Backyard Chicken Authority
The only coop site that tells you exactly
which breeds match your climate
Breed-purpose guides for every climate zone and flock-size goal. Predator defence specifications, coop-sizing calculators, and honest economics — no sponsored fluff.
Daily Keeper Note
Three hens is the minimum viable flock. Two is unstable after one dies; six or more crosses into permit territory in most US metros.
Breed by Purpose
All categories →Eggs + Meat
Heritage Dual-Purpose
Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, Dominique
Eggs
Prolific Layer
Leghorn, Australorp, Golden Comet
Eggs in Cold Climates
Cold-Hardy Layer
Chantecler, Buckeye, Norwegian Jaerhon
Eggs in Hot Climates
Heat-Tolerant Layer
Leghorn, Minorca, Campine
Meat
Meat Broiler
Cornish Cross, Freedom Ranger, Jersey Giant
Show / Small-Lot Egg
Bantam & Ornamental
Serama, Belgian d'Uccle, Dutch Bantam
Brooding / Small-Scale Hatching
Silkie & Broody
Silkie, Cochin, Buff Orpington
Eggs (no surprise roosters)
Sex-Link Hybrid
Golden Comet, Black Star, Red Star
Conservation / Eggs + Meat
Rare & Conservation
Buckeye, Java, Nankin
Meat (Premium Quality)
Heritage Meat
Delaware, Dorking, Cornish
Show
Exhibition
Polish, Houdan, Crevecoeur
Pet / Eggs
Friendly Pet
Buff Orpington, Sussex, Cochin
Eggs + Pasture Management
Free-Range Forager
Brown Leghorn, Campine, Buckeye
Natural Hatching
Broody Mother
Silkie, Cochin, Asil
By Climate Zone
USDA 3-5
Cold Northern
Minnesota, North Dakota, northern Michigan, Vermont, Maine
USDA 6-7
Temperate
Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Oregon (valley), Tennessee
USDA 8
Mild Coastal
Western Oregon, western Washington, coastal California, coastal Georgia
USDA 9-10
Hot Arid
Arizona, Nevada, inland California, New Mexico, west Texas
USDA 8-10 (humid)
Hot Humid
Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, coastal Georgia, South Carolina
USDA 4-7 (altitude-modified)
Mountain / High Altitude
Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico highlands
By Flock Size
Planning Tools
Essential Guides
All guides →Beginner · 12 min read
How to Pick Your First Three Hens Without Regret
Which chicken breeds should a complete beginner choose? Three specific picks, ranked by temperament, egg production, and ordinance risk — with the questions to ask before you order.
Economics · 10 min read
The Honest Cost of Keeping Six Laying Hens
Real numbers: what six backyard hens cost per year in feed, bedding, vet, and equipment — and what you'll save on eggs. The math most guides skip.
Security · 14 min read
Predator-Proofing: The Six Attacks and the Five Defences
How raccoons, foxes, hawks, minks, rats, and weasels attack a backyard coop — and the five hardware and design strategies that stop each one.
Legal · 16 min read
Suburban Coop Ordinance by Major US Metro
Backyard chicken ordinances for 20 major US metros: flock caps, rooster rules, setback requirements, and permit fees. Last reviewed March 2026.
From the Blog
All posts →Seasonal · 7 min
April Hatch: Why Spring Chicks Outperform Fall Chicks
The difference between 80 eggs in your first December and 8 eggs in your first December is entirely predictable and almost entirely a function of when your chicks hatched.
Health · 6 min
The Mite Inspection Routine Every Keeper Needs
Northern fowl mite populations double in size every five days under optimal conditions. Early detection prevents what is a minor nuisance from becoming a flock health crisis.
Equipment · 8 min
Setting Up a Watering System That Survives Winter
The flock that loses water access for six hours in winter recovers. The flock that goes 24 hours without water in January sees a significant egg production drop that takes three weeks to reverse.