Chickens have long been a source of food – for centuries they have produced meat and eggs. There are over 500 different breeds around the world, with something for everyone – from fertile layers to domestic animals – and chickens can be kept by just about anyone who wants to try. However, one thing to consider is size, and while some may be tiny, there are giants too! Here are the 10 largest chicken breeds, sorted by weight.
# 10: Rhode Island Red
The Rhode Island Red, a native of Rhode Island in northeastern America in the late nineteenth century, has long been one of the most popular chicken breeds due to its good nature and dual purpose. Now common all over the world, they have excellent egg-laying ability and can reach a weight of about 9 pounds, making them suitable for both egg production and as a source of meat. They are easily recognizable by their characteristic red plumage, which can range in shades from light reddish brown to almost black, the scallop and earrings are also red, and the legs and feet are yellow.
# 9: Malay
The Malay chicken is one of the tallest chicken breeds at around 36 inches, but they are not the heaviest at around 9 pounds. The breed originated in Devon and Cornwall in the UK and was bred by crossing birds imported from India and Asia. They can vary in appearance, ranging from white with pale brown spots to an almost black body with dark brown spots, and their feathers are smooth and shiny. The Malays are game birds that were originally used for cockfighting, but nowadays they are often used for demonstration and laying of eggs, as they are capable of producing up to 120 eggs per year, which is much more than they could initially produce.
# 8: german langshan
The German Langshan is a large chicken that was bred in Germany in the nineteenth century and weighs about 9.5 pounds. They have long legs with a large body and an unusually short tail, and can usually only be seen in a few colors – black, white, blue, and black-brown. Because of their size, they are often kept on the table, but they are also good laying hens – they produce about 200 eggs a year, making them excellent dual-use birds. Plus, they are an obedient breed, making them ideal for anyone who wants to. be self-sufficient.
# 7: Orpington
The Orpington is a British breed that was first bred in Orpington in the UK by crossing three other breeds – Minoroc, Langshan and Plymouth breeds – to create a large dual-use bird. Now popular all over the world, Orpingtons can weigh up to 10 pounds and stand around 16 inches tall. They have a massive body, low to the ground, which often makes them look quite intimidating, but despite this, they are actually a very calm and docile breed. Orpingtons have soft feathers, their colors are usually black, white, blue and yellow-brown (golden yellow), and nowadays they are often used for display rather than as a food source.
# 6: Australorp
The Australorp is an extremely popular chicken breed as it is known as one of the most prolific eggs in the world. Native to Australia, they are easily capable of producing over 300 eggs per year, making them extremely reliable layers. The Australorp is a large bird that weighs 10 pounds and grows to about 27 inches in height. Their predominant color is black, although both blue and white are acceptable. Chickens are good laying hens as well as good mothers and are happy to lay eggs, making them popular with breeders.
# 5: Chicken Cornish
Cornwall chicken, also sometimes known as game chicken, originated in Cornwall in the UK and is now also popular in Australia and the United States. Weighing around 10.5 pounds, Cornish chickens are short-legged but stocky, with large breasts and are usually black or dark brown in color. Their feathers are quite thin and smooth, which makes them easily susceptible to cold and therefore can affect the rate of reproduction and hatching in the colder months. While ideal for table meat production, they are poor laying hens and only produce around 80 eggs per year.
# 4: Cochin
Originally, Cochin chickens from China were known as Shanghai chickens. Cochins in a variety of colors, including black, tan, brown, silver and white, have a stunning appearance as they feature a large number of feathers on their feet and legs – so much so that their feet are often impossible to see. not at all because of their plumage. Cochins, which often weigh up to 11 pounds, are particularly heavy birds, but despite their size, they are a calm and friendly breed and make good pets. Chickens make exceptional mothers as they will sit on and hatch any type of egg – even from duck or turkey eggs.
# 3: Dong Tao
The Dong Tao chicken is also known as the dragon chicken because of its exceptionally large legs and feet, which can be as thick as a human’s wrist and are covered in red scales. This is a rare breed of chick from the Dong Tao region of Vietnam and can weigh up to 12 pounds. Males are usually stunning reddish brown and chickens are usually white. Because of their large paws, chickens cannot be good mothers as they regularly carry eggs, so their eggs are usually hatched in an incubator. Initially, their meat was only served to the royal family, but now it is a delicacy and can often be found in expensive restaurants.
# 2: brahma chicken
The Brahma chicken usually weighs around 12 pounds and was produced in America. Brahma’s chicken is considered the heaviest chicken known (more on that below!), but on average, the breed is slightly smaller than the Jersey giant, which ranks first. Brahmas have three known colors: white with a black collar and tail, bumpy with a black collar and tail, and dark, which is gray with a mixture of black and white collar and black tail. These are good dual-use hens as they produce a lot of eggs. Brahmas tolerate cold well due to their thick feathers. They also have a calm disposition, but do not like to be locked up and prefer to be allowed to roam and get food.
# 1: Jersey Giant Chicken
The largest chicken in the world is the Jersey Giant chicken. These huge birds originate from New Jersey in the northeastern America and can weigh up to 13 pounds. Known for their docile breed and excellent temperament, the Jersey giants are slow to grow but make great pets for anyone willing to care for. Their colors are usually black, white, or blue, and they are known to be especially good during the winter months. Chickens lay large brown eggs and make excellent mothers despite their large size.
Bonus: the biggest chicken on earth!
The largest known chicken, Merakli, is native to Kosovo. Merakli rose to prominence in 2017 when a Kosovar group on Facebook posted a photo of a nearly 17-pound rooster.
While the Jersey Giants are the largest breed of chickens. average, Merakli is Brahma’s chicken. His exact weight is said to be 16.5 pounds and he is only hair below 2.8 feet in height.