If you want to know all about white chicken breeds in this article will fulfill your need. Here we have explained info like eggs, weight, characteristics, and temperaments of each breed.
Introduction to White Chicken’s Genotype
For most chicken, the plumage color was initially manipulating genetic factors from selection and crossing during domestication.
As chicks, the color of the solid white chicken may vary from light creamy white, toasted orange, or different shades of yellow.
Later on, in their adult phase, their entire plumage surface adopts a pure white color attributed to the lack of melanin pigmentation in their feathers.
This absence of melanin does not affect the structures of other body parts. However, in the case of albinos, you may notice a pink eye color.
17 Best White Chicken Breeds for Your Backyard Farm
There are several distinct breeds of white chicken. Here is a roundup of the top chicken breeds you may quickly identify:
1. White Leghorn chicken
The exact origin of the Leghorn chicken is unknown. However, the beautiful birds were initially called Italians before changing to Leghorns (an Anglicization of the Italian port city Livorno) over the years.
The original Leghorn breed was a pretty thin bird and was not preferred for the table. They also have red wattles, and you can notice a single comb in some or a rose comb in others.
Their eyes can be orange or red with a yellow-colored beak, yellow skin and legs, and four-toed feet.
This breed of bird is very active and intelligent. Although this breed prefers to forage, they can tolerate confinement but with lots of room and activities to do.
They are mainly a farm favorite as they can lay anywhere between 280 and 320 eggs per year and are reputed to lay better in their third or fourth years. Their eggs are typically white-shelled and could weigh up to 55 grams each.
The white leghorn rooster weighs about 7.25 lbs and hens are 5.5 lbs. They are liked because they are very calm, only eat a fraction of the feed, and are lovely layers.
2. White Frizzle Chicken
Frizzles are pretty interesting, the most popular being the Cochin, Polish, Plymouth Rocks, and Japanese Bantams. In some countries, they are treated as ornamental birds due to their plumage definition.
The unusual frizzle is caused by a unique genetic component (incomplete dominant gene, F) that is majorly responsible for the feather’s shaft that curls upwards and outwards.
A white frizzle chicken has a single red comb, and a lighter beak coloration, since the color of their beaks is highly dependent on the color of their plumage.
These fluffy birds tend to vary tremendously in weight and size-typically 7-8 lbs, while bantams could weigh 24-27 oz.
They are more prevalent in their bantam forms. On average, a frizzle could lay 2–4 eggs per week, depending on the breed.
Their eggs are mostly cream or brown and medium-sized. However, it is wise to avoid breeding frizzles together, as they will produce more delicate frazzles.
3. White Ameraucana
The White Ameraucanas are very attractive pure white chickens created from breeding two white Ameraucanas together.
They are also available in several color variations such as black and white, blue and wheaten, making it a stunning bird. The fun fact about these birds is that they were created from Easter Eggers.
Additionally, this breed of bird can withstand the harsh winter weather thanks to the beard and muffs that give it a chipmunk face. Do not be deceived by their fierce bay red eyes; white Ameraucanas are pretty docile and gentle.
The Ameraucanas are a bit light, with weights of around 6.5 lbs for males and 5.5 lbs for males. On the other hand, their bantam counterparts weigh approximately 26-30 oz for males and 24-26 oz for females.
With this breed, do not expect eggs early. You may have to wait until they are 5–7 months before any appear. However, you will be delighted by their medium-sized light blue eggs. They should produce 3–4 eggs per week.
4. White Orpington chicken
The White Orpingtons are quite the charmers. They are not only large and beautiful, but also reticent and gentle-they make the quintessential backyard hen.
They have pure white plumage with pinkish white skin and are a great table fare. This breeds of chicken do not enjoy foraging. Instead, they love to be petted and fed and tend to feed towards obesity.
Orpingtons are a great choice if you want more chicks, as they go broody reasonably often. They can lay roughly between 4-5 light brown eggs every week.
An Orpington rooster can grow up to 14 lbs, while the females can range between 7.5-10 lbs. Their bantams counterparts are way lighter, with their weight going between 3-3.5 lbs.
5. Rhode Island White
This breed of chickens has become extremely rare over the years. The beautiful white birds were developed in Rhode Island in the 18th century, hence their name.
They are characterized by solid white plumage, yellow legs and beaks, medium-size wattles, reddish bay eyes, and oblong-shaped red earlobes. These birds have been described as having a dove-like appearance due to the shape of their heads.
Rhode Island White chickens are reasonably good layers and exceptionally better winter layers. They lay a decent 4-5 large to extra-large brown eggs per week.
However, they are more reliable layers, as they are generally not a broody breed. These docile birds are dual-purpose, thus an excellent breed for not only eggs but also for meat.
The rooster can grow to 8.5 lbs, while their bantam counterparts weigh 2.25 lbs. On the other hand, the hens can weigh up to 6.5 lbs whereas their bantam versions weigh 1.75 lbs.
6. White Faverolles
Faverolles were initially developed as a utility fowl in two villages- Houdan and Faverolles located in north central France.
Although they were initially bred for meat production, today, they are not only famous for their dual purpose but are also raised for exhibition and novelty. They are a large-sized breed complete with a beard, a muff, feathered shanks, and distinct five toes.
Another distinguishing factor of the Faverolles is that their wattles are barely visible or may be absent altogether. They also have red earlobes and white skin color.
In addition to their gentle, calm, and friendly nature, Faverolles chicken is good to layer, making them an excellent addition to your backyard. They are also excellent broodies and fantastic mothers.
They can lay up to 200 lights brown to pinkish eggs per year and tolerate all climates. A Faverolle rooster can weigh about 8 lbs, while the hens can attain a weight of up to 6.5 lbs.
Their bantam varieties weigh up to 2.5 lbs for the roosters and 2 lbs for the bantam hens.
7. California White Chicken
The California white chickens are a fast-growing and quiet breed. They are a superior hybrid vigor thanks to their origin (A cross between a White Leghorn female and a California Grey male), thus their excellent livability.
These birds are light yellow with black flecks as chicks and mature into white chickens with black spots. They are also perfect layers; they can lay up to 300 large whites to extra-large eggs every year.
On average, males weigh 6 Ibs and females 5 Ibs. These chickens are ideal backyard pets as they are also fun and easy to keep.
8. White Wyandotte Chicken
The white Wyandotte breed is a fast grower and has a high tolerance for the cold climate. Wyandottes are pretty calm and are good dual-purpose birds; they can lay more than 200 eggs per year and have excellent meat quality.
Wyandotte chickens have snow-white plumage from the tip of the feathers right down to the fluff close to the skin. However, they have yellow skin and legs, a rose comb, and a bright red wattle.
Often described as “curvy,” the rounded short can weigh up to 7.5 pounds for males and 5.5 pounds for females. While the Wyandotte are large and heavy birds, their bantams are relatively lighter. Their weight range between 36oz for females and 40oz for males.
9. Yokohama Chicken
The Yokohama is a pleasantly fancy breed that originated from Germany and has since had varieties from several other countries like Japan and Britain.
White and red-saddled type Yokohama are the only ones recognized by the American Standard of Perfection.
They are typically a small breed with an unusually long, elegant tail. They are also well-known for their pea-shaped or walnut comb, yellow beaks, legs and feet, and orange to red-colored eyes.
The male variety can reach 4.5 Ibs, while the females 3.5 Ibs. Since they produce around 80 eggs annually and their bantams 90, the Yokohama chickens are primarily bred for the show rather than for their utility.
Their eggs are pretty small and predominantly white or cream. Despite their low yield, they fetch desirable prices for breeders.
10. White Araucana
The White Araucana breed is among the few that lay colored eggs and can easily be confused for the Easter Egger. The years have become very rare over the years due to their genetically caused hatch rate issues.
Apart from their egg color, they also have a unique physique. An Araucana has an upright stance similar to that of wild game birds and a sloping back.
It also has tufts, which are feathers that protrude from its cheeks. These quirky birds are considered small, with a typical weight of about 5 Ibs. Their bantam sizes are even harder to find.
The Araucana is not an excellent pick for production, as they lay approximately three eggs per week and do not have a lot of meat.
11. Sultan Chickens
Sultans are very ornamental in the chicken world. They have a froofy cascade of feathers at the top of their heads, a V-shaped comb, a beard, muffs, and five-toed feather feet.
They are ideal for the backyards and were even kept by the sultans of the Ottoman Empire in their gardens. The calm birds are poor layers; they lay a single small white egg per week.
They are relatively small and weigh 4-5 Ibs. Although they are bear confinement well, they are scarce.
Their bantam counterparts are even more unique for their small size and extremely dramatic feathering. A sultan bantam cockerel can weigh 22oz and the pullet 20oz.
12. White Australorp
The Australorp is a relatively new arrival in the poultry industry. Its name is a contraction of Australian Black Orpington, since most of the bird’s significant developments were done in Australia.
The giant bird has close-fitting soft feathers and a very upright stance. The standard-sized bird is considered heavy and can weigh between 8.5-10 Ibs for males and 6.5-8 Ibs for females.
Their bantam equivalent weighs 2-2.7 lbs for roosters and 1.7 – 2.2 lbs for hens. They grow very fast and are also excellent layers.
On average, they can lay up to five medium-sized eggs every week and potentially produce more in an industrial setting.
13. White Jersey Giants
The Jersey Giant boasts an enormous purebred chicken in the US and perhaps in the world. True to their name, the giants are big birds – the males can weigh around 13-15 lbs and 11 lbs for the female.
The white variety is usually a pound lighter than the black ones. These birds have tighter feathers, making them easy to clean and cold-tolerant.
They are also pretty good layers as they lay huge pale, medium brown eggs that may require a few extra days to hatch. Although they are not broodies, and due to their weight, they quickly break their eggs.
14. Asil Chicken
Asil Chicken is an ancient Indian breed, initially kept for cockfighting. Today, they are primarily ornamental and can be friendly, as long as they are kept away from other roosters.
He can also be held together, but under close supervision, as they are over vicious fighters. They have a robust body structure with a broad and beautiful chest.
They also have a small pea comb. The Asil chicken is a seasonal layer that lays very few light-brown eggs, but is very apt to broodiness.
Their chicks also take a while to mature and become feisty at a very young age, therefore, require more space to grow. Their bantam variety was created in the late nineteenth century, but later died out.
An Asil rooster can range between 4-4.5 lbs, while the hen 3.5-3.75 lbs. Their bantam breed was lighter and weighed 2.25 lbs.
15. Bresse Gauloise chicken
The Bresse-Gauloise is renowned as the best-tasting meat chicken. They are medium-sized dual-purpose chickens with a long body, gray legs, dark eyes, and white ears.
Their skin is pretty thin, and they’re white fat, a unique feature in France. They also have a noticeable large, red single comb that drops in the hen.
At the age of 4 months, these chickens are ready to lay or for the table as they grow and mature fast.
They lay medium-sized (60g) white eggs, at quite a good number at that. The average weight of a Bresse rooster is 5.5–6.6Ibs, whereas the hen ranges between 4.4 to 5.5 Ibs.
16. Australian Langshan chicken
The Langshan is the most popular breed in Australia, although it originated from China. It is a tall bird with feathered legs and very long wing and tail feathers.
This chicken is mostly found in black color, but white color is also available, popularly known as White Croad Langshan. You can see this chicken picture from this link (rarebreedpoultry).
The bird boasts a perfect posture and is very active. It may be famous for meat but is also a great layer, making it an ideal dual-purpose bird.
On average, Langshan hens can lay 200–220 eggs per year. Their eggs are plum brown.
17. White Plymouth Rock
The white Rock chicken is named after Plymouth Rock. The American bird originated from Massachusetts. These bright white chickens tend to be very fluffy, especially in the winter, making them cold hardy.
Although they are considered standard-sized, they are actually on the larger side. They can weigh up to 8 lbs upon maturity-just the right size for the dinner table.
This utility breed is an excellent layer, producing an egg a day as long as they are healthy. They are responsible for most of the large brown eggs on your breakfast table, as they top the list of egg-laying chickens.
Their bantam variations are rather significant and robust with a long body and start laying early. They can produce a relatively large number of eggs without suffering from broodiness.
Can White Chickens Lay Only White Eggs?
From the characteristics displayed by the top 17 white chickens, white chickens certainly lay white eggs. The egg colors can vary from brown to pinkish-white and so on, depending on the breed.
Do White Chickens Have White Skin?
On the contrary, most white chickens do not have white skin others have yellowish skin, and some even pinkish skin. Again, the skin color of white chickens varies according to the breed.
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