The 16 Largest Chicken Breeds You Should Know

There’s an old saying that says there is someone out there for everybody, and I don’t know if that’s true or not but I can definitely tell you with certainty that there is a breed of chicken out there for everyone. No matter what your desires or preferences, there’s bound to be a breed of chickens that will make your heart sing…

Today, to help you home in on your next favorite, we’ll be looking at just giant chickens, birds that impress with their large stature and weight.

Whether you want a beastly chicken to make a wonderful roast dinner, or you just like larger birds that can better put up with attacks from predators, you are certain to find your next flock on the list below.

So without further ado let’s get right into it.

Breed	Average Height (inches)	Average Length (inches)	Average Weight (lbs)
Jersey Giant	22–26	24–30	13–15 (rooster), 10–12 (hen)
Brahma	26–30	24–28	12–14 (rooster), 9–11 (hen)
Malay	30–36	26–30	9–11 (rooster), 7–9 (hen)
Cochin	20–26	22–26	11–13 (rooster), 8–10 (hen)
Rhode Island Red	18–22	20–24	8.5 (rooster), 6.5 (hen)
Langshan	22–28	24–28	9.5 (rooster), 7.5 (hen)
Cornish	18–22	20–24	10–12 (rooster), 8–9 (hen)
Orpington	20–26	22–28	10 (rooster), 8 (hen)
Australorp	20–24	22–26	8.5–10 (rooster), 6.5–8 (hen)
Barred Rock	18–22	20–24	9.5 (rooster), 7.5 (hen)
Delaware	18–22	20–24	8.5 (rooster), 6.5 (hen)
Sussex	20–24	22–26	9 (rooster), 7 (hen)
Java	20–24	22–26	9.5 (rooster), 7.5 (hen)
Dong Tao	24–30	24–28	12–15 (rooster), 9–11 (hen)
Faverolles	18–22	20–24	8 (rooster), 6.5 (hen)
Malines	26–30	24–28	11–13 (rooster), 9–11 (hen)

What Qualifies a “Large” Chicken?

What makes a giant chicken a giant chicken? Is it height, weight, both?

If you look at the American Poultry Association, or APA, standards, we see domestic breeds divided roughly into large breeds and bantam breeds, but there’s a huge amount of variation in terms of overall weight and girth in the large breed classification.

Relatively petite breeds like the Polish will be right alongside massive whoppers like the Jersey Giant!

Instead, a better if unofficial classification for truly large breeds is whether or not they will routinely clear 8 to 8 1/2 pounds of weight, depending on who you ask. Genuine giants will grow larger than 10 pounds!

Like I said, it’s not official or particularly scientific, but a standard that most chicken keepers and enthusiasts are familiar and comfortable with.

Jersey Giant

What better place to start than with the very literal king of the hill when it comes to giant chickens? The Jersey Giant is a great example of truth in advertising, and everything you need to know about these birds is in the name. Jersey Giant roosters can tip the scales out of astonishing, crazy, 15 pounds, and hens can clear 10 pounds.

These beefy backyard birds are known for being gentle and friendly, though, seemingly in defiance of their size. But that level of strength, they can clear the field of other chickens if they wanted to, but surprisingly they tend to be peacemakers in mixed flocks.

In any case, you’ll always be able to spot them because these big birds regularly stand over 2 ft tall. These are the biggest chickens in the world!

Brahma

The Brahma is often thought of as a domestic breed that’s living figuratively, though not literally, in the shadow of the Jersey giant.

They are heavy, stocky and sizable, with roosters weighing up to 12 pounds and hens only right behind them averaging about 8 1/2 to 9 pounds, and sometimes a little bit heavier.

They aren’t as tall as Jersey Giants, but they tend to be broad and heavily feathered which makes them look very chunky even if they are a little bit lower. Compared to Jersey Giants, they mature just a little bit quicker, and also happen to be remarkably good egg producers.

Malay

One of the tallest chickens on earth, the lean, imposing, and athletic Malay is directly descended from various fighting chickens in Asia, and they have a reputation for ferocity and relentlessness when they are on offense. This is not a chicken for beginners, especially if you are skittish about handling an angry bird!

Although they aren’t the heaviest, owing to their lean build, they are still impressively heavy with roosters weighing about 10 1/2 pounds and hens tipping the scales at 9 pounds.

Impressively, they will stand about two and a half feet tall on average, and some exemplary individual birds might be nearly 3 feet tall!

Cochin

Cochin chickens are a breed beloved for their fluffy, puffy good looks and friendly, and easygoing.

More than most other chickens, they love interaction with people, and plenty of owners report having a special bond with a pet chicken that is more than content to sit in their lap or follow them everywhere. If you want a chicken that is snugly, the Cochin is probably the very best.

And there’s a lot to snuggle: Though the overall size of the breed can be highly variable, not including the diminutive bantam variation, roosters can wait anywhere from 8 to 13 pounds with hens averaging only a little bit less at 7 to 11 pounds.

They also happen to be remarkably resistant to cold thanks to that extremely dense plumage, but you’ve got to keep an eye on their feathered legs and feet which are vulnerable to muddy and wet conditions.

Rhode Island Red

Another American classic, the gorgeous, independent, and let’s say, spunky Rhode Island Red can provide you with plenty of eggs and healthy, high-quality meat in equal measure.

They are also truly beautiful, and one of the most picturesque chicken breeds that you’ll ever see. They also have a reputation for aggression, particularly the roosters, so watch yourself.

And unlike their cousins which have been modified for industrial production and are significantly smaller for maximum efficiency, the classic or heritage Rhode Island Red is definitely a big bird that belongs on our list!

Roosters weigh about 9 pounds on average but hens are significantly lighter, averaging just 6 1/2 pounds.

Langshan

An ancient breed that was originally brought to England from China, though these birds have a provenance that has long since been lost to time, these are utility chickens that are capable of producing large amounts of decent meat and plenty of eggs.

In service of the latter, though, they don’t produce that many compared to more modern domestic breeds, averaging around 150 to 175 eggs a year.

Calm, healthy, excellent at foraging, and easy to handle despite their large size, Langshans are very adaptable to different weather conditions, environments, and living arrangements.

Roosters average around 9 1/2 pounds, with 10 pounds being pretty common. Hens are usually 2 pounds lighter, averaging around 7 1/2. There is a bantam variety that is positively tiny by comparison, but you won’t see it on this list.

Cornish

The Cornish, not to be confused with the Cornish Cross that was developed from it, is an old heritage breed hailing from the UK. These dual-use birds are beautiful, hardy, and highly adaptable, and they tend to be agreeable and peaceful, especially in homogeneous flocks.

However, roosters can get particularly assertive in mixed flocks or if there are too many roosters of their own kind in close quarters.

And speaking of roosters, this is definitely a big breed, with roosters usually maxing out right at 10 pounds and hens still being a very respectable 7 1/2 to 8 1/4 pounds.

Orpington

One of the most beloved chicken breeds around, the friendly, calm, and attentive Orpington is among the most charismatic domestic chickens you could ever hope to own.

Beautiful, prolific layers and infamously broody, Orpingtons are still a favorite for chicken expos and competitions and also for backyard keepers that need attentive mothers and surrogates for other eggs.

And because they’re on this list, you know that Orpingtons are all large, stocky chickens: roosters top out right around 10 pounds, with hens rarely growing bigger than 8 pounds.

However, this is another breed that’s known to have thick, plush plumage, and they are prone to fluffing it up when resting or when the weather turns chilly, making them look even bigger than they are.

Australorp

Probably the most famous heritage breed that still rightly fits into the category of a superlayer, the large and in charge Australorp can easily lay 300 eggs, or more, every year, and even relatively lackluster hens can be counted on to produce at least 280. That is a lot of eggs!

And as mentioned, they are definitely impressive chickens, with roosters weighing anywhere from 8 1/2 to 10 pounds and hens 6 to 8 pounds.

Highly adaptable and amenable to varying weather and different conditions, they’re one of the very best choices for beginners as they have a reputation for robust health and easy handling.

Still, hens do tend to be a little broody, meaning you’ll have to put up with it and be ready for new arrivals or have a plan for separating her from those eggs!

Barred Rock

A beloved American heritage breed, the Barred Rock, or more properly the Barred Plymouth Rock, is famous for being a remarkably healthy dual-use chicken, one that can provide plenty of meat and crank out 200 eggs or a little more every year like clockwork for most of their lives.

Assuming you keep them safe from predators, you can depend on the Barred Rock to stay happy and healthy pretty much all the time.

Quick growing and easy to manage, these are one of the smaller chickens on our list, but they’re still definitely large birds, with roosters weighing about 8 1/2 pounds and hens being significantly lighter at 7 1/2 pounds. No matter what your purposes, you won’t go wrong with this 19th-century American original.

Delaware

The Delaware just squeaks onto our list as a genuinely large chicken, with roosters coming in at a respectable 8 1/2 pounds, and hens often 2 pounds lighter, around 6 1/2 pounds on average.

These chunky, stocky birds are known to be agreeable and relatively easy to handle, but standoffish: they don’t really want to get close to you or put up with a lot of petting, but they shouldn’t give you too many problems otherwise.

They’re also notable for being extraordinarily good egg layers, with healthy hens in the prime of life laying about 275 eggs yearly.

And in keeping with their independent streak, they’re diligent mothers, good sitters, and very capable foragers, meaning they are a great choice for a free-ranging chicken.

Sussex

A famous and highly regarded, and an ancient, British heritage breed, the Sussex is big, beautiful, stately, and raised for both meat and eggs, a purpose which has continued since antiquity.

However, you’re just as likely to find them being kept for show purposes or as intriguing ornamental birds by chicken fanciers today. But if you just want a few for your backyard flock, you’re in luck, because they can keep you in eggs all year, averaging about 250 per hen.

Roosters are stout, tipping the scales at about 9 pounds typically, the larger specimens are fairly common. Notably, hens are only slightly smaller in this breed, around 8 pounds on average and normally weighing only about a pound less than the males in any case.

Java

Despite what the name might lead you to believe, the Java is another American breed, one developed from Asian chickens.

Regrettably, the type and number of this Asian stock have been lost to history. Even more regrettably, Javas are a critically endangered heritage breed, with precious few of them left in the US or elsewhere in the world.

Big, pretty, docile, and healthy, these birds are known for independence, resistance to rough weather, and broodiness.

They’re excellent foragers and more than capable of tending to themselves most days as long as they have plenty to eat. Roosters average about 9 1/2 pounds in weight, with hens significantly smaller, anywhere from 6 1/2 to 7 1/2 pounds.

Dong Tao

Also popularly known as the “dragon chicken,” this rare and incredibly expensive Vietnamese breed is noteworthy for several characteristics, not just its size and weight.

For starters, they have incredibly thick, heavy legs and toes that are far bigger than those of any other chicken. They also have dense, almost warty skin on their faces.

With roosters usually maxing out at about 12 ½ pounds and hens being much lighter at 9 pounds or so, these immense birds will cost you a fortune if you can find them.

They’re kept only for their meat unless they are pets or ornamentals in a flock: it is considered a delicacy, but they are too big and awkward to raise their own eggs which are often crushed under their dinosaur-like feet.

Faverolles

A famous French heritage breed, and one of my very favorite chickens, the Faverolles is known for its curiosity, active lifestyle, and general independence though they are also famously friendly.

Possessed of a unique and gorgeous salmon coloring, with roosters being offset by splashes of dramatic black on the neck, breast, and tail, it’s hard to imagine a more engaging or appealing chicken.

In fact, they are so friendly that they’re very popular as true pets, and they are even known to be good with children. Remarkable!

Standards for the breed vary depending on the country in question, but roosters tend to be on the large side, weighing anywhere from 8 ½ to 10 pounds or a little more. Hens are only a little smaller, anywhere from 7 ½ to 9 ½ pounds.

Malines

A rarely discussed or, in the US, seen breed from Belgium, the Malines is a bird that is raised most often for its meat, which is said to be of superlative quality.

Even better, the carcass yield of the densely-muscled Malines is excellent, and they make one of the best table birds especially if you want to roast a whole chicken. Calm, quiet, and gentle, they make an ideal if expensive backyard bird.

You’ll get what you pay for with this intriguing heritage breed, as roosters routinely weigh about 10 1/2 pounds, with individuals that clear 11 pounds being fairly common. Hens are just as stocky, maxing out around 10 pounds themselves with 8 1/2 pounds being the average.