Tell me about your chickens!!

[Cheep a'lil Talk a'lil]

Okay BYC gang I need your help. I am just about done with my coop so I'm almost ready for the babys. Butwhich ones?

This is where I need your advice. Help me pick chickens that would do well where we live.

My area:
The Pacific Northwest on the Olympic Peninsual in a small town called Forks. We are about 30 minutes from the Rain Forest which means we get A LOT for rain, an average of 120 inches of a year. And that is notincluding snow.
We get pretty windy at times too. It usually never gets below 32 degrees in winter and we might get over 90 in the summer but only for about a week.
I guess winter is my biggest concern is with all the rain and muck. I will have a roof over the run and might put up plastic on one side as a wind/rain breaker.

Your chicken experience:
Do you have a chicken that would do well in my area?
What kind is it? What is its temperment?
These will be laying hens, pets and 4-H. They will be held a lot and get lots of love and with six kids they will get plenty of attention.

I will probably be ordering from Lazy 54 Farm that way I can pick the breeds I want.
On the list that I want to choose from are:
Australorp
Brahma
Chochin * (they're just so cute)
Delaware
Faverolles
Jersey Giant
Marans
Naked Neck-Turken * (kid wants for pet)
New Hampshire Red
Orpingtons
Plymouth Rock
Polish
Rhode Island Red* (DH wants one)
Silkies * (kid wants for pet/4-H)
Sussex
Welsummer
Wyanodotte * (kid wants for pet/4-H)

Chickens with * are a definatet to get. But if you think they won't do well in our climate pleast let me know.
And if you have a breed that you think might do well with us that I didn't mention, let me know about them too.
Thanks, you guys are the best!! I just love BYC!!

 

[Goose and Fig]

Here's a link you should bookmark: img/smilies/frow.gif" alt="frow" />">http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[Little Ameraucana Mom]

They aren't on your list, But I have bantam Ameraucanas and they do well in our up and down weather. No feathers on their feet to get all nasty in the muddy times. They take our winters and the heat of the summers really well. They hatch on the go, alot better then my other breeds.

 

[lauralou]

I tend to agree that feather footed breeds wouldn't be the best choice if you have a lot of rain/mud/muck. Looking at your list, that would include the Brahmas, Cochins, Faverolles, and Silkies.

Personally, I've never had a feather footed chicken, so I don't know that from experience. It just seems that a clean legged bird would do better in those conditions....

 

[Settler'sDreamFarm]

I do not know what to say, I have never owned any of those birds besides Brahmas, Silkies and Cochins and it would probably be best you did not get a feather legged bird because of the rain. You probably want a bird that would do well in heat.

 

[Pathfinders]

Most folks here know that I am a big cheerleader for Buckeyes! They are a clean legged, pea-combed, heritage breed. They tolerate heat and cold well, are good foragers, very friendly, the males are generally not aggressive and good to their wives, they even mouse like cats, and roar like dinosaurs. They lay a good amount of medium brown eggs, are somewhat broody (but not excessively so), and the extra cockerels dress out very nicely with a good broad breast.

You can find out more about them via the Yahoo Group we have started for the American Buckeye Poultry Club here:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/AmericanBuckeyePoultryClub/

And if you hatch your own eggs, I have a special on for BYC members: you join the ABPC for one year ($15) and I send you 15 eggs for just the cost of shipping (typically about $11 or so.) I've got several orders in line right now, so can't ship any this week, but should be able to next week.

You can see more about Buckeyes on my website: http://www.pathfindersfarm.com/services.html

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Here's another link to bookmark.

http://www.mypetchicken.com/breedQuestions.aspx

I agree. Feather footed breeds won't cope well in areas with alot of rain. If you want to go for it, though, sure. We have birds with feathered feet and we get rain and snow and they've never had a problem. Yet.

NO POLISH!!! The crests are a magnet for moisture and with that much of it, you'll never see them feather out again. Not to mention that all the rain and dirt put together can get them sick, considering that their head-dress will collect anything that touches it.

 

[M To The Maxx]

I would have all of these and I have all of these:
Delaware
Faverolles
Jersey Giant
Marans
Naked Neck-Turken
Plymouth Rock
Polish
Rhode Island Red
Silkies
Ameraucanas

 

[3KillerBs]

I can't offer any advice for that climate because I've been researching chickens for the steamy southeast, but as one newbie to another, I think that you're being very smart in doing your research and considering your climate rather than just what looks pretty in the hatchery catalog.

Good luck!

 

[Cheep a'lil Talk a'lil]

Quote:
Thanks! I don't want to get any chickens that will be miserable or sick from our lovely weather.

Thanks everyone for your input, it is great appreciated!!