I have a variety of different breeds, but want to purchase some hardy, good egg layers. what would you guys suggest- We tend to have cold winters and hot summers (extreme) here in Oklahoma so I need not only a good egg layer, but one that can tolerate extreme temps too. Any suggestions?
Hi! I am in kansas and this is our first year with chickens. You can see from by signature what I have. I was told they are cold and heat hardy and so far even during our HOT, way hotter than normal we had no losses. 3 of ours just started laying We are told we don't need heat in the coop either. I'm liking this! I wanted to add a couple of other breeds next year, a leghorn or two and a few cornish (maybe including a roo). I love the brown eggs, as they seem to be popular, but I would like a leghorn or two because from what I've read they lay very well! Not sure about how they do in the cold/heat. Good Luck!
If you go to the breeds section you can get a baseline of each breed and how they tolerate weather variables. Depends on your setup too. I live in the Noreast and weather and temp is all over the place. I would think if you got a heavier breed like Buff Orps which deal with cold better than heat you might want to make sure there is plenty of shade,which in my opinion really makes a difference come summer. I got BRs, RIRs which are 18months old and new girls6 months BOs and Cinnamon Queens as they are just getting going on the laying thing. These are all solid layers and weather hardy but come summer I dont think that there is a breed out there that doesn't get off kilter with the extreme heat.
Quote:My vote would be for the Red Star or Red Sexlink chicken. We have 9 chickens and out of all of them, she started the earliest (18 weeks old) and has been the most reliable laying 45/46 days since she started (she took day 3 off). She is still producing the largest eggs of our flock(barely fit into cartons sometimes). According to breed descriptions they are tolerant of all climates and continue to lay well even in winter cold/summer heat. They are listed as being especially cold and heat hardy according to mypetchicken.com. Breeds we have: 1 red star, 1 RIR, 1 barred rock, 1 white rock, 2 Australorps, 1 NewHampshire, 1 Silver laced Wyandotte, 1 Blue Andalusian. The last 4 listed (one of them being the Australorp) have yet to start laying, all were hatched within a week of each other.
In my experience, the American Breeds, as they were once called, would suit you fine. All were bred for conditions here on the continent where summers are hot and winters are cold. Pretty much take your pick. RIR, and all the derivatives of the RIR such as production reds, and red sex links. (the ISA Brown being my personal favorite, by some margin). Any of the Plymouth Rocks, especially the good laying hatchery strains, since you mentioned good egg laying as a criteria. Wyandottes, Delawares too. The Austrolorps were bred out of the Buff Orpington and are pretty stout and solid layers too. The point is that most hatcheries will tell you the typical laying rates of the breeds, strains and hybrids they sell, although they "over state" a bit, imho. Saying 5 eggs a week on some of the breeds, for example, when that wouldn't hold up over the long haul. That's "peak" laying, which is quite different, but oh, well. Good, honest breeders would also be forthright about the laying rates of their birds. You've really got lots of choices. I'd push this conversation a little further along by asking whether the bird needs to be "dual purpose" or are you primarily interested in high lay rates?
Can't eat my little girls!! Thanks for all the info guys. Yes, this past summer when we had over 50 days of 101 and above it was really hard on the girls. I have lots of shade, but the heat still got to them. Only lost one, though. Found one laying there looking dead, limp, etc. Ran with her inside when I realized she was still alive, put her in the sink and ran water over her. Left her sitting there for over 20 min, while she cooled down and kept her inside for a few days. She is still running strong now!!!!!!!!
I'm in Dallas, and I believe we had 70+ days over 100. My hens did great. I really didn't do anything special for them. They had plenty of water and I purposefully located their coop in the shadiest place in the yard. I think something can be said for buying pullets from local breeders who have hens who are acclimated to your weather.
