Eggs and meat dual purpose breeds are popular for the beginner as well as the experienced backyard flock owner. Their calm disposition makes them enjoyable to work with, and their large body size helps them resist cold Indiana winters. Common breeds are Plymouth Rock, Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire Red, Wyandotte, Orpington, and Australorp. Most dual purpose breeds lay brown eggs. An exception is the Dorking, which lays white eggs.
Leghorns are prolific layers of white eggs.
They are the dominant breed of the large, commercial egg operations. They may average 250 eggs per year. In addition, roosters can be quite aggressive. Commercial hybrid brown egg layers are becoming more widely available. Hubbard Golden Comet, Red Star, and Red and Black Sex Link are examples.