Top 10 Biggest Chicken in the World

Welcome to our new article! Chickens come in various shapes and sizes. Today, we’ll explore the top 10 largest chickens in the world that you never knew existed. Stay until number one—you won’t believe how humongous this chicken is!

Here is the full, detailed list of the top 10 biggest chicken in the world, Let’s check it out now!

Top 10 Biggest Chicken in the World 2024

#10: Brahma Chicken

After all, the larger the chicken, the greater the chance it’ll produce a ton of meat for you to eat. Although there’s a bit of controversy over its origin, it’s generally accepted that the Brahma comes from American farms and is the result of crossbreeding Malay and Chinese chickens. Although the average weight of a rooster is 12 pounds, there is a record of a rooster weighing up to 18 pounds.

• Average Weight: Rooster up to 18 pounds
• Height: Up to 30 inches
• Egg Production: Up to 300 eggs per year
• Color: Light, buff, dark
• Unique Feature: Lays eggs in winter

The tallest on record reached 30 inches. With its size, it’s a valuable source of both meat and eggs, producing up to 300 eggs each year. Poultry farmers love that hens lay eggs from October to May, even during the winter. The breed comes in various colors, like light, buff, and dark. Despite their size, brahmas are friendly and make excellent pets. They can’t fly over fences due to their size. However, they don’t do well in hot climates, so keep them cool in the summer.

#9: Dong Tao Chicken

Did you know that there’s a breed of chicken that’s considered a threatened species? It’s originally from Hanoi, Vietnam, and it’s called Dong Tao. A male adult Dong Tao chicken has colorful feathers, while a hen generally has only white feathers. Besides having a huge and imposing body that can weigh up to 16 pounds, this chicken is famous for its legs and feet.

• Average Weight: Up to 16 pounds
• Egg Production: Around 60-70 eggs per year
• Color: Males are colorful, females are white
• Unique Feature: Thick legs and feet, prized meat

These physical attributes make them both prized and endangered. Their meat, especially the legs, is a delicacy served only at expensive restaurants. Due to their awkward bodies, breeders must assist hens during egg-laying and hatching. Typically, a Dong Tao can lay about 60 eggs a year, increasing to 70 with assistance.

It takes about eight months to a year for a Dong Tao to mature, compared to 16 to 24 weeks for an ordinary chicken. This chicken can fetch a hefty price—two Dong Tao chickens can be bought for $2,500.

#8: Langshan Chicken

Originally from China, the Langshan got its name from a district around the Yangshi Kang River, about 100 miles from Shanghai. Because it was exported via Shanghai, some breeders confused it with another type of Chinese chicken, leading to four different types of Langshan: the Orpington, the German (aka Dutchman), the Modern, and the Crowed Langshan (aka the original Langshan).

• Average Weight: Up to 9.5 pounds
• Height: Up to 30 inches
• Egg Production: Up to 180 eggs per year
• Color: Various, including black, blue
• Unique Feature: Feathered feet, heat tolerant

The German Langshan has no leg feathering, the Modern Langshan was bred in the UK and has long legs with a smaller breast, and the Crowed Langshan was also bred in the UK in honor of Major Crowe, who first imported it. A Langshan can lay up to 180 large, dark brown, purplish eggs per year and weigh up to 9.5 pounds.

It’s exceptionally tall, with a maximum height of 30 inches. It’s a favorite during shows due to its feathered feet. Unlike the Dong Tao, the Langshan is a hearty breed, heat-tolerant, and does well in most weather conditions. It’s also a great forager, producing a lot of white meat.

#7: Barred Rock Chicken

The Barred Rock chicken is a classic American breed, the first and oldest member of the Plymouth Rock family. It’s been around since the mid-1800s and was first exhibited as a breed in 1869. During World War II, it became popular due to its hardiness, temperament, and ability to produce many eggs and quality meat. Poultry breeders fondly call them “Rocks” because of their hardiness and the beautiful grayish rock-like pattern of their feathers.

• Average Weight: Roosters up to 9.5 pounds
• Egg Production: Up to 280 eggs per year
• Color: Grayish rock-like pattern
• Unique Feature: Hardy, friendly temperament

It’s ideal for small backyard farms, even in cold regions. Roosters are quite large, while hens can lay up to 280 brownish-pink eggs per year. Both hens and roosters have friendly and docile personalities, making them great pets. They hardly make a ruckus, unlike other chicken breeds.

#6: Malay Chicken

The Malay chicken is regarded as one of the tallest chicken breeds. It originated in Europe as a cross from breeds native to India and the Malaysian peninsula. These chickens became popular because of their height. They may not be as tall or as big as some other giants on the list, but they can still grow up to 30 inches in height and weigh up to 9 pounds.

• Average Weight: Up to 9 pounds
• Height: Up to 30 inches
• Egg Production: Around 100 eggs per year
• Color: Various
• Unique Feature: Thick bones, aggressive nature

They also have thick bones and wide skulls. They can produce about 100 eggs each year, although hens are seasonal layers. Because they’re a rare breed, they’re kept mostly for ornamental and show purposes. They’re also very aggressive, making it hard to keep a flock in a small space. The more confident they are, the more aggressive they become, so they need more space than normal chickens.

#5: Malines Chicken

The Malines chicken is not a common breed but has been grown on farms across Belgium since the 1800s. It’s the result of crossbreeding between local chickens and large breeds like the Langshan. The result is a hearty type of chicken, the very definition of a gentle giant. Roosters can weigh up to 12 pounds but are tender and gentle, making them excellent pets.

• Average Weight: Roosters up to 12 pounds
• Egg Production: Up to 150 eggs per year
• Color: Various, including gold, cuckoo pattern
• Unique Feature: Gentle giant, good for families

They can even be left with small children. They have several color varieties, including a gold color with cuckoo pattern feathers. Hens can lay as many as 150 large tan-colored eggs each year, and their meat is considered high quality.

#4: Orpington Chicken

When people hear the word “British,” some immediately think of people who remain calm even when under pressure. And it looks like this temperament extends even to their chickens. As we noted earlier, it comes from crossbreeding other chickens with Langshan chickens. Orpington chickens get their name from a British town of the same name, and they’re famous for being calm and laid back, so they do well even with confinement.

• Average Weight: Roosters up to 10 pounds
• Egg Production: Up to 280 eggs per year
• Color: Black, buff, white, chocolate, lavender, blue
• Unique Feature: Calm, good for confinement

The hens are great egg layers and can produce up to 280 eggs each year. Meanwhile, the roosters can become as heavy as 10 pounds. The Orpington is one of the chicken breeds with a lot of colors, like black, buff, white, chocolate, and even lavender and blue.

#3: Cornish Chicken

The Cornish chicken was first bred in the 1800s in the United Kingdom. They can weigh as much as 10 pounds and come in several color patterns like white, black, white-laced red, and buff. They are very docile, but they should still be provided plenty of space to stop issues related to dominance from happening.

• Average Weight: Up to 10 pounds
• Egg Production: Low
• Color: White, black, white laced red, buff
• Unique Feature: Docile, grown for meat

Because they’re not good egg layers, they’re grown more for their meat. This breed is the parent stock of the popular Cornish Rock chicken, which is used for commercial meat. Because of its size, the Cornish Rock is prone to suffering from heart and leg problems. But the Cornish chicken is a more hearty breed; it can tolerate warm and cold temperatures quite well.

#2: Cochin Chicken

In 1850, American and English poultry farmers went through “hen fever,” an obsession to own and breed the world’s finest chicken. The cause of this mania was the Cochin chicken from China. Queen Victoria had a special menagerie and was gifted seven Cochin chickens in 1842.

• Average Weight: Up to 11 pounds
• Egg Production: Up to 160 eggs per year
• Color: Auburn, black, other varieties
• Unique Feature: Fluffy feathers, excellent brooders

She fell in love with these fluffy giants because they were so different from regular English chickens. When the birds laid eggs, the queen sent samples to her relatives across Europe, sparking interest in the chickens.

Today, Cochin chickens remain docile and cuddly, bred for their meat, the 160 eggs they lay per year, and their affectionate nature. They’re considered the best brooders, with even roosters sometimes hatching and raising chicks.

#1: Jersey Giant Chicken

The only chicken that can give the Brahma a run for its money is the Jersey Giant chicken. Some believe the Jersey Giant is larger than the Brahma, but generally, it’s a bit smaller. The average weight of this breed is 13 to 15 pounds, and it can reach a height of 26 inches. They were originally bred in New Jersey by John and Thomas Black as an alternative to the domestic turkey.

• Average Weight: Up to 15 pounds
• Height: Up to 26 inches
• Egg Production: Up to 200 eggs per year
• Color: Black, white
• Unique Feature: Gentle giants, friendly and playful

Black Jersey Giants are generally heavier than white ones. Today, many people raise Jersey Giants for their meat and eggs, producing 150 to 200 large brown eggs per year. Due to their docile, playful, and friendly nature, some turn into pets. They’re also called “gentle giants.”

There you have it—our feature on the top 10 largest chickens in the world that you never knew existed. Which one is your favorite? Tell us in the comments below.

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