LIST OF WORLD BREEDS - Game Birds, Poultry, Garden Secrets and Supplies

All chickens lay eggs, have edible meat, and possess a unique appearance. However, distinct breeds are the result of selective breeding to emphasize certain traits. Any breed may technically be used for general agricultural purposes, and all breeds are shown to some degree. But each chicken breed is known for a primary use.

Eggs

Araucanas are one of the only breeds to lay blue or green eggs, and can be recognized by their lack of tail and distinctive ear tufts

Many breeds were selected and are used primarily for producing eggs, these are mostly light-weight birds whose hens do not go broody often.

Meat

Some breeds are preferred for meat alone, though the commercial broiler market is currently monopolized by the Cornish-Rock (a hybrid of the Cornish and Plymouth Rock). Many smaller farms and homesteads use dual-purpose breeds for meat production.

Bresse
Indian Game (or Cornish Game)
Ixworth
Jersey Giant

Dual-purpose

The Barred Plymouth Rock is a very popular dual-purpose breed

The generalist breeds used in barnyards the world over are adaptable utility birds good at producing both meat and eggs. Though some may be slightly better for one of these purposes, they are usually called dual-purpose breeds.

Exhibition

Since the 19th century, poultry fancy, the breeding and competitive exhibition of poultry as a hobby, has grown to be a huge influence on chicken breeds. Many breeds have always been kept for ornamental purposes, and others have been shifted from their original use to become first and foremost exhibition fowl, even if they may retain some inherent utility. Since the sport of cockfighting has been outlawed in the developed world, most breeds first developed for this purpose, called game fowl, are now seen principally in the show ring rather than the cock pit.

Modern Games were developed purely for exhibition

Bantams

Sebrights, such as this Golden cockerel, are among the most popular of bantams

Most large chicken breeds have a bantam counterpart, sometimes referred to as a miniature. Miniatures are usually one-fifth to one-quarter the size of the standard breed, but they are expected to exhibit all of the standard breed's characteristics. A true bantam has no large counterpart, and is naturally small. The true bantams include:

Cross-breeds

See also Category:Chicken hybrids

Many common strains of cross-bred chickens exist, but none breed true or are recognized by poultry breed standards. Thus, though they are extremely common in flocks focusing on high productivity, cross-breeds do not technically meet the definition of a breed. Most cross-breed strains are sex linked, allowing for easy chick sexing.

Black Sex Link (also called Black Stars)
Red Sex Link (also called Red Stars)
ISA Brown
Lohmann Brown
Daisy Belle
Cream Legbar
Cornish-Rock
Easter Egger
Broiler

Where to Find Us

8:00 Am to 7:00 Pm Monday Thru Saturday Pacific Time Hours

News