We raise meat and egg chickens. My current favorites are Freedom Rangers for meat birds. www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/ These birds are REAL chickens...any one who has raised the big white Cornish Rock crosses will know what I mean. They take longer to mature, but are truly free ranging and healthy happy birds. For egg layers this year I am using Golden Comets....one of many production egg layers. They are all pretty much the same, except these birds are SO gentle, my three year old regularly picks them up and walks around the yard with them. They are also ridiculously productive. Unlike leghorns, they are quiet. I have tried various heritage breeds, all from McMurray Hatchery, the best in my opinion. Because we are up in Michigan where the winters are easily cold enough to give the birds frost bitten combs, I favor the wyandottes as they have compact combs.