Chicken Breed recommendations for Eggs, first-timer, heat tolerance?

[TexasChickenhopeful]

I'm new here, and new to chickens. -Posted an introduction a few days back. Hoping this is an okay place to post this!

We're moving to "the country" as some my call it, from downtown Austin next month. We're researching/getting excited at the prospect of raising chicks. I've been reading about, and looking into breeds; but all I've read about the various breeds is from a more clinical standpoint, not a personal experience one. I'm still pretty unsure of which breeds to narrow it down to. Some of the factors coming into play:

-We want our chickens to produce eggs regularly, year round preferably.
-We want quiet, friendly chickens who will serve the dual purpose of being pets, as well as producing eggs. (Planning to get them as day old chicks for this reason).
-Heat tolerant. Living in Central Texas, it gets hot here, and stays that way most of the year.
-Amenable to some confinement. We'll be out in the sticks, semi. As a result, there are many coons, and other predators around. So, they will have to be locked down at night. They'll be able to free range in our big yard for an hour or so every day, so long as someone is available to hang out with them, (maybe longer, depending upon how comfortable I feel leaving them to range without supervision for a little longer) and keep an eye out for hawks, etc. They'll likely (we haven't gotten this all worked out just yet!) spend the rest of the day in a large chicken run, and be allowed out to range any time someone is in the yard or able to stay with them. We want happy chickens overall! Egg layers first, pets second. Or maybe in the reverse, it's been a bit like the "Which came first: chicken or egg? conundrum, trying to decide WHAT they will be.
-Lastly, meat quality matters not. We're vegetarians, and intend to keep our chickens into their old age, as best we can.

Any breed recommendations and/or personal experience would be much appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[Judy]

You could start here: http://www.mypetchicken.com/chicken-breeds/which-breed-is-right-for-me.aspx

Henderson's breed chart tells all this kind of info for many breeds. I'd start with choosing heat tolerant and going from there. Chickens tolerate cold a lot better than heat, so in the South we have to provide shade and breeze and plenty of water to keep them healthy. Mine are already seeking shade on sunny days and holding their wing out from their body a bit to xool off, and we've barely cracked 80. I run a box fan all summer.

 

[10 point]

I would try any of the sexlinks we have red ones that lay almost every day, large brown eggs. there in the breed index as all climates

heres the link for the one on this site https://www.backyardchickens.com/breeds/breed-chart

 

[hippiehen]

Welcome!! Glad to see someone from my neck of the woods

I have tried many varieties of chicken for the best heat tolerance because, as you know, it's hella hot here. My absolute favorites are brown leghorns and buff catalanas. Both have very large combs and small frames which help with the heat. They lay tons of eggs and they are funny, pretty chickies too

And as a bonus my buff catalana is sitting on 8 eggs right now! However, both breeds lay white eggs.

Any variety of Rock will do well here too and they lay brown eggs. My white ones seem the happiest of my rocks when it's 105.

A little tip I will give you is to have an open coop. Mine is metal framed with tin around the top half and the roof but the bottom half of the sides is hardware cloth to let plenty of air in. It gets hot in that coop at night, so the more open the better. I've never had a problem with them dealing with the cold in there.

 

[angelinthemorning]

This is my first time with chicks, so no solid advice, but an observation. Got 6 easter eggers on March 8, they are really easy to spook, even just changing water and feed-they freak.

My black austrolorp (sp) purchased exactly one week later have the disposition of Tommy Chong

Very laid back- no worries. They aren't putting on size as fast as the others, and they are in seperate brooders.

I kinda worry about putting my paranoid chicks in with the laid back ones. When they have a freakfest they pile up on each other. Thinking of putting 3 of each breed together in the seperate brooders, rather than putting everyone together at once.

I wish you much luck, so far enjoying the journey with mine. Given the choice next time ( at this point any way) will be sticking with the austrolorps.