Choosing Chicken Breeds

First decide the purpose of the flock.

Easter Eggers kept mainly for the blue eggs they lay.

Since I am focusing on food production, utility or production breed are generally classified as Layers, Broilers or Dual Purpose. 

D’Uccle Bantams small ornamental breed, not good for meat but they do lay small eggs.

If you just want fresh eggs than Laying breeds are your best choice. Keep in mind all Chicken breeds lay eggs but some lay more, some lay less and the size of the egg varies based on breed and how well the breed has been selected for egg laying. Hens do not need a rooster to lay eggs.

Cochins a good sized Dual Purpose breed

Broilers or Meat Birds are breeds developed for meat. Modern strains grow fast, but many older breeds where developed to reach their slaughter weights at different times. For instance a Jersey Giant will take a very long time to mature compared to a Kosher King or CornishX.

Transylvanian Naked Necks an older breed developed primarily for meat.  

Dual Purpose chickens both usually lay well but also are large enough to make decent meat birds.

When purchasing a few chicks  for your household a few gender terms… straight run means the chicks have not been sexed and you could get a pullet or cockerel. Pullet means the chicks have been sexed and it should mature into a hen. Cockerel means the chick has been sexed and should mature into a rooster.

All roosters crow! So if you are in an environment that crowing is unwelcome purchase only pullets.

However sometimes you may end up with a cockerel, you can slaughter it fir food, rehome it, sell it or collar the rooster. Rooster collars prevent the rooster from crowing (if properly fitted), they will stay make noise but at the same level as the hens. The roosters can eat, drink and go about their chicken activities no problem.