New To Chickens - Winter Breed Advice!

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motleybeau

motleybeau

In the Brooder
Jul 2, 2015
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hello! I am new to raising chickens and am looking for some advice with breeds. I live west of Calgary, Alberta near the mountains so we are at a high elevation (~4425Ft) and often get cold winters and a lot of snow. Any recommendations for good winter breeds to survive -30C to -40C (I'll be building an insulated coop!).

So far I'm leaning towards Barred Plymouth Rock, Columbian Rock and Sussex. Any comments or recommendations would be much appreciated!!

Thanks very much!
 
Alaska Backyard Chickens has a list of recommended breeds for Alaska at http://akchickens.org/getting-started/recommended-breeds/. If these breeds can handle Alaska's brutal winters, they should be able to handle your winters. Barred Rocks are one of the breeds on that recommended list. Australorps are also on Alaska's recommended list, and I have personally raised Aussies where winter temperatures dropped to -30 F, and with a draft free, dry, and well ventilated coop to keep moisture from building up inside, they did just fine. Where these very cold hardy breeds are concerned, their feathers are wonderful insulators and moisture is a much greater danger than cold.
 

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