All 13 Black and White Chicken Breeds (With Pictures)

top 13 black and white chicken breeds

When it comes to picking the right breed of chicken to raise, you may feel overwhelmed by the wide range of colors and breed chickens.

If you have a strong desire for black and white chicken breeds, we have compiled a list of 13 different breeds of chicken so you can add a hint of style to your flock!

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Black And White Chicken Breeds

Chickens come in a wide variety of colors, from brown to lavender to red, but this post is all about beautiful black and white chicken breeds,

We go into detail about breeds such as the Silver Laced Polish, Wyandotte,  Mottled Ancona, and the Barred Plymouth Rock chicken among a few others.

1. Silver Spangled Hamburg

Silver Spangled Hamburg

Purpose: Eggs, shows

Egg production quality: Good

The Silver Spangled Hamburg is a Dutch chicken breed and are raised for their eggs and their show quality.

Hamburgs are truly beautiful birds with silver and white feathers featuring randomly placed black spots and streaks.

Silver Spangled Hamburg roosters are famous among black and white rooster breeds as they are dressed up with stunning flowing tails.

Hamburgs are relatively small, only weight about 5 pounds when fully grown.

Hens have good egg production and can lay 200 or more beautiful white eggs throughout the year.

Read our related article, What Chickens Lay Pure White Eggs? for more breeds!

2. Silver Laced Polish

Silver Laced Polish

Purpose: Eggs, shows

Egg production quality: Good

Originating in Poland, Silver Laced Polish are used mainly for their good egg production and ornamental value.

This breed is covered in silvery-white feathers that are laced in a black border around their edges and their heads are adorned with wild flowing feathers.

The breed is gorgeous and friendly, but somewhat tempered and broody.

They are primarily suited to egg production, laying about 200 medium-sized white eggs annually and weighing 4.5 to 6 pounds as adults.

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3. Silver Spangled Appenzeller

Silver Spangled Appenzeller

Purpose: Eggs

Egg production quality: Fair

The Silver Spangled Appenzeller is the national chicken breed of Switzerland.

The noted characteristics of the breed are V-shaped combs that stand erect and a slightly forward crest.

They are developed mainly for egg production, producing approximately 160 white-shelled eggs a year.

The Silver Spangled Appenzeller chickens are a medium size black and white chicken breed, weighing only about 5 pounds when fully grown.

Hens are not really broody, nor do they make the best mothers. But they are excellent climbers, and foragers, and endure well in any weather condition.

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4. Silver Spangled Orloff

Silver Spangled Orloff 

Purpose: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat)

Egg production quality: Fair

Originating from Persia, Silver Spangled Orloff is an extremely beautiful bird for both the male and female sex with a silver-white body spangled with black.

On hens, the black spangles cover from her head to body and lay 90 to 100 light brown eggs each year.

The males’ hackle feather varies from silver-penciled roosters to completely silver-white ones.

The Silver Spangled Orloff chickens are raised as a dual-purpose breed and have sweet tasty meat.

This black and white chicken is friendly, intelligent, and easy to manage if raised properly.

5. Lakenvelder

Lakenvelder

Purpose: Eggs

Egg production quality: Fair

Lakenvelder chickens are elegantly beautiful birds that are suited to egg production.

This breed has an eye-catching feather pattern with a combination of black feathering on their necks and white feathering on their bodies.

In addition to shiny feathers, they have a brilliant green sheen on the tails.

Considered as one of the rarest breeds of chickens, the Lakenvelder chickens can be an amazing addition to your backyard coop.

Hens have fair egg production, laying roughly 150 cream-colored eggs per year.

They do not go broody and have a tendency to be a little flighty. Lakenvelders also only grow to be 4 to 5 pounds as adults.

Read More: Why is My Chicken Losing All its Feathers? If you notice that your chickens are losing feathers, this could be why!

6. Wyandotte

Wyandotte black and white chicken breeds

Purpose: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat)

Egg production quality: Good

Recognized as a breed of chicken from the United States, this pretty chicken breed has white plumes laced with black edgings.

Although they can be bossy and domineering to the flock they are also friendly birds to keep.

These black and white chickens want to keep their flock orderly and will not tolerate disarray.

The average weight of these hens is from 5.5 to 7lbs while cockerels weigh between 7 and 8 lbs.

The Wyandotte is a productive breed of poultry that can provide top-quality meat and roughly 250 large brown eggs annually.

7. Mottled Ancona

Mottled Ancona

Purpose: Eggs

Egg production quality: Great

The Mottled Ancona chickens are beautiful black and white chickens that feature black feathers mottled with white spots on them.

Their tightly-knit feathers make them able to endure boiling climates.

The average lifespan is 8 years but they can live up to 14 years in the proper environment.

Hens are not the broody mothering type. Mottled Ancona chickens are sociable creatures and also tend to be skittish around humans.

They are steady layers all year round and produce up to 250 to 300 large white eggs a year.

8. Barred Plymouth Rock

Barred Plymouth Rock

Purpose: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat)

Egg production quality: Great

The Barred Rock chicken is the first and oldest member of the Plymouth Rock chicken family of poultry.

They are from America and have a black and white barred pattern on their feathers.

These large, broody, and dual-purpose birds can weigh from 7.5 to 9.5 pounds as adults.

Barred Rock hens also have reputation for their egg production of about 280 eggs each year, but they also make a good source of meat.

9. Light Sussex

Light Sussex

Purpose: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat)

Egg production quality: Great

This striking British chicken breed is considered one of the oldest known breeds.

The Light Sussex chickens have white plumage with impressive hackle and tail feathers having black edgings.

They weigh between 6 and 9 pounds and often go broody in the warmer months.

The Light Sussex are hardy dual-purpose birds, laying large cream to light brown eggs, and can produce 250 to 280 large/extra-large eggs each year.

10. Dominique

Dominique chickens

Purpose: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat)

Egg production quality: Good

The appearance of the Dominique chicken and the Barred Rock breed may confuse you.

Both breeds have feathers featuring black and white stripes, however, Dominique chickens have a noticeable V-shape in their color pattern.

This dual-purpose chicken breed weighs from 5 to 7 pounds as adults.

And their ability to produce eggs is relatively good, often producing an impressive 260 medium to large-sized brown eggs annually.

11. Black Sex Link

Black Sex Link chicken

Purpose: Eggs

Egg production quality: Great

Black Sex Link chickens are crossed between Rhode Island Red chickens and the Barred Rock chicken breed.

These black and white roosters and hens look very different from one another.

While those black and white roosters mainly have a barred pattern, hens have black bodies with reddish-brown neck feathers.

Their weights are from 6 and 9 pounds when fully grown.

The breed is mainly used for its high egg production levels, often producing up to 280 large light brown eggs a year.

12. Cuckoo Maran

Cuckoo Maran

Purpose: Dual-purpose (eggs and meat)

Egg production quality: Fair

Another striking name on my list is Cuckoo Maran, a black and white chicken breed that is definitely a combination of beauty and utility.

Originating from France, the breed is mainly used for egg production, but can also be an adequate source of meat.

Cuckoo Maran chickens have beautiful dark and light-barred feathers.

Hens have fair egg production, producing at least 180 large-sized dark brown eggs annually, and are sometimes broody.

13. White Crested Black Polish

White Crested Black Polish

Purpose: Eggs, shows

Egg production quality: Good

This Dutch chicken is easily recognizable with a mainly black body of feathers with a gorgeous crest of white crests of wild feathers on its head.

White Crested Black Polish chickens are smaller-sized birds, weighing only from 4.5 to 6 pounds as adults.

These black and white hens have good egg-laying production and produce medium-sized white eggs.

This chicken breed is also friendly but sometimes flighty and is most often used for its high egg production and ornamental value.

Read More: Why Do Chickens Lay Eggs Without Fertilization? Here’s why chickens lay unfertilized eggs and how to prevent them if you’re wanting to expand your flock!

FAQs

1. How do you tell what breed my chickens are?

You can tell what breed your chicken is by looking at its features like its size, feather color, the color of its eggs, the type of feather patterns it has, and even the number of toes it has.

2. What are the 3 types of chicken?

The 3 types of chicken include laying, meat-producing, and dual-purpose breeds.

3. What is a black diamond chicken?

A black diamond chicken is a chicken hybrid breed between the paternal side of the Rhode Island Red breed and the maternal side of the Barred Plymouth Rock breed.

This chicken has black feathers with a touch of brown feathers throughout.

4. What chicken lays purple eggs?

There is no chicken breeds that lay purple eggs. If your chicken does lay a purple egg, the color can be attributed to the bloom – a protective layer to keep bacteria out.

5. What kind of chicken lays pink eggs?

Buff Orpingtons, Silkies, Faverolles, Mottled Javas, and Light Sussex chicken breeds all lay a pinkish-cream egg.

Conclusion

Of all the varieties of color available, black and white chicken breeds are a favorite amongst all chicken breeders and owners.

Perhaps this is because of the impressive color of the feathers combined with an active and friendly disposition.

No matter what chicken breed you choose, make sure that you have got the full knowledge to help your flock stay happy and healthy all year round.

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