Best Chicken Breeds for Families with Children – Growing Family

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Are you thinking about introducing chickens to your home? There are over a thousand different chicken breeds, and while it may be tempting to make a quick choice, some chickens need more specialised care than others.

It’s important to avoid a chicken breed that’s too much for your family to take care of, or a breed that may end up miserable in their coop or aggressive. Choosing a suitable breed will ensure that the quality of life of both your family and the chickens is consistently high.

This article takes a look at some of the best chicken breeds for families to help you narrow down your choice.

1. Australorps

One popular and beginner-friendly chicken breed you can easily find is the Australorp. This chicken is known for its sleek and balanced build. It’s also a medium-weight breed, making it easy to carry around no matter your age. 

The Australorp is derived from the Orpington breed found in Great Britain, and it’s selectively bred to be an excellent egg-laying chicken.

What makes this chicken breed great for kids is its docile and non-aggressive nature. They can typically handle children well, remaining calm and patient even when it’s the first time the child interacts with them. This gentle nature makes them ideal for families new to the world of chicken rearing.

On top of that, this chicken breed also handles shifting climate pretty well. They can typically lay about 20 to 25 eggs a month, regardless of the weather outside, as long as they’re housed in a cool and cosy coop. They also behave well both in confinement and when freely roaming.

It’s crucial to construct or purchase an adequate coop to house your hens. If you need suggestions, Somerzby’s range of outdoor chicken coops offers a great range of potential structures for your hens to call home.

2. Orpingtons

Orpingtons aren’t only a hit in Great Britain; they can also be a great family-friendly chicken in other countries, including Australia. 

This breed tends to be larger and sturdier than Australorps, but that’s not a problem for older children. Their size makes them less likely to flap their wings and fly around, which can make them quite predictable and easy to deal with for the entire family.

Just like Australorps, this chicken breed has a gentle temperament that makes them easy for children to handle. Carrying them around is easy thanks to their friendly nature, and they tend to warm up to families quite quickly. They also rarely exhibit signs of aggression, which helps when it comes to your child’s safety.

For a first-time chicken owner, Orpingtons are a great breed. They’re not fussy to handle, have a steady egg production rate, and can work in a variety of garden setups. They’re practical and quite a good choice for families looking to get their first yard chicken.

3. Plymouth Rocks

Another notable domesticated chicken breed is the Plymouth Rock. This chicken breed is known for its medium build and attractive feather pattern. 

Plymouth Rock is a hardy and confident breed, which are excellent traits to have for a chicken going to a household with children. Plus, they’re excellent egg layers due to their steady laying cycle and year-round production, making them great chickens to educate children on the egg-laying process.

If you plan to raise a new generation of chickens, Plymouth Rocks are also a good option because of their moderate broodiness. While they don’t sit on eggs constantly, they are fairly attentive mothers when they do decide to hatch their eggs and produce chicks.

That said, if you just plan to have one or a couple of them around the household, then their docile and non-skittish nature makes them a popular choice.

4. Sussex Chicken

If you plan to raise a breed of chicken with both excellent flesh and eggs, Sussex chickens are an optimal choice. This chicken has a classic white-bodied look with a black neck and tail. They have a medium-large build, but they’re still quite manageable for older children.

Unlike the other chicken breeds, Sussex chickens are very social and curious. They enjoy frolicking around the garden and being near people. This can make them a fun breed to have for young families who want their chicken to be more than just a farm animal, but also a loving pet.

Sussex hens produce a good number of light brown eggs. They’re also quite hardy and can generally handle a diverse range of weather conditions and climates.

All these factors combined make Sussex chickens an excellent livestock to have at home. Their non-aggressive nature makes them safe for kids to be around, and their friendly disposition helps them fit easily into all sorts of household setups.

5. Bantam Chicken

If you want a smaller breed for your little ones to handle, Bantam chickens make for the perfect pet. 

These chickens have a miniature stature, making them light to carry and easy to hold. They’re also very friendly chicken breeds that enjoy the company of humans, making them an easy fit in a family home.

If you have a small yard or coop setup, bantam chickens tend to thrive better in such conditions compared to the medium and large-sized breeds. On top of that, these chickens are fairly entertaining to watch due to their big personalities.

6. Wyandottes

The Wyandotte is a chill and majestic chicken breed that can be excellent for families with young children. Known for its laced feather pattern, this chicken breed is a standout among many chicken-owning families for its visual appeal.

Wyandottes can lay a respectable 210 large eggs a year. Their steady temperament makes them approachable for children and other animals. Moreover, they tend to integrate smoothly into mixed flocks without causing much trouble.

If you want a chicken breed that looks strikingly beautiful and has a gentle temperament, the Wyandotte fits the bill quite well.

Do any of our suggestions on good chicken breeds for families sound like the perfect fit for your home?