CHICKEN BREEDS FOR NEW KEEPERS

Aside from fresh eggs, there are many benefits to keeping chickens. They are very therapeutic creatures to have around and don’t need much to thrive: clean surroundings, a stress-free environment, fresh feed and water, access to grit and grass, perches, clean bedding and somewhere to dust-bathe. The choices of breeds are varied, but here are a few that are long-established and always welcome new keepers. Words by Grant Brereton. Visit the Poultry Keeper website for an extensive list of chicken breeds (poultrykeeper.com)

LIGHT SUSSEX

The Light Sussex is just one variety of the Sussex breed, but by far the most popular. Its white body plumage with contrasting black markings, mainly in the neck and tail areas, make it undeniably attractive. It has a single comb, and most strains are hardy, placid and reasonably good layers of tinted eggs. There are both large fowl and bantam versions available. This variety is a true British gem, created in the 1860s from light brahmas and Dorking fowl.

BRAHMA

The Brahma is a huge big-boned fowl that has a ‘stately’ gait. It developed in the US from imported ‘Shanghai fowl’ and was perfected in the UK after a consignment of birds was sent to Queen Victoria in 1852. With a charming disposition, this breed has a unique feature: its brow, formed by a wide skull and slightly overhanging feathers above the eyes, making them appear ‘hawk-like’. It has heavily feathered legs, and comes in large fowl and bantam sizes.

SILVER-GREY DORKING

The Dorking is considered Britain’s oldest breed, and believed by many to have been brought over by the Romans. The most popular variety is the silver-grey, where the female is predominantly silver with a whitish neck and salmon-coloured breast. The male (pictured) has black in the breast, wing bar and tail, with the remainder of its plumage white. This calm ‘meat breed’ has relatively short legs and a long, deep body with five toes, not the usual four, on each foot.

SILKIE

The silkie breed, originating in China, has a special kind of feather that looks very similar to fur. This is caused by the feather barbules not ‘hooking’ together as they do in other chickens. The silkie is a very placid breed renowned for its mothering qualities and is good for children. It has black skin and five-toed moderately feathered feet. Its crowning features are its rose comb and crested head. Silkie bantams were only established in the UK in the early 2000s.

BUFF ORPINGTON

The Buff is by far the most popular of the Orpington varieties and was created here in the UK by William Cook in the 1890s. Its orangeybuff plumage is striking. Its most famous devotee was Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, whose birds were tended to by Royal Poultry Keeper, the late Will Burdett MBE. The Orpington is profusely feathered and has white legs and a short single comb. Its temperament is graceful but active.

PEKIN

The Pekin is a great breed for children and, being a true bantam with feathered feet, is suited to smaller spaces. A good specimen looks like it is sitting down when standing, and the head should sit lower than the tail giving the appearance of ‘forward-tilt’. With its soft feathers, small size and tame personality, the Pekin positively enjoys being handled. Its comb is single and its legs are yellow. There are many different colour options to choose from.

SEBRIGHT

Sebrights are diminutive true bantams that are breathtaking in appearance. They are available in a few colour varieties, but only two are officially recognised: the gold and silver. Their plumage is either golden-brown (the gold) or white (the silver, pictured) and each feather is edged with black lacing. They were created in Britain by Sir John Sebright in the 1840s. The males boast beautiful ‘hen-feathering’, which means their plumage is virtually identical to the females. They have ‘sprightly’ personalities, and surprising confidence for such tiny fowl.