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]

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)

 

[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]

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)

Thanks for the experience! Also in the panhandle here. 110 heat index yesterday. I’m sweating just thinking about stepping outside haha.

Wyan would be mostly for looking at. They’re so pretty. I’ll make sure to always have some better layers in the bunch.

 

[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...

 

[Saveria]

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?

 

[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?

 

[ForFlocksSake]

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?

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

 

[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.

 

[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.