Looking to raise chickens in Kansas? Check out popular breeds to find the right fit

With the rise in the price of eggs, Kansas State University professor and poultry expert Scott Beyer has gotten more and more calls from people asking about the best ways to go about raising chickens.

What these people may not know is the kind of chicken you get affects a lot of aspects of raising them: Their egg production, special requirements and more all play into what type of chicken you should choose to raise.

Chickens usually lay eggs for about three to four years and then they’ll start to taper off. Smaller birds will live longer than larger ones.

Here are some popular chicken breeds to raise in Kansas and what to know before you get them.

You want chickens for egg production

If you want chickens for egg production, it’s important to research ahead of time to make sure you’re getting the right bird. Egg numbers depend on the bird, and online sources aren’t usually accurate, Beyer said. He shared some recommendations for good layers.

Leghorn chickens lay white eggs. California White chickens are also a popular breed for egg production, Beyer said. They lay white eggs and do well in the cold weather.

Production Reds, a mix between the New Hampshire Red and Rhode Island Red breeds, are the best brown egg layer, according to Leslye Woodard, the owner of Woodward Mercantile in Maize. Both New Hampshire and Rhode Island reds are also good for egg production.

Birds fed with good poultry, care and are up-to-date with their vaccines will lay more eggs and live longer lives, Beyer said.

Other good varities for egg production are Barred Rocks, Silver Lace Wyandottes, Black Australorps and Buff Orpingtons, according to Woodard.

You want chickens that can be pets

The friendliest chicken breed, according to Woodard, is the Buff Orpington breed.

“They’re just a little calmer, a little gentler,” she said.

Beyer recommends New Hampshire and Production reds if you want a breed that can double as a pet.

You want chickens that are easy to raise

If you want a chicken that’s easy to raise, Beyer recommends Ameraucana birds. They produce different colored eggs, including blue/green, pink, a dark olive and come in different patterns. They also do well in the cold weather.

Ameraucana are friendly and easy to raise, but can be stubborn, according to Woodard.

“Sometimes when they’re broody, they quit laying eggs and just want to sit on them,” she said.

Any of the dual-purpose breeds, like the Barred Rocks or Rhode Island Reds, are also easy to raise, according to Beyer.

You want to avoid chickens that are hard to raise

Woodard said she hasn’t known a chicken breed that’s particularly hard to raise.

“It’s just different varieties or different levels of friendliness, and even within every variety, it’s just like kids, they can all come with the same family and some are friendly and some are easy to raise,” Woodard said.

There are some with some special requirements, though.

In Kansas, you want to make sure your backyard birds are prepared for the harsh temperatures they may be subjected to. That’s why Australorps and Cochins can be more difficult to raise, Beyer said. They’re heat sensitive.

Any crested birds, like the Polish breed, are also difficult to raise due to feather picking, Beyer said.

The Light Brahma breed can also be tricky in Kansas weather, and get dirtier during the wet season, according to Beyer.

There are no illegal chicken breeds in the state.