When you are curious about chicken breeds, the first things to keep in mind are their shapes and sizes.
You’ve probably noticed that some breeds are bigger than others and have a ton of meat while others are not.
This is important information to consider, especially when looking for a new breed to add to your poultry farm.
Poultry farmers have different reasons for raising chickens.
While some may raise chickens for meat, others may do so for their egg production.
If you’re new to raising chickens for meat, check out my posts:What You Need BEFORE You Get Baby Chicks
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Either way, it’s important to know what the options are, especially if you’re going for the bigger, plumper ones!
In this article, you will learn about some of the largest chicken breeds you can raise in your backyard.
5 Largest Chicken Breeds in the World
1. Jersey Giant
The first list of large size breeds of chickens is the Jersey Giant, known for their friendly breed and calm temperament.
It can weigh up to 15 lbs, probably the largest breed of chicken you can find, and can be bred for meat or egg production.
It can lay around 150-200 large brown eggs per year and are known to be beautiful birds because of their impressive layers.
These dual purpose birds may be available in black and white.
Black Jersey Giants are generally heavier than whites, but both are good pets due to their docile nature, which makes these gentle giants a good alternative to turkey.
2. Brahma
If you are looking for a large breed of dual purpose chicken, then the dark Brahma are excellent chickens.
It can provide tasty meat and can lay eggs up to 300 per year.
And just like the Jersey Giant chicken, this breed of chicken is also a docile breed, making it a great choice for pets.
An interesting fact about Brahma chicken is that it is by far the largest breed of chicken in the world, which is why it is called the king of Chickens.
It can stand up to 30 inches tall and 10 pounds fat!
This impressive size is what makes it popular!
Brahma chickens have different breed versions.
There are regular versions and Bantam versions.
Both are available in different colors (Dark, Light, Buff) and sizes.
Brahma’s also made it to our Top 12 Heritage Chicken Breeds list as well.
If you are looking for a large breed of dual purpose chicken, then the dark Brahma are excellent chickens.
It can provide tasty meat and can lay eggs up to 300 per year.
And just like the Jersey Giant chicken, this breed of chicken is also a docile breed, making it a great choice for pets.
An interesting fact about Brahma chicken is that it is by far the largest breed of chicken in the world, which is why it is called the king of Chickens.
It can stand up to 30 inches tall and 10 pounds fat!
This impressive size is what makes it popular!
Brahma chickens have different breed versions.
There are regular versions and Bantam versions.
Both are available in different colors (Dark, Light, Buff) and sizes.
Brahma’s also made it to our Top 12 Heritage Chicken Breeds list as well.
3. Cochin
Another breed of baggy and massive birds that can reach a maximum size of 5 pounds is the Cochin, which is also a dual-purpose breed.
Being big and fat makes it a great choice for meat production.
Yet despite their buff appearance, they look very cute and amazing among other breeds of chicken.
They simply have good layers.
The cochin chickens are also friendly birds and easy to tame, especially the bantam version of the cochin (a smaller sized cochin) who loves to be cuddled.
As for their eggs, they can lay up to 160 large eggs per year.
Another breed of baggy and massive birds that can reach a maximum size of 5 pounds is the Cochin, which is also a dual-purpose breed.
Being big and fat makes it a great choice for meat production.
Yet despite their buff appearance, they look very cute and amazing among other breeds of chicken.
They simply have good layers.
The cochin chickens are also friendly birds and easy to tame, especially the bantam version of the cochin (a smaller sized cochin) who loves to be cuddled.
As for their eggs, they can lay up to 160 large eggs per year.
4. Cornish
Another popular breed of large birds is the Cornish chicken, which can weigh between 8.5-10 lbs.
It also has a flavorful meat, which is commonly used in the commercial meat industry.
This was first bred in Cornwall, UK in the late 1800s of Chinese and Vietnamese descent.
It can produce an average of 150 to 170 large, tinted eggs per year.
It also has different color variations, such as buff, white-laced red, black or white.
Cornish has two different breeds, and each has different sizes.
Cornish Game chickens appear with a combination of brown, dark blue, and green on their coats, and can reach a height of 26 inches and weigh 8.5 lbs for their average size while their hens are around 5.5 lbs.
Jubilee chickens, on the other hand, are larger in size but thinner and lighter in color.
A distinguishing feature of this breed of chicken is its widely spaced legs which become a support problem as they age or become heavier.
They are known to be a muscular breed of chicken with a slightly dominant temperament.
Due to their sharp eyes, they are often intimidating to approach and look on.
But they’re still considered docile, but not as friendly as the larger breeds of chicken mentioned above.
The good thing about this large breed of chicken is that it can adapt to hot and cold temperatures.
It can be bred in any region, but again, providing them with good shelter remains one of their basic needs.
When it comes to egg production, this breed can provide you with an average of 150-170 brown eggs per year.
But more often they are bred for their excellent meat.
Another popular breed of large birds is the Cornish chicken, which can weigh between 8.5-10 lbs.
It also has a flavorful meat, which is commonly used in the commercial meat industry.
This was first bred in Cornwall, UK in the late 1800s of Chinese and Vietnamese descent.
It can produce an average of 150 to 170 large, tinted eggs per year.
It also has different color variations, such as buff, white-laced red, black or white.
Cornish has two different breeds, and each has different sizes.
Cornish Game chickens appear with a combination of brown, dark blue, and green on their coats, and can reach a height of 26 inches and weigh 8.5 lbs for their average size while their hens are around 5.5 lbs.
Jubilee chickens, on the other hand, are larger in size but thinner and lighter in color.
A distinguishing feature of this breed of chicken is its widely spaced legs which become a support problem as they age or become heavier.
They are known to be a muscular breed of chicken with a slightly dominant temperament.
Due to their sharp eyes, they are often intimidating to approach and look on.
But they’re still considered docile, but not as friendly as the larger breeds of chicken mentioned above.
The good thing about this large breed of chicken is that it can adapt to hot and cold temperatures.
It can be bred in any region, but again, providing them with good shelter remains one of their basic needs.
When it comes to egg production, this breed can provide you with an average of 150-170 brown eggs per year.
But more often they are bred for their excellent meat.
5. Orpington
Orpington Chicken, also known as Buff Orpington, is a UK raised chicken with thick coats that are good winter layers, which is why it can tolerate cold weather conditions.
If you live in hot areas, you might not want to consider raising this type of chicken unless you can provide good shelter to protect them from sunburn.
They are bred for meat and eggs, and are also a great choice for pets due to their friendly and docile temperaments.
The interesting thing about this breed of chicken is that it can be found in a variety of colors, such as chocolate, blue, lavender, buff, and black, and can grow up to 16 inches tall and weigh 10 pounds (their hen weighs an average of 8 pounds).
They are also great layers, ranging from 200 to 280 light brown eggs per year, medium to large in size.
This big bird also has impressive layers.
Because it is extremely friendly and docile, they are often not mixed with aggressive breeds of chicken in a pen.
But they are good as pets, especially suitable for children who like to keep playful chickens on the poultry farm.
If you have small farms and are looking for a large chicken bun that does well, this breed of chicken may be a good choice for you!
Conclusion
These are some of the most popular large chicken breeds raised on the poultry farm.
Whether you are just a beginner in raising large chickens or just raising your adventure a little higher, the points mentioned here would help you a lot!
Carefully consider your options, as well as the size of your pen, the climate in your area, and your budget for a shelter.
Overall, raising the biggest chicken breeds is a fun and worthwhile experience.
Orpington Chicken, also known as Buff Orpington, is a UK raised chicken with thick coats that are good winter layers, which is why it can tolerate cold weather conditions.
If you live in hot areas, you might not want to consider raising this type of chicken unless you can provide good shelter to protect them from sunburn.
They are bred for meat and eggs, and are also a great choice for pets due to their friendly and docile temperaments.
The interesting thing about this breed of chicken is that it can be found in a variety of colors, such as chocolate, blue, lavender, buff, and black, and can grow up to 16 inches tall and weigh 10 pounds (their hen weighs an average of 8 pounds).
They are also great layers, ranging from 200 to 280 light brown eggs per year, medium to large in size.
This big bird also has impressive layers.
Because it is extremely friendly and docile, they are often not mixed with aggressive breeds of chicken in a pen.
But they are good as pets, especially suitable for children who like to keep playful chickens on the poultry farm.
If you have small farms and are looking for a large chicken bun that does well, this breed of chicken may be a good choice for you!
Conclusion
These are some of the most popular large chicken breeds raised on the poultry farm.
Whether you are just a beginner in raising large chickens or just raising your adventure a little higher, the points mentioned here would help you a lot!
Carefully consider your options, as well as the size of your pen, the climate in your area, and your budget for a shelter.
Overall, raising the biggest chicken breeds is a fun and worthwhile experience.
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