Ideas for Breeds in Wisconsin (aka 90 degrees in the summer, -10 degrees in the winter)

I'm fairly new to Wisconsin and am wondering what chickens would work in this climate! It's upwards of 90 degrees and sometimes stormy in the summer and downwards of -10 degrees and snowing in the winter. I was thinking that I would need to get standard sized chickens with a smaller comb and no feathers on their feet. I have a long haired dog and I have to trim the hair on her feet in the winter to keep her from sticking to the snow! I've also heard that Polish don't necessarily do well because their top feathers freeze and form little icicles

After a preliminary search, breeds that I'm considering are:
Ameraucana
Andalusian
Ancona
Australorp
Barnevelder
Brahma
Buckeye
Campine
Chantecler
Cherry Egger
Cochin
Delaware
Dominique
Easter Egger
Favaucana
Faverolles
Hamburg
Jersey Giant
Marans
Modern Game
Naked Neck Turken
New Hampshire
Orpington
Plymouth Rock
Rhode Island
Sex Link
Sussex
Wyandotte

Has anyone had experience with these breeds in different climates? Or any chickens to add to the potential chickens list?

http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/which-breed-is-right-for-me.aspx

The link is to a fun breed selection tool on mypetchicken.

Hamburgs are very flighty but good layers they are small birds and lay white small to medium eggs.
Black Australorp are a favorite breed for me and would do well in your climate. The roosters may get some frost bite given the large combs and wattles.
Wyandottes that I have had do not do well confined to a coop and run but are a small combed large breed. Mine also were not the best of layers.
Speckled Sussex are a pretty bird that lays fairly well. They should also do well.
Buff Orpingtons are a calm breed that lays well and would do nicely.

You really have a lot to choose from that would do well there. I would have a hard time narrowing down the list.

I'm in Antigo and I have Easter eggers, delewares, and Marans. They were just fine all winter in an un heated coop. Most of the large breed birds would be just fine that you have listed.

21hens-incharge said:

http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/which-breed-is-right-for-me.aspx

The link is to a fun breed selection tool on mypetchicken.

Hamburgs are very flighty but good layers they are small birds and lay white small to medium eggs.
Black Australorp are a favorite breed for me and would do well in your climate. The roosters may get some frost bite given the large combs and wattles.
Wyandottes that I have had do not do well confined to a coop and run but are a small combed large breed. Mine also were not the best of layers.
Speckled Sussex are a pretty bird that lays fairly well. They should also do well.
Buff Orpingtons are a calm breed that lays well and would do nicely.

You really have a lot to choose from that would do well there. I would have a hard time narrowing down the list.

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I have been on My Pet Chicken, but didn't know that they had that tool! That's great. Thanks!

Years back when I used to have chickens I had a Golden Laced Wyandotte and a Speckled Sussex that were great. I was able to let them free range during the day, though, so I never had problems with them in confined spaces. I hadn't thought about that! Living somewhere that it snows now, it's nice to know that Wyandottes don't do as well in confinement. I'd love to have another Sussex, though. They're gorgeous and lay reasonably well.

I'd really like a Brahma, Cochin, or Faverolle as well, but I'm worried about their silly feathered feat! So I'm probably leaning toward a Buff Orpington. There's even a hatchery close by that has Lavender Orpingtons.

corewassen87 said:

I'm in Antigo and I have Easter eggers, delewares, and Marans. They were just fine all winter in an un heated coop. Most of the large breed birds would be just fine that you have listed.

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That is really nice to know! I've been wondering whether I would need to heat the coop in winter. It'd be great if I didn't have to!

I've been thinking about getting chickens from Northwoods Poultry in Florence. They have a couple varieties of Marans. Although Easter Eggers and Delawares sound great, too.

In Wisconsin, near Appleton I have a Delaware, Cream Legbars, Easter Egger and Olive Egger. The Easter Egger and Olive egger fared best because of the comb type, the others lost some comb tips to frostbite but nothing serious. I will be making some coop adjustments before next winter. I compromised ventilation to block wind and I think it got just a little too damp and that was the cause.

I have some silkies too and they did great even when wind pushed snow in and they got wet at 10 degrees.

Gnarled Carrots said:

That is really nice to know! I've been wondering whether I would need to heat the coop in winter. It'd be great if I didn't have to!

I've been thinking about getting chickens from Northwoods Poultry in Florence. They have a couple varieties of Marans. Although Easter Eggers and Delawares sound great, too. 

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I've heard Charmaine Conroy is a joy to work with. If you do go them please let me know if that is true because I'd like to buy a few pullets. Kinda pricey for a 8 week old but who cares lol

corewassen87 said:

I've heard Charmaine Conroy is a joy to work with. If you do go them please let me know if that is true because I'd like to buy a few pullets. Kinda pricey for a 8 week old but who cares lol

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I've searched the forums for people who've used them and heard nothing but good things. Some of the pullets are a little pricey, but they have an option where you can pick them up instead of shipping them, which makes them cheaper in the end. They have a decent variety, too.

Blue and Black Ameraucans
Blue Copper Marans
Black Copper Marans
Blue Splash Marans
Blue Double Laced Barnevelder
Buff Brahmas
Chocolate Orpington Bantam
Coronation Sussex
Jubilee Orpington
Large Fowl Chocolate Cuckoo Orpington
Large fowl Chocolate Orpington
Lavender Orpinton
Olive Egger
Salmon Faverolles

We're planning on getting 4-6 chickens. Tentatively thinking about a Black Ameraucana, Blue Double Laced Barnevelder, Buff Brahma, Salmon Faverolle, Blue Splash Maran, Olive Egger, and/or Lavender Orpington. Although that's 7...

Gnarled Carrots said:

We're planning on getting 4-6 chickens. Tentatively thinking about a Black Ameraucana, Blue Double Laced Barnevelder, Buff Brahma, Salmon Faverolle, Blue Splash Maran, Olive Egger, and/or Lavender Orpington. Although that's 7...  

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Sounds like a pretty nice mix. Should have a pretty egg basket too with all the different birds