Top 10 Chickens that do not mind Small Gardens or Confinement

If your neighborhood rules/laws/ordinances allow it keeping a chicken or two in your back garden is beneficial. In today’s world with all of us trying to do our best to help the planet and go green a good start is to start going organic.

I have put together a list of my favorite top 10 chickens I would recommend for the Urban garden that is small. And or breeds that do well in confinement.

Chickens

If you are intending on keeping chickens in an urban environment it is best to choose a breed that will easily adapt to life in a small garden.

They may even need to be confined for most of the time. There are some breeds that will happily wander around their coop and run all day. Then there are some breeds that are just not cut out for that cooped up lifestyle and need to be let out during the day.

If you are in a suburban type area it is best to check the laws/regulations/ordinances, etc. before you go ahead and keep chickens.

Some areas have a strict rule on keeping poultry/livestock in the garden.

If you live in a complex type area even though the city may allow it the rules governing the complex may not.

It is best to check with all parties involved first before you keep chickens as you could be subject to heavy penalties and even eviction.

It is also best to warn your neighbors that you will be keeping chickens!

Our Top 10 Chickens that do not mind Small Gardens or Confinement

Delaware

The Delaware chicken is a hardy breed that does good in most climates. They lay a good amount of Large Brown Eggs and were produced in the 1940’s. They were developed with the purpose of being good layers and meat of a high quality. These beautiful white chickens with dabbles of black in their tail feathers adapt to the smaller garden size and confinement with ease. They are a great addition to any flock. Even that of beginners flock as they are a low maintenance breed.Read More

ISA Brown

The ISA Brown (there is also an ISA White variety) is another hybrid breed that lays a large number of eggs. These lovely chickens are friendly and easy to handle they bare confinement very well and are happy to stretch their legs in the garden anytime you can let them out. They make excellent pets and are another breed that is really good for first-time chicken owners.Read More

Easter Egger

The Easter Egger is an excellent breed egg laying. They are another hybrid breed that was developed to lay eggs. They are crossed with breeds that carry the blue egg gene which is why these chickens lay eggs of different colors such as pink, green and blue. You are bound to get a basket full of pretty colored eggs for your table. They bear confinement well and are quite friendly and easy to handle. It is good to note though that they are sometimes mislabeled as an Aruacana or Ameruacana breed.Read More

Golden Comet

The Golden Comet is said to be one of the most successful hybrids breeds today. They are a sexlink chicken breed (you can distinguish between male and female from hatching) that lay a large number of eggs per week. They are lively active birds but are also able to take to confinement and smaller gardens quite well. They are also easy to handle and friendly, so they may be just the bird for the first time chicken owner.

Brahma

The Brahma is a very large breed of chicken and is known as gentle giants. They were mostly bred in India as a table bird for their good quality meat. But they also make excellent pets, are docile, gentle, sweet and really easy to handle. They tend to glide around the coop with a cool air of dignity about them. They lay a fair amount of large eggs per week and I want to say good brood hens. They really do try but they are also a bit clumsy and have been known to break more than a fair share of eggs. They are also an excellent mother and make good foster moms.Read More

Orpington

The Orpington with the Buff variety being the most common is a big friendly chicken breed. They have a very patient and calm nature. These lovely birds will give you lots of lovely Large Brown eggs for the table and are a great meat bird too. They take to confinement and the smaller gardens really well. They are a great addition to any size flock or garden they are also really good brood hens and moms. They will even foster other chickens/breeds chicks.Read More

Plymouth Rock

The Plymouth Rock especially the Barred Plymouth rock takes to confinement and small garden spaces very well. They are docile, quirky, intelligent and easily handled. They will become great garden companions if you have space and time to let them out to walk with you. They will also give a lot of Large Brown Eggs for your table every week and do make a very good meat bird.Read More

Faverolles

Faverolles are fast becoming a backyard coop favorite. They have their own unique look and style about them. They are also so friendly, calm and docile that you have to watch which breed you mix them with or they will get bullied. They will lay a good amount of Light Brown Eggs for the table and are also a very good meat bird. They take to confinement well as long as they have their own little corner to retreat to. They are loners and like to keep to themselves but will go to their humans and are easily handled.Read More

Wyandotte

The Wyandotte chicken is another bird that is friendly, easy to handle and will take to confinement well. This chicken breed will give you lots of lovely eggs for your table and they also make quite a decent table bird. They do love to garden with their human though so if you maintain your small garden just let them out to roam with you while you do.Read More

Sussex

The Sussex chicken has been around backyards in England for generations. This chicken breed is hard, adaptable and will take to confinement if necessary. They also lay a good amount of eggs and are an excellent table bird. Their meat was one of the top meats that were sold in the UK prior to the new Cornish cross chicken breeds used these days. Read More