Instructions
Consider the environment that the chickens will be calling home. Some breeds, such as Dominiques, tolerate cold temperatures, while others, such as Catalanas, prefer heat.
Evaluate your reason for raising chickens. A farmer intending to sell eggs in a local market will need a different breed of chicken than a family that desires a small flock of friendly, egg-laying pets. Some chickens are more social and make better pets. Chickens lay anywhere from one to seven eggs a week and eggs differ in color and size from breed to breed.
Plan the living space your chickens will have. Some need more room to run and would appreciate roaming free-range throughout the yard or property, while others are comfortable with the confinement of a coop and a small, fenced chicken run. Some chickens are shy, while others are comfortable being handled by humans. If you desire a pet that will allow you to hold and play with it, look for a breed that is friendly with humans.
Consider whether you would like to have one breed of chicken or if you prefer to mix and match several breeds. Some are more aggressive than others. Find the zoning rules in your area. Some urban areas allow only hens, considering roosters a noise problem. Other cities impose rules on how many chickens are allowed in a backyard flock.
Find a local or mail-order breeder that carries the breed of chickens you desire and will sell them in the desired quantity. Some breeders specialize in backyard flocks and will ship as few as four chicks, while others cater to commercial farms and sell chicks in groups of 25. If your city only allows hens, look for a breeder that sells sexed chicks and guarantees all females. Some mail-order breeders ship day-old chicks while some local breeders may have older hens closer to egg-laying age.
How to Find a Breed of Chicken
With more than 100 breeds of chickens to choose from, selecting the right breed and then finding a breeder may seem like a daunting task. The right breed for you depends on the purpose behind raising chickens. Some breeds excel at egg productions, some are bred typically for meat, some for show and others excel in multiple areas. The size of the flock you desire and their living conditions will also influence your decision. Once you have a few breeds in mind, you must find a breeder willing to sell you the number of chicks you desire.