19 Largest Chicken Breeds (Eggs Production, Size and Pictures)

Are you searching for the few largest chicken breeds for your backyard coop? If yes, this list of the few biggest chickens in the world help you to choose one.

Most large chickens have an extra advantage for meat and eggs. Raising a big chicken breed in the backyard enhances the look and environment.

The largest chicken breeds are heavy and look sturdy. Some have huge, fat, muscular bodies, and few are tall. The tallest chicken breeds are muscular and heavy because of their bones.

Few big-size chicken breeds have large roosters as compared to hens, and few have almost the same shape, size, and weight. 

In this article, we have selected a few large chicken breeds that will increase your backyard farm’s glory. Not only this, you will also get profit from their large-size eggs and meat.

19 Largest Chicken Breeds (Eggs Production, Size, and Pictures)

Below is the list of the top 19 best largest chicken breeds with their egg production, size, and pictures.

1. Barred Rocks Chicken

Barred Rocks chicken, big chicken breed
  • Save
A Barred Rock Hen Picture

Picture credit: thomaspix

Barred Rocks is an old American large chicken breed to delineate barred black or white feathers. It has been famous since the 1700s.

The Barred Rock roosters weigh about 9.5 lbs, and hens up to 7.5 lbs. Both the roosters and hens are friendly and have a calm personality.

Also, the females are wonderful egg layers and great mothers because of the heritage gene. The Barred Rock hens lay about 4 brown eggs per week (200 eggs annually).

2. Cochin Chicken

Cochin chicken, giant chicken breed,
  • Save
A Cochin Hen Picture

Cochin chickens are one of the largest fluffy chicken breeds in this world. They are also one of the most famous poultry breeds for their fancy appearance.

The Cochin hens are great giant mothers with their friendly nature. They love to play with kids, so they are one of the best big-size pet chickens.

You will be amazed by hearing that most of the Cochin roosters and hens are both broody. They care for their chicken very well.

The large Cochin roosters weigh about 10 lbs, whereas the hens 8.5 lbs. Cochin hens lay about 150-180 brown eggs per year.

3. Brahma Chicken

Brahma chicken, large chicken breed
  • Save
A Brahma Hen

Brahmas are one of the most popular chicken breeds that love confinement zone. You can also raise them in free range.

They are cold-hardy chickens and can easily survive in freezing cold areas. Giant Brahma chickens are the best option for new poultry raisers because they are calm and friendly.

Brahma roosters can weigh up to 12 lbs, and hens about 9.5 lbs. The large Brahma hens are good layers and lay about 150-180 brown eggs annually.

4. Malines Chicken

  • Save

Originating through 19th-century Belgium, this chicken breed is among the biggest in the world (Jersey Giants rivaling for heft). Maline roosters can achieve 12 lbs weight, and hens about 9.9 lbs.

The Maline hens lay about 180 tinted eggs per year. They are amazing free rangers and love to eat fruit, insects, weeds, and grubs.

The Maline rooster and hens are calm, friendly, and docile. They are also available in bantam sizes but they are much more popular.

Malines are cold hardy chickens, but they can tolerate little heat and can be raised in the backyard with tree sheds.

5. Jersey Giant Chicken

Jersey Giant chicken, biggest chicken breed
  • Save

A Jersey Giant chicken is among the biggest chicken breeds around the world. They are the largest docile, and calm chickens. The roosters of this breed weigh about 13 lbs, and hens about 11 lbs.

Jersey Giants are a historic breed of chicken that was established as an option for turkeys throughout New Jersey during the 19th century.

As a big chicken breed, they are great layers. The Jersey Giant hens lay about 180-200 big-size brown eggs annually.

6. The Malay Chicken

The Malay chicken, big chicken breed
  • Save

The Malay chicken is one of the world’s tallest and largest chicken breeds. They are not as heavy bird-like Jersey Giant but have impressive height.

Malay chickens can reach up to 30 inches (3 feet) in height, even though a Brahma holds the present “Tallest rooster all over the world” record. Established in Europe from local Indian or Malay Peninsula chickens and birds, they became popular because of their height.

Malay roosters carry about 11 lbs weight, and hens about 9 lbs. The Malay hens are average layers and can lay around 100 medium size brown eggs annually. They are mainly kept today for ornamental reasons.

7. Langshan Chicken

Langshan chicken
  • Save

Langshan chickens were born in China and found their way westward in the 19th century. They are chickens with feathered feet with a black shiny appearance.

The Roosters of this large chicken breed weigh about 9.5 lbs and the hens 7.5 lbs. They are easy to raise, hardy, and polite chickens for new poultry farmers.

The Langshan hens lay about 180 eggs per year. The color of the egg is dark brown, but you may see a purplish tint in a few species.

Langshan hens are rarely broody, so you may need an incubator to keep this chicken for breeding.

8. Dong Tao Chicken

Dong Tao chicken, giant chicken breed
  • Save

Photo credit: danviet.vn

Dong Taos, also recognized as the “dragon chicken,” has a distinctive look. Because of their ugly massive bulky legs, they are a unique large chicken breed.

The average weight of a Dong Tao rooster is about 13 lbs, and hens are about 10 lbs. Dong Tao hens lay about 60 tinted white color eggs.

The heavy body structure does not affect the broodiness of Dongtao hens. The hens of this breed make great mothers and hatch their eggs.

Their large legs make laying eggs and moving around tough, so they are not maintained for their eggs. They began in Vietnam, where their meat is prized.

9. Rhode Island Reds

  • Save

Rhode Island Reds (RIRs) are one of the most popular and largest chicken breeds worldwide. They can tolerate both cold and hot climates very well.

They are found in both standard and bantam sizes. However, the standard large-size fowl are more popular because of dual-purpose use.

The RIR roosters weigh about 8.5 lbs, and the hens about 6.5 lbs. Rhode Island Red hens are popular for their egg-laying capacity and also in terms of meat. They lay about 250-300 brown eggs per year.

Rhode Island Red hens rarely go broody. If you want to keep this chicken for breeding purposes, keep a good incubator.

10. Delaware Chicken

Delaware chicken
  • Save
A Delaware hen foraging

Delaware chickens are another popular large chicken breed for backyard poultry farmers. They are also one of the best dual-purpose breeds.

The Delaware rooster weighs about 8.5 lbs whereas the hens 6.5 lbs. The big-size hens of this breed lay 200-220 large brown color eggs annually.

Delaware hens go broody and take care of their baby chicks very well.

11. Australorp Chicken

Australorp chicken
  • Save

Australorps are another one of the most popular largest chicken breeds, which are used for both egg production and meat. These heavy birds are available in black, white, blue, and a few different color.

Originating through Australia, Orpingtons are their parent stock; their names blend “Australia” and “Orpington.”

Good standard breed Australorp roosters weigh about 10 lbs and hens 8 lbs. Bantam breeds are available but not popular for business purposes.

Australorp hens are excellent layers. They lay about 260-280 large brown eggs annually. They do not like to sit on their eggs, so for breeding purpose, you may need to incubate them manually.

12. Orpington chicken

Orpington chicken, big chicken breeds
  • Save

Orpington chickens are one of the biggest chickens in this world with polite nature. They are easy to manage large-size chickens.

Both the Orpington rooster and hen have a lovely fluffy appearance. The males of this breed weigh about 8 lbs, and hens about 6 lbs.

Originally Orpington chicken was available in black, white, buff, blue, and splash color variety. They are good egg layers because they lay about 250 eggs annually.

The egg color is light brown and medium in size. Most of the Orpington chickens go broody and love to raise their baby chicks.

13. Cornish Chicken

Cornish Game Chicken, big hen breeds for eggs
  • Save

The Cornish is another large-size docile, and gentle chicken breed. You may see aggressiveness in a few species but only for strangers.

They have a broad and muscular body. Standard breed Cornish chickens weigh about 9 lbs, whereas the gamefowl comes under bantam. They are popular for their heavy meat body.

Cornish hens lay about 140-160 small brown eggs per year. They are not popular for their egg production. They love to free-range.

The Cornish hens make good egg sitters and protective mothers. So, you don’t need to worry about manual egg hatching.

14. Faverolles Chicken

Faverolles chicken
  • Save

Faverolles are one of the largest chicken breeds which are popular for their eggs as well as meat. They are heavy birds with lovely shades of color.

Faverolle chickens are available in black, laced blue, Buff, cuckoo, ermine, salmon, and white (Standardised UK) colors. They have a deep and broad bulky shape body with feathers in the feet.

Both the Faverolle roosters and hens are docile and gentle. Any new chicken raisers can easily raise this incredibly cold-hardy breed.

They have both bantam and standard sizes. The standard-size Faverolle roosters weigh about 11 lbs, and the hens 9.5 lbs.

The hens of this breed lay about 200 eggs annually. The color of the eggs may vary from pinkish to light brown

15. New Hampshire Red Chicken

New Hampshire Red chicken
  • Save

Picture credit: gartenfreuden

The New Hampshire Red is another big chicken breed with a sturdy look. They have a deep and broad body structure.

The males of this large chicken breed weigh about 8.5 lbs, and hens 6.5 lbs. They are dual-purpose chickens because the hens of this breed also have an excellent egg-laying tendency.

New Hampshire Red hens lay about 280 brown color eggs annually. The hens of this breed go broody. They are aggressive birds and don’t allow strangers to their area.

16. Minorca Chicken

Minorca chicken,
  • Save

The Minorca chicken is one of the largest and heaviest Mediterranean poultry breeds. They have an energetic and elegant look.

Adopted by the British throughout the late 18th century, such sleek ladies with spicy personalities were common in the late 20th century until being trumped by hybrid breeds and other productive laying hens.

The average weight of Minorca roosters is about 9 lbs, and hens are 7.5 lbs. The hens of this breed lay about 160 white color eggs per year. They are popular for meat purposes.

The Minorca hens are not good mothers and egg-sitters. So, mostly chicken raisers keep this heavy bird for meat purposes only.

17. Wyandotte Chicken

Wyandotte chicken, big chicken breed
  • Save

Wyandottes chickens are daring brassy, and wonderful birds in and out. The Wyandotte breed was initially founded in North America in 1883.

They have lovely unique plumage. Wyandotte chickens are available in various colors, including Silver Penciled, Golden Laced, and Blue.

This big Wyandotte roosters weigh about 9 lbs, and hens 7 lbs. They make great mothers who take care of their baby chicks very efficiently.

18. Araucana Chicken

Araucana chicken
  • Save

Araucanas are amazing medium large size chickens. They are a fast-growing big-size chicken breed mostly used as a dual-purpose birds.

It is a very calm, quiet, and docile chicken breed. They love to live in both confinement and free-range backyards.

Araucana hens lay about 250-280 blue-green eggs per year. The eggs are medium-large in size. Araucana hens are officially known for their broodiness.

The Araucana roosters weigh about 6.5 lbs and the hens 5.5 lbs.

19. Sussex Chicken

Sussex chicken, big chicken breed
  • Save

Sussex chickens are a fantastic addition to every chicken coop. They are one of the best large-size chickens for dual-purpose use. Sussex is the most popular table bird in UK and Australia.

The Sussex hens lay large size 250 eggs, light brown to pink in color. They are also popular for their broodiness and chick caring. You may see a lack of egg sitting during the molting period.

The average weight of Sussex roosters is about 9 lbs, and 7 lbs for hens. They are very calm and docile breeds but stay alert.

Benefits of Raising Large Chicken Breeds

Before buying a big chicken breed, you must understand the benefits of raising giant breeds in your backyard.

  • Large breeds are good for more meat and egg production.
  • Giant chickens like Jersey Giants, Rhode Island Reds, and Barred Rocks produce large eggs.
  • They are cool. Some medium breeds, like Aseel, fight more because of their athletic body, but giant breeds are more relaxed.
  • Big chickens are good for getting a big breed.
  • Directly give a profit to your business.

Conclusion

In this article, you get a list of some large chicken breeds. If you are interested in raising some giant chickens and already have a few small chicken flocks in your backyard, you need more space for these biggies.

Large chicken takes a double space of normal size chickens in coops. So, before buying some giant chicken breeds, consider buying some big-size chicken coops for them. You can also make portable chicken coops at home. Here are the plans and ideas for the 21 best portable chicken coops.

If you want to know more about the largest chicken breeds, ask in the comment section below. I hope this list of big chicken breeds helps you. Thanks for reading.

Bijaya Kumar
  • Save

2 thoughts on “19 Largest Chicken Breeds (Eggs Production, Size and Pictures)”

Leave a Comment

4 Shares
4 Shares