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There are hundreds of chicken breeds out there, ranging from classics like the Rhode Island Red to quirky “designer” birds like Frizzles. If you’re getting chickens for the first time, it’s best to start out with easy-going, friendly, and low maintenance chicken breeds. By starting your flock with the best chicken breeds for beginners, you’ll be able to learn the basics of chicken-keeping without stress, setting yourself up for success with your new pets.
I’ve been keeping chickens for more than four years now, and I’ve owned more than a dozen breeds, as well as plenty of “barnyard mixes,” a.k.a. chicken mutts! In my experience, there are a few types of chickens that are particularly well-suited for first time chicken owners. The following are the four best chicken breeds for beginners, as well as what I love about each kind.
ISA Browns
The Good Stuff
- Very friendly, calm, and sociable
- Start laying very early
- Lay consistently, even in the winter
- Handle cold and hot weather well
- Seldom go broody
- Easy to sex—no risk of unwanted roosters
The Bad Stuff
- Shorter lifespan than other breeds
When people ask me for chicken recommendations, ISA Browns are my #1 pick. I absolutely love them, and they’re a great chicken breed for beginners.
While I generally call them ISA Browns, these cute orange-y chickens go by many names. You may see them labeled as Golden Comets, Cinnamon Queens, Red Sex Link, or Golden Buffs, depending on where they’re sold, but it’s all the same type of chicken. They’re a hybrid breed that’s incredibly friendly and easy to handle, and they’re also one of the best chickens for eggs, laying large brown eggs consistently all year round. In fact, each chicken usually lays more than 300 eggs every year!
ISA Browns were the first chickens I ever owned, and I always have several of them in my flock. They frequently follow me around the yard and have no problem being picked up, and their friendly personalities are so endearing. Plus, because they’re a “sex link” breed, it’s easy to tell males and females apart when they’re born, which means there’s virtually no risk of getting an accidental rooster.
Buff Orpingtons
The Good Stuff
- Friendly and sweet personalities
- Variety of colors available
- Lay eggs year-round
- Handle cold and hot weather well
The Bad Stuff
- Prone to overeating
- Often become broody
Buff Orpingtons are often called the “Golden Retrievers” of chickens, and as the proud mom of two sweet goldens myself, it should come as no surprise that I love this breed. These chickens are sweet, friendly, and easy-going, and they have a big, fluffy appearance that I’ve always found endearing.
While buffs are generally the most popular, Orpingtons also come in a wide range of colors—you can get these friendly birds in chocolate, lavender, blue, and other fun colors to round out your flock. Orpingtons are also good egg layers, making them a top choice for beginners. They start laying earlier than other breeds, and you can expect four or five eggs per week from each of your birds.
The biggest downside to Orpingtons is that they’re prone to being broody, meaning they often want to sit on eggs and hatch chicks. This might not be a bad thing if you want to hatch eggs, but it can be frustrating if you don’t want to expand your flock, as broody chickens stop laying eggs.
Barred Rocks
The Good Stuff
- Docile personalities
- Lay consistently year-round
- Handle cold and hot weather well
- Good for free-ranging
The Bad Stuff
- Often become broody
Barred Rock chickens, also called Plymouth Rock chickens, are easily identifiable thanks to their black-and-white speckled feathers. They’re another popular chicken for beginners, and I’ve had great experiences owning this breed.
Barred rock chickens are generally quite docile and easy-going, but I will say they’re not quite as outgoing as some of the other breeds on this list. Mine generally don’t come running up to me like the ISA Browns, but they’re very gentle and easy to handle when needed. I’ve also found them to be great birds for free-ranging—we’ve never lost one to a predator, as they tend to be more aware of their surroundings than other breeds. They also lay eggs quite consistently, delivering three or four eggs a week all year-round.
Be warned, though: This is another breed that becomes broody regularly. One of my Barred Rocks is broody so often that she earned the name “Mama.” We occasionally let her sit on eggs, and she’s successfully raised several chicks that are now part of our flock. She’s a great mother!
Easter Eggers
The Good Stuff
- Quirky appearance, complete with “beards”
- Lay colorful eggs
- Seldom become broody
- Handle cold and hot weather well
The Bad Stuff
- Not the most sociable
- Often stop laying in the winter
Easter Eggers are aptly named thanks to their fun-colored eggs. They naturally lay blue and sometimes green eggs that are sure to spruce up your egg basket, making them a favorite for adults and kids alike! These chickens come in a variety of colors and feather patterns—I have four that all look completely different—and some even have fluffy “beards” that give them a quirky appearance.
While they’re not necessarily the friendliest chickens, Easter Eggers are still a good choice for beginners, especially if you don’t plan to handle your birds frequently. Mine are curious, but flighty—they don’t like being held and will generally run away if they think I’m going to pick them up. However, you could probably raise them to be more outgoing if you handle them regularly while they’re young.
I will say that Easter Eggers generally stop laying eggs in the winter—typically for three or four months due to lack of sunlight—especially in cold climates like New England. However, if you live somewhere with mild winters, you may not have this issue.
Chicken Breed FAQs
What is the friendliest type of chicken?
In my experience, ISA Browns, which are also called Golden Comets, Cinnamon Queens, and Golden Buffs, are naturally some the friendliest chickens.
Even if you don’t handle them too much when they’re chicks, these chickens generally still have outgoing personalities and will enjoy hanging out with you. They’ll follow you around and come running for treats. Mine even try to walk right into the house!
I will say that my ISA Browns can be a little fresh—they’re always the ones pecking at my leg if I don’t feed them fast enough—but overall, they’re consistently the friendliest chickens I’ve ever owned.
What breed of chicken is low maintenance?
The majority of backyard chicken breeds are low-maintenance. All they need is fresh water, food, a secure shelter, and enough space to spend their days. A small flock really only needs a few minutes of attention per day.
That said, there are some fancy “designer” chickens that require more upkeep. Silkies, in particular, are more high-maintenance than other chicken breeds. They require a dry coop and occasional grooming due to their fluffy coats, and they don’t fare well in cold climates. The same is true of Frizzle chickens and naked neck varieties.
Where can I find these chicken breeds?
Because these chicken breeds are all quite popular, they’re generally quite easy to find. Farm stores like Tractor Supply or Runnings almost always have ISA Browns, Orpingtons, and Easter Eggers in the spring, and you can often call your local store and have them reserve some for you.
I typically order chicks directly from a hatchery—specifically Meyer Hatchery—which have a bigger selection of breeds than farm stores. There are shipping minimums, though, so it may not be a practical option if you just need a few birds, and you often need to order a few months in advance to ensure you get the breeds you want.
The third option for sourcing chicks is a local farm or hatchery. Many farmers sell chicks in the spring, but you’ll want to find one that’s NPIP certified to ensure you’re getting healthy, disease-free birds.
How many chickens should a beginner start with?
If you’re a first-time chicken owner, it’s good to start with around 6 chickens. This is the sweet spot for beginners: It will be inexpensive to get started and you may even be able to house them in a pre-fab chicken coop, but it’s enough that your flock be OK if something happens to one or two. (Because, let’s face it: things happen.)