Meat Broiler Chickens
Fast-maturing breeds raised specifically for table quality — from chick to freezer in 8-16 weeks depending on breed and target weight.
Meat Broiler chickens include breeds like Cornish Cross, Freedom Ranger, Jersey Giant, Delaware, Buckeye — selected over generations for meat. Average temperament: Calm, slow-moving. Broodiness tendency: Low. Foraging ability: Poor to Moderate. Space needs: Low to Moderate.
Below you will find climate-specific guides for each of the six major North American climate zones. Click through to see which breeds in this category perform best in your conditions, with coop-sizing parameters appropriate for each zone.
Choose Your 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
Breed Details
- Primary use
- Meat
- Egg color
- N/A (meat focus)
- Temperament
- Calm, slow-moving
- Foraging ability
- Poor to Moderate
- Broodiness
- Low
- Space needs
- Low to Moderate