Best breeds for hot humid climates?

[ForFlocksSake]

I currently have a RIR, White leghorn, EE, buff Orphington, and what we think is a Cuckoo Maran. All about 5 weeks. I’m reading that they’re all ok for the hot climate here (north Florida. Very Hot and humid summers and some freeze or close to freeze in the winter overnights). I can’t stop looking at lace wyandottes online but see mixed reviews on their heat hardiness. Are they terrible for this climate? What other breeds handle heat well?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I’m new to this. Could you explain how combs relate to heat tolerance?

Chickens can't sweat - in order to bleed excess heat, they have very few strategies. Open mouthed breathing. Holding their wings away from the body to provide more surface area for cooling. Dig into the soil - preferably in a shaded area - and bed down (the earth is a few degrees cooler than the air even just 2-3" down.

and finally??? Just like elephants with their ears (as the best known example) pushing blood flow through a large prominent comb with all that surface area allows them to bleed heat in that fashion. Clean legs, similarly.

 

[Red Mangrove]

I'm impressed yours do so well out like that. Do you have predator issues in such a wooded area?

I have predators but I wouldn't call them issues. They do eat chickens but like in most natural settings, it's only the weak, old and sickly

My entire land has a perimeter fence and about half of my flock leaves every single day to explore a state forest. They all return by dark, but they dump their eggs here and raise their babies here, so it all works out nicely

I’m new to this. Could you explain how combs relate to heat tolerance?

Combs discharge heat from the body. The larger the comb, the easier heat is displaced

Have you looked into Egyptian Fayoumis? They are almost as pretty as wyandottes in my opinion. I have heard of wyandottes bred with single combs, but never went looking for them. Maybe they would be happier in the heat than the rose comb ones?

This is actually the next breed I'm working on adding to my flock. They're supposedly very tough, great free-rangers and have a fascinating history

 

[U_Stormcrow]

HELLO NORTH FLORIDA! (from the Wiregrass/Panhandle)

My Wyans do about as well as my other birds in this heat. Could they do better??? Yes - a more prominent comb would definitely help. But plenty of shade, plenty of ventilation, plenty of fresh clean water and they will do just fine. My complaints with them have everything to do with their performance - slow to start laying, slow to gain weight, only moderate producers of a medium egg with a vaguely pinkish cast under certain light.

If you arelooking for a "pet" bird as part of a mixed flock? They are bright, alert, reasonably social. If you are looking for meat or eggs? there are much better choices.

My experience and opinions, only. (We hit 98 yesterday, actual temp, not heat index)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have some brahma as well - or did until the red shoulder hawk got the last of them. The WYan did better in the heat than they did.

I was going to cold smoke some salmon today, realized it was so hot I can't actually use the smoker component, so will be hot smoking instead...

 

[esselstyn]

I’m new to this. Could you explain how combs relate to heat tolerance?

Combs have a high surface area to volume ratio and good blood flow, which allows them to shed heat.

I'm in south Louisiana and have some young buff orpingtons and bielefelders. The orpingtons are handling the heat better than the bielefelders.

 

[fluffycrow]

Chickens can't sweat - in order to bleed excess heat, they have very few strategies. Open mouthed breathing. Holding their wings away from the body to provide more surface area for cooling. Dig into the soil - preferably in a shaded area - and bed down (the earth is a few degrees cooler than the air even just 2-3" down.

and finally??? Just like elephants with their ears (as the best known example) pushing blood flow through a large prominent comb with all that surface area allows them to bleed heat in that fashion. Clean legs, similarly.

Ditto. This guy is my best example. No physical signs of discomfort, maybe when it gets 45 degrees Celsius (give or take)

 

[3KillerBs]

@3KillerBs has Australorps, lives in a hot & humid area.

Yes, my Australorps are excellent in the heat.

They have clean legs, fairly-large combs, and a lighter build for a dual-purpose breed.

One thing I've been doing is to get my birds from a hatchery in a hot climate -- Ideal being my favorite. That way I know that they come from parents that thrived in heat.

 

[Red Mangrove]

Also Florida panhandle here. All of my chickens live outside full time and sleep in trees at night. To date, I have never had an issue with the weather

I have a very wide range of birds outside, from red junglefowl to these fat brahma that can barely get into trees. All handle heat, cold, rain, perfectly fine

My land is heavily forested though and they always have access to cold water. I would never put any chicken of any breed into a coop or ugly square lawn in this heat

 

[ForFlocksSake]

Also Florida panhandle here. All of my chickens live outside full time and sleep in trees at night. To date, I have never had an issue with the weather

I have a very wide range of birds outside, from red junglefowl to these fat brahma that can barely get into trees. All handle heat, cold, rain, perfectly fine

My land is heavily forested though and they always have access to cold water. I would never put any chicken of any breed into a coop or ugly square lawn in this heat

Mine need to be in a coop overnight but I have a WiFi thermometer in there and tons of shade. Even in this heat it cools down in the evening very quickly and is usually mid to high 70’s inside during the night.

I’m impressed yours do so well out like that. Do you have predator issues in such a wooded area?