About to move to a much colder climate. I’ve got a mixed flock. What chickens will do well?

[Skyleen13]

I’ve got quite the mixed flock of chickens. 13 hens & 2 roosters. I need some advice on what breeds I have already that will do well in their new home. I’m moving from Vancouver, WA to Bend, OR. The lowest temps we get here are in the 20s. But Bend can get down to the single digits. I plan on having a hot plate out in the coop to help my chickens stay warm during winter. No heat lights. They will have some of their run be covered to keep some of the snow out & keep them cool in the hot summers. My questions are thus. Of my birds which ones will do ok down there & which ones should I find new homes for?

my flocks breeds are:
Black langshan
Buff & lavender orphingtons
Rhode Island red
Novagen (brown hybrid sex link)
Salmon faverolle
Black copper maran
Easter egger
Red speckled Sussex
Swedish flower hen
Blue laced red Wyandotte
Silver polish

I know from my research that the faverolle, Sussex, Wyandotte, langshan, & orphingtons are supposed to be cold hardy. I just need to know who would do best down there. Please

 

[Carson213]

I’ve got quite the mixed flock of chickens. 13 hens & 2 roosters. I need some advice on what breeds I have already that will do well in their new home. I’m moving from Vancouver, WA to Bend, OR. The lowest temps we get here are in the 20s. But Bend can get down to the single digits. I plan on having a hot plate out in the coop to help my chickens stay warm during winter. No heat lights. They will have some of their run be covered to keep some of the snow out & keep them cool in the hot summers. My questions are thus. Of my birds which ones will do ok down there & which ones should I find new homes for?

my flocks breeds are:
Black langshan
Buff & lavender orphingtons
Rhode Island red
Novagen (brown hybrid sex link)
Salmon faverolle
Black copper maran
Easter egger
Red speckled Sussex
Swedish flower hen
Blue laced red Wyandotte
Silver polish

I know from my research that the faverolle, Sussex, Wyandotte, langshan, & orphingtons are supposed to be cold hardy. I just need to know who would do best down there. Please

if they all roost together and there’s no direct wind draft across the roost...you’ll be fine. i live in oregon and knie people who have several of these chickens in central oregon. i would just not oversize your coop so that they’re own body heat also warms it up and use bedding during the winter.

 

[Carson213]

if they all roost together and there’s no direct wind draft across the roost...you’ll be fine. i live in oregon and knie people who have several of these chickens in central oregon. i would just not oversize your coop so that they’re own body heat also warms it up and use bedding during the winter.

with that many birds huddled together you won’t need to heat the coop. keep the roost space tight...and you could have multiple open air “windows” that you close during the coldest times and leave open the rest of the year.

 

[Carson213]

with that many birds huddled together you won’t need to heat the coop. keep the roost space tight...and you could have multiple open air “windows” that you close during the coldest times and leave open the rest of the year.

think about this...i have a down sleeping bag rated to 0° F....so do my chickens

 

[Skyleen13]

if they all roost together and there’s no direct wind draft across the roost...you’ll be fine. i live in oregon and knie people who have several of these chickens in central oregon. i would just not oversize your coop so that they’re own body heat also warms it up and use bedding during the winter.

Thank you!

 

[Skyleen13]

think about this...i have a down sleeping bag rated to 0° F....so do my chickens

Very true!

 

[Skyleen13]

with that many birds huddled together you won’t need to heat the coop. keep the roost space tight...and you could have multiple open air “windows” that you close during the coldest times and leave open the rest of the year.

Thank you!

 

[Skyleen13]

if they all roost together and there’s no direct wind draft across the roost...you’ll be fine. i live in oregon and knie people who have several of these chickens in central oregon. i would just not oversize your coop so that they’re own body heat also warms it up and use bedding during the winter.

Got it! Thank you!

 

[Carson213]

Got it! Thank you!

i know a lot of chicken peeps ranging from backyards to 25k chickens to 100k chickens. i’ve never known anyone who heated a coop...if that helps

 

[Carson213]

Thank you!

i am also assuming your chickens...if they are layers...are 1-3 years old and not 10 years old. obviously, if you have chickens way past their optimal production period, drastic weather change might not help them...but your risk is low.