9 Top chicken breeds for Australia
It would be extreme difficult and unfair to place one of the following chicken breeds ahead of each other when they compete for pole position. They are all adorable and loving companions in your backyard. In their own way they possessed excellent qualities. These feathered friends will soon become part of your life.
1. Isa Brown
The humbleness of the Isa Brown is outstanding They are well known for their egg production. They are an excellent choice for farmers and backyard chicken coop keepers. The owner of ISA Brown chickens will adore their gentle nature and resilience.
They are the most common breed of chickens used in battery egg production in Australia. Because of this fact, these loveable girls are often available for adoption from rescue organisations. At their new homes they do not require much to be happy and content. Isa Brown hens are really a great choice for first time chicken keepers. They adore human company and like to be cuddled and touched.
Their point of lay is between 20-22 weeks of age. One hen can lay up to 300 delicious eggs per year. Two or three hens can easily feed your family with eggs.
Apart from chicken feed they will adore a snack of mealworms now and then. Like all chickens they love dust bathing, so access to dry soil on occasion is a must.
They require deworming and must be protected from lice and mites. Absorbent bedding material is a good idea for their coop.
2. Plymouth Rock
These chickens are a wonderful breed for novice keepers and the seasoned keepers alike. They are relaxed and make any coop a more loving and fun place to be. Their responsiveness is a great plus for your coop. These Americans are named after their town of origin and quickly made their mark in the chicken world. They are good layers with a friendly nature. This makes them very suitable for families with young children. With their relaxed approached to life they adore the extra love that children tend to give them.
Each hen can give you more than 200 large eggs per year. Once the brooding season starts, they will show their natural mother instincts. They care and make excellent hatchers.
3. Barnevelder
These chickens are of the most attractive types of backyard chickens in Australia. The iridescent green tinge in their feathers beautify their unique appearance. They have got a quirky personality and are a loveable breed. Their beautiful chocolate brown coloured eggs make them a wanted specie in the chicken world. They have got laid back personalities and appear to be lazy. This is one of the reasons that they are appreciated by their owners.
Do not overfeed them with the wrong kind of treats, like bread or pasta. Because they are inactive, they can quickly put on weight. They also lay around 200 eggs per year. These stunning chickens are low on maintenance and do take care of themselves.
4. Australorp
This local breed is a favourite in many Australian backyards. With their brilliant black, white, or blue plumage and their characteristic Aussie attitude there are winning many hearts. On top of that is the rumour that an Australorp hen holds the record for laying the most eggs in a single year – 364 eggs in 365 days – wonderful. Under low pressure backyard keeping they will average 250 eggs per year. Stil plenty of protein for an Aussie mum to power her family with.
These chickens are wonderful with humans and other poultry. They have got the ideal temperament for any coop or farming venture. Australorps were bred to survive in the unpredictable, and sometimes severe Australian climate. Their hardiness and resilience give them a notch above other chicken breeds. Good quality feed and enough shell grit should keep them happy in their new home.
5. New Hampshire Red
This chicken breed is a reliable and robust hen that lays delicious eggs and form wonderful friendships in the coop. They were developed in the early 1900s by New Hampshire farmers. They are fast growing, early to lay and hardy to face their bitter cold winters at their place of origin.
New Hampshire chickens are gentle and relaxed hens who love to free range. They love companionship and are happy to be in a flock. Motherhood comes easy for them. They are caring and natural brooders. They produce about 150 eggs per year.
During cold winters they just carry on with their natural day to day foraging. Their full and fluffy weather coats insulate the New Hampshire hen’s body against the chill.
They are easy to care for and would welcome a treat quite often. Mealworms would make them eat out of your hand and they will be locked into your heart for years to come.
6. Orpington
Orpington chickens were bred by British poultry breeders at the turn of the 20th century. They were bred to withstand England’s extremely cold winters, whilst still producing eggs. As an Orpington fanatic, you would soon realise that there are no better mothers and natural carers in the world of chickens. In the brooding season they are the hens that would keep the eggs warm for the chickens to hatch. As mothers they are kind, gentle and loving, just what their chickens need.
These hens produce 300 eggs regularly each year. Their good nature makes them the ideal breed for a loving family with small children. These chickens do seem to have it all – they are fluffy and feathery and needs to cuddle. You would not go wrong on your decision to keep this breed in your coop.
7. Frizzle
The dramatic and stunning Frizzle chicken looks like she just stepped out of a salon with an unfortunate blow dry. This give them a curious artistic look with their frazzled and fluffy feathers all over. Their feathers curl outwards instead of lying flat. They have got a warm temperament with a glamorous attitude. These girls come in standard and bantam sizes and they wear their feathers with pride.
They originated in Asia during the 18th century and are now bred for their fabulous look at chicken shows. These chickens are docile and gentle with a relaxed appearance. With all their feathers they do feel the cold in wintertime. Make sure that they have got sufficient bedding in their coop. They produce about 150 beautiful cream or tinted eggs per hen each year. Just ensure that they have got a balanced diet of good quality feed with high protein and they will never let you down.
8. Belgian d’Uccle
The Belgian d’Uccle chicken is one of the sweetest, loveliest, and cuddliest pets in the whole wide chicken world. Originating from Uccle in the Brussels-Capital of Belgium these vibrant ladies come in many different shapes, colours, and sizes. They have got a wide variety of feathers, colours, patterns, and shades.
The Belgian d’Uccle is not a hen that every chicken lover keeps for laying eggs. They only lay about a 100 eggs per year. As friends for your hen laying chickens, they are great. If you are looking for little chickens with big hearts, you are at the right address.
With their puffy pockets of feathers, you must treat them regularly for lice and mite. A regular supply of apple cider vinegar might just be the answer. As brooders they do an excellent job. Many chicken lovers keep them in the coop just for that.
9.Rhode Island Red
Rhode Island Reds are the large robust chicken breed for backyard keepers who want a laidback layer to add to their flock. These hens are renowned for their hardiness in any type of environment. They make the perfect companion pet for any chicken lady and a great friend for kids. Bred on the poultry farms in Little Compton, Rhode Island in the late 1800s, the Rhode Island Red breed is popular throughout the United States. They are comfortable in just about any hemisphere and this hardy nature and ability to adjust make them one of the most successful and widespread flocks in the USA for years.
With their red colour plumage and yellow legs, they are always foraging in your backyard, looking for that morsel of grub, seeds, and treats. They like to keep busy and would make a loving companion for the family that loves being in the yard.
They produce about 300 big brown eggs per year. In line with their hardy nature no foul weather will deter them from laying eggs. They weigh more than 3 kilograms.
