Chickens can be found in all various sizes and shapes, and as you likely know, the bigger the chicken, the higher the possibility that it will give a lot of meat to your table.
You may need to consider these giant chicken breeds for your backyard flock if you are pondering raising chickens for meat or eggs.
15 Giant Chicken Breeds You Will Find
Trying to find the giant chicken breeds on the marketplace?
Here are 15 giant chicken breeds that you must consider:
1. Jersey Giant Chicken, the Biggest Breed of Chickens
Function: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat).
Personality: Calm and friendly.
Optimum Size: 15 pounds.
When it comes to the elegance of the Jersey Giant chicken breed, the name genuinely does state everything.
This chicken is possibly among the biggest you will find, with roosters weighing in approximately 15 pounds.
For whatever circumstances, black Jersey Giant chickens tend to be a bit much heavier than white ones.
They stand 26 inches high– yes, over 2 feet!– and were initially bred as a heritage breed in New Jersey.
These chickens are pleasant and friendly, very first bred as an option to the domesticated turkey. And some Jersey giant chickens are even bigger than the turkey itself.
Today, many individuals raise Jersey Giant chickens on their small farms since they are so friendly– they make wonderful family pets.
They are also remarkable layers, providing between 150 and 200 big brown eggs each annually.
2. Brahma Giant Chicken, The Guinness Record Holder Breed
Function: Dual-purpose (meat and eggs).
Character: Friendly.
Optimum Size: 10 pounds.
Believe it or not, it’s the Brahma chicken that holds the Guinness record as the biggest chicken in the world.
While this isn’t always the most giant chicken breed, it has the best capability for growing to an enormous size.
Brahma chickens can be seen in different colors, such as Light, Buff, and Dark. There are also bantam variations of Brahma chicken available.
Unlike the Jersey Giant chickens, there is no size distinction between the various colors. However, there is a size distinction between bantam and common variants of the breed.
Known as the King of Chicken, the Brahma chicken makes an exceptional pet, having a friendly personality.
This ancient breed can rise to 30 inches high (although this is unusual).
Brahmas have feathered feet and are distinguished egg layers, offering approximately 300 eggs each year.
3. Cochin Giant Chicken, the Fluffiest of the Large Breed
Function: Dual-purpose (meat and eggs).
Character: Easy to tame and devoted.
Optimum Size: 5 pounds.
Next on our list of giant chicken breeds is the Cochin chicken.
These docile, fluffy giant chickens do not just deliver excellent quantities of meat. However, they also are beautiful to take a look at.
These chickens are rather cuddly, having a thick layer of fluffy, downy plumes.
They enjoy being handled with their owners– this is particularly true if you choose the bantam variety of cochin, which is much smaller sized at just 2 pounds.
Cochins are mild to tame and love being fed treats. Matured Cochins weigh in at around 5 pounds, and they also lay eggs. You can anticipate about 160 eggs each year.
You can anticipate around 160 eggs each year.
4. Cornish Giant chicken, the Excellent Compromise Breed
Function: Meat production.
Personality: Docile.
Optimum Size: 10 pounds.
Cornish chickens were first established in the United Kingdom throughout the 1800s.
This chicken breed is the parent stem behind the famous Cornish Rock chicken, which is frequently grown as a commercial meat breed.
While Cornish Rock chickens are also big, they are a hybrid breed that tends to be susceptible to many health concerns since they grow out so rapidly– specifically, they can suffer from leg issues and heart problems.
The Cornish chicken is an excellent compromise.
These birds tip the scales at 10 pounds and can be found in many varieties, such as Buff, Dark, White-Laced Red, Black, and White.
They are exceptionally docile, however seldom kept for their laying capability.
Although Cornish chickens are docile, they aren’t as friendly as Jersey Giant chickens, Cochins or Brahmas.
They are seldom aggressive. However, it would help if you gave them a lot of areas to roam to prevent any concerns associated with supremacy and dominance.
They endure both warm and cold temperature climates well.
5. Orpington Giant Chicken Breed
Function: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat).
Character: Calm.
Optimum Size: 10 pounds.
Next up on our list of giant chicken breeds is the Orpington chicken breed.
Originally came from the town of Orpington, in the United Kingdom, this heritage chicken breed can be found in different color versions such as:
Black
Buff
White
Chocolate Cuckoo
Lavender Columbian
Blue
Columbian
Lavender
Splash
Chocolate
Although not all of these are accepted by breed standards, there is no distinction in size among the numerous versions.
These dual-purpose chickens are calm and friendly. Despite their size, they get well with confinement.
Hens frequently go broody, making them a fantastic option for individuals who have an interest in hatching their chicks.
Orpingtons are likewise terrific egg layers. These big chickens, which weigh in at around 10 pounds, will likewise supply you with about 280 eggs annually.
6. Maline Giant Chicken
Function: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat).
Personality: Docile.
Optimum Size: 12 pounds.
The Maline chicken is a less common chicken breed that came from Belgium in the 1800s.
One of the giant chickens on the planet– it often measures up to the Jersey Giant chicken in its weight class -the roosters of this giant chicken breed can reach a tremendous 12 pounds!
Despite their size, Maline chickens are exceptionally tender and mild. They’re awesome if you have kids!
Roosters and hens alike have cuckoo-patterned plumes.
These calm birds aren’t just valued for their look, either– they also lay a moderate quantity of 150 big brown eggs each year.
Bantam Malines are also available. However, they aren’t almost as common as the full-sized version.
7. Malay, the Tallest Giant Chicken Breed
Function: Ornamental.
Personality: Aggressive.
Optimum Size: 9 pounds.
The Malay chicken breed is usually considered the tallest chicken breed.
It’s not as gigantic chicken as the Jersey Giant or the Maline breed. The Malay can grow up to 30 inches in height.
It came from Europe as a cross from chickens indigenous to India and the Malay peninsula. There, these birds grew in appeal for their height.
When it pertains to meat and egg production, these chickens aren’t too shabby– they weigh approximately 9 pounds.
That being stated, these chickens are relatively rare and are now kept mainly for decorative and show purposes.
It needs to be kept in mind that Malay chickens can be rather intrusive.
They have thick bones and large skulls and grow to heights of almost 30 inches– they will stand numerous inches taller than the rest of the chickens in your flock.
Since they can be more aggressive, these chickens require a great deal of area. The more confident they are, the more aggressive they will be.
These chickens do not lay a lot of eggs, producing less than 100 each year.
This is because the hens are seasonal layers and will stop egg production midway through the year.
8. Barred Rock, the Most Lovely Giant Chicken Breed
Function: Egg production.
Personality: Friendly.
Optimum Size: 7 pounds.
Barred Rocks are a timeless American breed, has actually been around since the 1700s.
Roosters can be rather big, weighing as much as 7 pounds, and both hens and roosters alike have friendly characters.
They are also exceptional layers, providing as many as 280 eggs each year.
Furthermore, this chicken breed is among the most lovely to look at, sporting defined barred white and black plumes.
9. Langshan, the Climate-Resistant Giant Chicken Breed
Function: Dual function (eggs and meat).
Character: Resilient.
Optimum Size: 9.5 pounds.
Langshan chickens are indigenous to China and made the journey to the United States in the 19th century.
These chickens have feathered feet, providing a unique look that is valued in the show circuits.
Langshan birds lay dark brown eggs– usually around 180 annually– and can weigh approximately 9.5 pounds.
They are also extremely tall, standing well above the rest of the chickens in a typical flock.
These chickens are pretty friendly towards people. However, they are frequently kept since they are extremely heat tolerant.
They are durable to many climates and do well when delegated their own arrangements.
A competent forager, this giant chicken breed is fantastic at discovering its food.
10. Dong Tao, the Most Awkwardly Built Bizarre Giant Chicken Breed
Function: Meat production.
Character: Good-natured and trusting.
Optimum Size: 12 pounds.
Dong Taos are very uncommon and come from Vietnam.
They are regarded as a threatened chicken breed and have one of the most strange looks you will encounter in a chicken.
These birds are huge, weighing around 12 pounds, and have enlarged, swollen feet and legs. Their legs are about as thick as an adult male human’s wrist!
Due to the fact that these chickens are so gigantic and awkwardly erected, they aren’t normally kept for egg production– they stomp on their eggs before they have an opportunity to leave the nest box.
Their meat is considered a specialty in Vietnam.
11. Rhode Island Red
Function: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat).
Personality: Hardy.
Optimum Size: 9 pounds.
Rhode Island Red chickens are another popular breed of chicken that is typically kept for their gigantic size.
These chickens are not developed to be show breeds; they are still beautiful to look at, having elegant, smooth red plumes.
These chickens are very cold hardy, and need very little care, making them a popular option for individuals who desire a backyard chicken that will mainly take care of itself.
There are 2 typical Rhode Island Red breeds discovered today: those that are commercial and bred for high egg production, and heritage birds, which tend to be much bigger.
These heritage strains can be traced back to the first European inhabitants, and while they do not offer as lots of eggs as the commercial strains, they are rather big. Roosters can weigh approximately 9 pounds.
12. Delaware
Function: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat).
Personality: Easygoing.
Optimum Size: 8 pounds.
The Delaware chicken is an exceptional breed to consider if you desire a bird that will give both meat and eggs.
They aren’t the heaviest chickens you will find, weighing just about 6 to 8 pounds. They are superb egg layers, performing around 280 eggs each year.
Delaware chickens were produced as a crossbreed between Barred Plymouth Rocks and New Hampshire in the 1940s.
A famous broiler chicken for its white pigmentation, this breed grows faster and is reasonably friendly.
13. Australorp
Function: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat).
Character: Hardy and docile.
Optimum Size: 10 pounds.
The Australorp is a traditional chicken breed that is gradually restoring appeal in the United States.
Initially from Australia, this chicken is associated with the Orpington– thus the “orp” in the name.
Roosters can be big, weighing approximately 10 pounds, while hens hold their own by delivering as much as 300 eggs each year.
14. New Hampshire Red
Function: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat).
Character: Hardy and aggressive.
Optimum Size: 9 pounds.
The New Hampshire Red is a fairly young chicken breed, having just been bred in the mid-1900s.
This chicken was developed to grow out rapidly and grow as quickly as possible.
Today, it’s one of the most popular breeds of chicken– and it’s also among the giant chicken breeds.
Hens weigh around 6 and a half pounds, while roosters can tip the scales at almost 9 pounds.
These birds are dual-purpose chickens, however, typically raised for meat production.
They have thick, stocky bodies that are developed to assist insulate the bird from winter.
This aggressive chicken is normally at the top of the chain of command, so it needs lots of space in the cage and runs.
This chicken lays about 200 big brown eggs each year.
Providing the very best of both worlds, this dual-purpose chicken is an excellent compromise for individuals who desire both eggs and meat from their backyard flocks.
15. Belgian, the liege fighter giant chicken breed
Function: Ornamental.
Character: Nervous.
Optimum Size: 3 pounds.
The Belgian chicken might not be the largest chicken breed out there, however, it’s one of the tallest.
Recognized as the Liege Fighter, this chicken is a lean, high, and muscular breed of chicken.
An uncommon breed, it was developed for fighting and has an incredibly strong build. It has a prominent brow, alert dark eyes, and very few combs and wattles.
This chicken can be found in 10 various colors and patterns, typically found in numerous shades of black.
This chicken also has black skin and black legs, hocks, and four-toed feet.
Standing 30 inches high, this chicken is practically muscular, weighing just a couple of pounds at the biggest.
Why Would You Want to Raise a Giant Chicken Breed?
There are numerous motives regarding why raising a giant chicken might be for you.
Giant chickens tend to– certainly– produce more meat, making them a realistic option as broiler birds.
They are also typically raised since they can have more serene characters than other breeds and tend to be more friendly.
If you have ever handled flighty birds in the past, you most likely will not need to stress about that sort of behavior with a giant chicken breed.
Since these birds tend to have a more difficult time raising their heavyweight off the ground, they will typically stay put, obtaining them better adapted to free-ranging.
A few of these birds are also incredibly high and tall, making them the best options when it pertains to working them in your garden.
Given that they will have the ability to reach high brush and grow more quickly, they might do a much better task keeping weeds and insects out of your growing areas.
Are Giant Chickens More Aggressive?
Chicken size is seldom associated with behavior patterns.
Giant chicken breeds typically tend to be more friendly, as they do not feel the necessity to contend their way to the top of the pecking order.
Hostility tends to be unassociated to breed. However, roosters are typically more aggressive than hens.
This has nothing to do with size and more to do with gender– a rooster in the first year of his life will tend to be more hostile, as will all roosters throughout the early spring season.
Otherwise, aggressiveness will be more directly related to the particular personality of your specific chicken.
Giving your birds many areas, despite bird size or gender, is the best way to decrease hostility in the flock.
Do Giant Chickens Lay Larger Eggs?
Giant chicken breeds frequently produce bigger eggs. However, that’s not always the case.
If you are intending on raising chickens for egg generation and you are aspiring to attain a commercial scale, then picking a chicken breed based entirely on its size alone might not be the ideal option.
Rather, you need to select a high egg-yielding breed.
While there is some overlap here, Rhode Island Reds are big chickens that also happen to lay a lot of eggs– the two do not always coincide.
White Leghorns, for example, are relatively small chickens that are extraordinary egg producers.
If you are searching for a giant chicken breed that also provides plenty of eggs, you may wish to consider giant chicken breeds that also lay good quantities of large- or jumbo-sized eggs, such as:
Marans.
Rhode Island Reds.
Langshans.
Jersey Giants.
Barred Rocks.
Welsummers.
Orpingtons.
Do Giant Chicken Breeds Have More Health Problems?
Giant chickens will not be susceptible to any more health issues than smaller-sized chickens.
As long as you keep tidy and clean living conditions and supply your chickens with proper care, you do not need to worry about your giant chickens catching any size-specific diseases.
There is one exception to this. Like Cornish Cross chickens, some large-breed broiler chickens have been bred selectively to motivate growth rates and body mass.
This makes them more effective to raise, as they reach their optimum size earlier in their lives and can, for that reason, be butchered earlier.
These chickens grow so rapidly that they reach slaughter weight after just 42 days.
They need not be fed free choice as they will consume whatever insight.
This gross overindulging can trigger health issues such as weight problems, arthritis, gout, and cardiovascular disease.
There is an increased possibility of bumblefoot infections and affected crops in big breed chickens, too.
Sometimes, big breed chickens experience extreme leg and joint issues because their bodies establish faster than their skeletal and joint systems can deal with.
As a result, you must watch on your giant chicken– especially if it is a hybrid broiler breed– to make certain it remains healthy.
Is a Giant Chicken Breed Right for You?
Raising a giant chicken is no different than raising a chicken of any other size.
You need to keep in mind that there will be additional needs on your facilities if you pick to raise larger birds.
Giant chickens need more area in the cage and run, stronger roost bars, and bigger door openings.
You will also require bigger nest boxes and, obviously, more food!
If you can satisfy the needs of the giant chicken, then raising a giant chicken breed could be a wise decision for your backyard flock.
References:
- Jersey Giant Chicken American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.
- Bassom, Frances (2009). Chicken breeds & care: a color directory of the most popular breeds and their care (1. ed.). Buffalo, N.Y.: Firefly Books. pp. 142–143. ISBN 978-1-55407-473-0.
- Brahma Chicken. The Livestock Conservatory. Accessed December 2018.
- APA Recognized Breeds and Varieties: As of January 1, 2012. American Poultry Association. Archived 4 November 2017.
- Liste des races et variétés homologuée dans les pays EE (28.04.2013). Entente Européenne d’Aviculture et de Cuniculture. Archived 16 June 2013.
- Victoria Roberts (2008). British poultry standards: complete specifications and judging points of all standardized breeds and varieties of poultry as compiled by the specialist breed clubs and recognised by the Poultry Club of Great Britain. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 9781405156424.
- George Pickering Burnham (1874). The China Fowl: Shanghae, Cochin, and “Brahma”. Melrose, Massachusetts: Rand, Avery and Co.
- [s.n.] (1954). Breeds of Chickens For Meat and Egg Production. Farmers’ Bulletin 2065. Washington, D.C.: United States Department of Agriculture. Pages 14–15.
- Cyril Hrnčár, Monika Hässlerová, Jozef Bujko (2013). The Effect of Oviposition Time on Egg Quality Parameters in Brown Leghorn, Oravka and Brahma Hens. Scientific Papers: Animal Science and Biotechnologies 46 (1).
- N. Moula, M. Jacquet, A. Verelst, N. Antoine-Moussiaux, F. Farnir, P. Leroy (2012). Les races de poules belges (in French). Annales de Médecine Vétérinaire 156: 37-65. Accessed January 2017.
- Chicken Breeds and Varieties (A2880), John L. Skinner, University of Wisconsin–Madison; Dr. Joe Berry, Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University
View Comments (34)
Adequate Area: You need to provide plenty of space inside the cage. They have large wingspans and delight in flapping their wings so make sure they have enough room. An absolute minimum of 5 square feet per chicken in the cage-- 6-8 is better. Likewise if you absolutely need to have them restricted then you must enable a minimum of 10 square feet per chicken in the run. As always the more space the better.
Perches: You will likewise need to modify your perches. They will need to be durable as most of these chickens weigh 10lb so six chickens on a perch will be around 60lb. The perches will likewise need to be relatively broad to permit bigger feet. Most importantly the perches should be lower to the ground (around 18-24 inches). This assists to prevent any foot or leg injuries when they leap below greater perches.
Accommodation: You will require to make sure adjustments to the cage for large/giant sized chickens to make their life more comfy. Make their access doors broader and a bit taller-- if you aim for turkey sized doors that will suffice (30x19inches).
Free Ranging: These are big chickens with large cravings so your feed expense is going to be bigger too. Enabling them to complimentary range lets the chicken supplement their feed with yummy fresh morsels from the backyard. This will minimize your feed costs and likewise lets them exercise which in turn keeps them healthy and fit.
Mix it well with other garden waste and you have your own extremely compost that you do not have to pay for. Some folks even generate income out of selling chicken poop compost!
Finally these big chickens aid with your land.
Turning chickens loose in the pasture can keep the pasture free from maggots and flies since the hens will consume them all.
Also large chickens tend to lay large/jumbo sized eggs!
Another benefit is insect control.
These chickens love to totally free variety and in doing so will eliminate all sorts of nasty bugs from your yard-- mosquitoes, Japanese beetles, grubs, slugs and ticks. They are great and effective at getting rid of these critters and you will thank them for it.
They will likewise provide you with lots of garden compost.
You could certainly be forgiven for thinking that there are no advantages to keeping large types-- they consume a lot and grow slowly.
Those traits are viewed as negatives in today's busy world.
However these characteristics can likewise be an extremely positive thing.
Large chickens that are raised naturally on pasture lay eggs that taste much better than a barn raised chicken. Their egg yolks are much yellower and the egg itself consists of many more good things than a battery hen egg.
Jerseys invest the majority of their time foraging and they are excellent at it-- this assists cut down on your feed costs.
The Jersey comes in three colors (black, white and blue) with black being the most typical.
Simply keep in mind these chickens requires bigger coops. The doors ought to be taller, nesting boxes bigger and naturally more coop space per chicken..
Turkeys could however they were costly so the Jersey was born as an inexpensive alternative.
This huge chicken loafs twenty 4 inches high and can weigh 11-15lb.
Whilst you may anticipate such a large chicken to be a bully to other flock members, she is in reality really mild. This peaceful giant is quiet and docile and prefers to stay away from trouble and cage squabbles.
The Jersey Giant is an American bred chicken.
They were first bred in the late 1800s in the state of New Jersey (which describes their name).
At the time they were reproduced to be a double purpose chicken.
Back in the late 1800s big families were the norm and there were couple of table chickens that could feed a big household.