The black and white Brahma grows to a hefty weight of 12 pounds for the cocks and 9 pounds for hens. This makes the Brahma chicken perfect for the roasting pan. Commercially the Brahma lacks the fast maturity rate desired for mass production. For the backyard chicken farmer the Brahma makes a perfect choice when brown eggs and docile personalities are wanted.

When first starting out learning how to raise chicken, the Brahma makes an excellent choice for both meat and egg production. The quiet manner and easy disposition makes the Brahma chicken the perfect choice for 4-H projects. The feather growth also makes the Brahma a great cold weather chicken.

Americana chickens lay colorful eggs and are sometimes referred to as the Easter egg chicken. True Araucana chickens lay green eggs while the common egg layers known to most backyard poultry farmers as Americana lay the blue eggs. Other colors, like pink, occasionally make their way into the nest box. The Americana chicken behaves in a calm peaceful manner. They get along well with their peers and are generally a friendly breed. Because they mature at an early age, they are a favorite for farmers who want eggs as soon as possible. The Americana is perfect to raise as a free range chicken and readily find their way back to the chicken coop to roost in the evening. They should be secured in the pen at night to protect the chickens from predators. During the winter months, they may prefer to stay in the coop later and come in earlier to get warm. Always provide a heat lamp or other heat source for the Americana chickens in the winter.

Source:http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/dual.html

As the days get shorter and colder, chickens automatically quit laying. To keep your chickens laying all year long, add a light and heat source to fool them into egg production. Put the light on a timer so the chickens get at least 15 hours of light each day. A heat lamp works well as a heat source for the chicken coop. Keep it clear of any combustible material to reduce the risk of fires.

A simple heat source can also be made by running a light up through a clay pot bottom and inverting the clay pot onto the bottom plate. Keep the chickens from tipping it over by anchoring the pot to the bottom with wire.