Food or Fun that is the question????
There are many important considerations you need to be aware of before making this decision.
Why do you want chickens?
Do you want chickens for Fun, showing, meat or eggs-(brown/white/colored) egg layers? That is important to know before you begin your search for the "perfect" chicken. There are many breeds of chicken serving different purposes, and knowing this helps to get you the kind of chickens that will be best for you.
What kind of chickens do you want to raise? Yes they come in all sizes, shapes and colors. Currently listed in the American Poultry Association, there are 113 breeds available. They may have different color skin: white (Australorps, Orpingtons) or yellow (Cornish, New Hampshires), they may have 4 toes (most breeds) or 5 toes (Sultans,Dorkings, or Faverolles). Other variables: beards, muffs, no feathers on neck (naked necks), top hats. They may have smooth satinlike feathers, or fluffy like fur (Silkies), or they may have curly feathers (frizzles) it gives them a just permed look.
Just to make it more confusing each classification Large and Bantam is divided into several more groups. Just as an example the Wyandotte comes in nine 9 varieties based on color and patterns.
Feather colors come in a large variety as well as patterned for example, barred, laced and silver penciled.
Varieties (no I am not done yet) are decided by such things as feathers on the legs or bare legged, muffs or top hats.
There are breeds that specialize in great egg production, meat production, a combination of both, there are fancy, more unique chickens, mild tempered chickens, and chickens that have a more aggressive temperament.
