Best Southern Missouri Breeds

[AndreaR4]

Hi! I'm moving to Southern Missouri and I'm wondering what breeds to raise, do I look for cold hardy or heat hardy chickens?
I love Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Ameraucaunas, Speckled Sussex, but am wondering if they fit best further North?
Thanks!

 

[1cock2hens]

All those breeds will be fine here. Important to remember it can get over 100 degrees here during summer and we'll under freezing during winter. You can't go farther south in missouri than me, I've had Orpingtons, australorps, Wyandotte, Americaunas, LA fleche, American gamefowl, and even cochin here with no real problem. They do get a little frostbite in winter if not careful so a medium to small comb is probably best

Hi! I'm moving to Southern Missouri and I'm wondering what breeds to raise, do I look for cold hardy or heat hardy chickens?
I love Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Ameraucaunas, Speckled Sussex, but am wondering if they fit best further North?
Thanks!

 

[SueT]

All your

Hi! I'm moving to Southern Missouri and I'm wondering what breeds to raise, do I look for cold hardy or heat hardy chickens?
I love Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Ameraucaunas, Speckled Sussex, but am wondering if they fit best further North?
Thanks!

all of these will do fine.

 

[crazy chicken ladies]

Does anyone have advice for keeping your chicken's combs, or anything else that might be prone to frostbite this Winter, safe?

 

[SueT]

Plenty of ventilation in the coop, they say, is of utmost importance in preventing frostbite. Something about lowering humidity and ammonia.

 

[Plaid Dad]

I'm near Springfield. In the last year we've gotten as high as 106 and as low as -11. My RIRs didn't care or even seem to notice.

 

[retiredarmymom]

I'm near Springfield. In the last year we've gotten as high as 106 and as low as -11. My RIRs didn't care or even seem to notice.

What is RIR?

 

[1cock2hens]

Rhode island red

What is RIR?

 

[Plaid Dad]

What is RIR?

Rhode Island Red.

 

[jthornton]

Hi! I'm moving to Southern Missouri and I'm wondering what breeds to raise, do I look for cold hardy or heat hardy chickens?
I love Orpingtons, Wyandottes, Ameraucaunas, Speckled Sussex, but am wondering if they fit best further North?
Thanks!

You should join the Missouri thread here. As others have said lots of ventilation during the summer and draft free ventilation during the winter.

@crazy chicken ladies
Having done all that Sweet Pea got frost bite on her comb a few years ago (the others don't tease her anymore about how she looks). So now in the winter if the temps are going to be 20°F or lower I turn on a couple of red heat lamps above them.

The other coop is insulated and an oil filled heater under the poop table keeps them nice and warm.

JT