Some of the best breeds of chickens are not necessarily the highest egg producers. Let’s look at three more breeds that lay brown eggs. Buff Orpingtons Everyone should have a “Buff” or two in their flocks. Orpingtons are the quintessential homestead chicken. They are great bird for beginners and are popular worldwide. They come in many colors. Pros They have a friendly, docile nature that makes them great family birds. The Buff Orpington is a steady egg producer of between 200-280 eggs annually, but the rare-colored birds like a Lavender or Jubilee Orpington are more for show and lay...

An excellent brown egg-laying breed must lay at least 180 eggs per year and be easy to take care of. Australorps are in the English Class and are an abbreviation of Australian Black Orpington. They resulted from stock imported from England to Australia in the 1920z where they were cross bred with the Black Orpington. Australorps are easy to keep and can become very tame, making them a great choice if you have children. They also have a unique trait of not being aggressive toward one another. This allows even the youngest cockerels to be kept together without mishap....

Between Delawares, Dominiques and Dorkings there are so many great chickens for brown eggs. The first two are great overall homestead breeds and the Dorking is known for being a delicious table bird. Developed in Delaware in 1940 as a table bird, the Delaware breed is also known as “Indian Rivers.” While the breed no longer dominates the meat market having been replaced with the classic Cornish Rock cross, it is still and ideal dual-purpose bird for the farmstead. The Delaware chicks grow rapidly and feather out quickly. They are good-natured birds that, because of their size, will often...