying abilities and the quality of their meat. They produce a white shelled egg. They are a placid and calm animal with three main varieties: coloured, silver-grey and white.    

Marans chicken  

A popular breed especially for their eggs as opposed the quality of their meat. There are small breed and have several recognise colours: black, virgin, black copper,, black tailed barfs, white and Colombian. The most common being black copper but all have white feet. The birds weigh on average 3 1/2 kg. They are a good bird to have at home as they are fairly quiet and gentle whilst also being alert. They flourish well on rough and free ranging terrains they are hardy tough and resistant to the more common diseases. You could expect from a man to lay in the order of 150 brown eggs per year. Historically they were prized not only for their eggs but also for the table qualities they arrived in the UK in the late 1930s.  

The Leghorn chicken

Named after an Italian city they are one of the most popular commercial breeds of chicken. They may be several colours: white, red, light brown, dark brown, blue buff, Colombian, silver. They are excellent layers of eggs producing approximately 300 a year. They can however be noisy and are easily excited. When mature they are fairly large birds weighing on average 3 1/2 pounds. There egg laying prowess has made them preferred by avian researchers and large-scale commercial producers especially in the United States.     

The Orpington chicken  

This is a bold upright breed with a broad back and quite a small head and tail. It is a large bird bred for both meat and egg production with growing popularity for show purposes. They are an attractive bird, developed from a cross between LangShan's, Minorcas and Plymouth rocks and named after the Kentish Town. They have soft abundant feathering and which obscures most of the legs of the animal. Usual colours include black, white, blue, buff but today there are even further more varieties. You could expect Orpington's delay approximately 100-150 eggs per year and they do not stop laying during the colder months. Hens may go broody more than other  breeds.  

The Plymouth rock

This breed is a dual purpose bird. It is hardly to the cold and often recommended for small-scale owners. There are approximately seven varieties of this chicken. They lay brown eggs and continue laying through winter with a somewhat reduced capacity.They are quite a docile bird they can be good for show purposes .Some strains are better for egg than meat and vice versa. They are not particularly aggressive.  

The Rhode Island Red

The most popular breeds considered a utility bird good for meat and eggs and show. They are mahogany colour verging on black.   They are a tough hardy animal with good resistance to illness and perform well in a free range environment. They tend to be docile and friendly. Again prolific egg layers you can expect in the region of 240 to 300 large eggs per year their meat quality is good.  

The Silkie  

Originating from Asia this is an ornamental chicken with a very sweet temperament they have a unique appearance and tenderly kept as pets they are a broody animal laying few eggs and are excellent mothers they are poor choice of egg production.   

The New Hampshire chicken  

Originating in the US they have a rich chestnut colour a little lighter than the Rhode Island Red. They lay brown eggs and serve well as a dual purpose chicken perhaps tending to be better for meat production as opposed to their egg laying abilities they are a medium-sized bird.   They are relatively new breed having been admitted to the standard in approximately 1935. They were selected for development out of the Rhode Island Red breed and by a combination of selection for growth feathering maturity this different breed emerged.   Their body structure is deep and broad and they grow their feathers quite rapidly. They have fair egg laying ability. Some strains been very competitive and aggressive.  

The Campine chicken  

These are fairly small breed with colourful hackles and a very dense feather structure. They tend to be non-broody and will lay a reasonable number of eggs. Primarily an ornamental breed they are said to have originated possibly in Belgium. They tend to be economic will to eat and flourish well free range. They are one of the more alert birds being inquisitive and lively. Their development is relatively rapid and they are quick to grow feathers. They are not an especially hardy breed and can be vulnerable in cold weather. They are beautiful and have beautiful colouring and texture. They lay medium white eggs.