So you want to raise chickens in your backyard, but you are not too sure about the noise levels, huh? This is a major concern for many aspiring chicken farmers, especially those in a more urban setting that have their neighbors living within close proximity. Well it doesn’t matter if you’re raising chickens for egg production or meat production, in this post we will be looking at some quiet chicken breeds that you can consider.

Although this is not an exhaustive list of available chicken breeds, these are my personal favorites. All of them are good for both meat and egg production, however one or two of the breeds either lays more eggs or are larger and therefore have more meat. When it comes to colors and sizes, I’ve tried to stick to the more common ones. Needless to say, you have a wide variety of colors to choose from, regardless of which breed you eventually decide to settle on. Without any further ado, let’s dig into the list below, shall we?

1: Cochin

Their huge feathers are usually black and blue all over, however sometimes you may find them with brown feathers. These fluffy and round chickens with feathery legs are often considered a heritage breed. They are quiet and peaceful birds that love hatching their own eggs. You can also give them another hen’s eggs and they will happily hatch them too. Don’t expect them to cause any havoc in your backyard, even when raised with other birds on your homestead.

2: Australorp

This breed is fairly easy to identify because of their glossy black feathers. These gentle birds have often been recommended on top of the list when it comes to chicken breeds to raise in an urban setting. They have a high annual egg laying count of up to 250 eggs, plus they also have the ability to hatch their own eggs. They were originally bred in Australia with the main focus being on egg production. Although the black birds are more prevalent in the United States, in Australia you can also find blue and white ones.

3: Orpington

Unlike other breeds that are recognized by color, this breed comes in many colors which include black, white, buff, blue as well as splash. When you are targeting both and egg and meat production, then you should consider this chicken breed. The name comes from the south east British town of Orpington in Kent, where they were originally bred by a gentlemen named William Cook. In the United States, the buff is the most common color. Orpingtons can lay between 175 to 200 medium to large sized light-brown eggs a year.

4: Brahma

This heritage breed is often found with partridge, buff, light and black feathers. These large birds have hens that can weigh up to 9 pounds and roosters that go up to 13 pounds. They were originally bred in the United States in the 1850s and named Brahmapootra which was later shortened. This has got to be one of the calmest and hardiest breeds that I have encountered, they can survive in many different weather conditions. One of their biggest attributes is that unlike other breeds, they will continue to lay large brown or white eggs throughout the winter months.

You can watch the video below on 2 Quiet Chicken Breeds That Won’t Annoy Your Neighbors…