Cold Hardy chicken breeds suggestions?

[PhantomSlayer]

Metal animal housing is often an excellent choice. It's easy to build, cost-effective with today's lumber prices, and durable.

The two downsides are:

#1. A metal shed that was not designed as animal housing is often hard to ventilate. Here is my article on coop ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

#2. In certain climates -- your state thread will be the most helpful about this -- it *can* be prone to condensation when warm. moist air rising off the animals hits the cold metal.

It can help with that problem to both have adequate airflow moving underneath the slope of the roof from the bottom to the top to carry away the warm, moist air AND to have some kind of thermal break between the air and the metal. This is one of the few times you *might* actually want to insulate a chicken coop -- at least the underside of the roof (being aware that fiber insulation attracts rodents and that chickens WILL eat any foam board that they can reach).

Thats why my mom wanted to go with metal sheds because wood is terrifyingly expensive.

As for ventilation my dads pretty good at making things happen. So even if the sheds my mom decide on don't have vents we'll be making our own. I'll bookmark the ventilation page and see what others in my state have done so it can be done right.

 

[PhantomSlayer]

Yes, they are silver laced, but there are even more beautiful blue laced ones. Wyandottes come in a wide range of colors, I think it is a breed of chickens that covers all the color palettes that exist in the world.
Orpington chickens are just as beautiful, but they don't meet your criteria, because they lay smaller eggs and in fewer numbers than Wyandottes. Although they look like big chickens, they have smaller bodies (less meat). They are quite sensitive to diseases and I don't recommend them to beginners.
I don't know how much they cost here in Michigan, but I'm sure that when you get yourself an incubator, you can get eggs cheaply from local breeders.
Wyandottes in the USA should be widespread and popular.

The orpingtons are expensive at the hatchery we were looking at well atleast expensive for first time birds lol they were like $8-9 per unsexed bird. The wyandottes are less expensive but again my moms set on columbian rocks lol But they are higher up on the list of further expansion! Probably one of the first 2 breeds for expansion I believe. XD

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
We've had buff Plymouth Rocks from MurrayMcMurray and they were very nice birds. Also our brown Leghorns were good, and the hens managed this climate just fine. Big single combed roosters will frostbite, avoid them if possible. Buckeyes are very nice dual purpose birds, and French Marans also. Then the Easter Eggers to round out the egg colors...
Chanteclers! Another breed meant for cold winters!
Speckled Sussex hens are wonderful, although the roosters are difficult sometimes.
Obviously I'm having a hard time recommending white egg layers...
Mary

 

[PhantomSlayer]

Welcome!
We've had buff Plymouth Rocks from MurrayMcMurray and they were very nice birds. Also our brown Leghorns were good, and the hens managed this climate just fine. Big single combed roosters will frostbite, avoid them if possible. Buckeyes are very nice dual purpose birds, and French Marans also. Then the Easter Eggers to round out the egg colors...
Chanteclers! Another breed meant for cold winters!
Speckled Sussex hens are wonderful, although the roosters are difficult sometimes.
Obviously I'm having a hard time recommending white egg layers...
Mary

Lol It's okay more bird suggestions anyways!

 

[Sally PB]

am talking to my mom about doing a heating plate instead of a heating lamp but most of thats because of my paranoia.

I've brooded chicks indoors twice. The first time was with a heat lamp. Never again. Cheap, yeah, but it made me nervous. I spent $40 for a heat plate for the second batch, and liked it MUCH better. One thing I'll do next time is put a towel or tape a piece of cardboard over the top of it. The chicks like to stand on it, and poop, and poop, and poop. Icky to clean up.

For both times I brooded, I used an XL dog crate. $85, will last me forever, and I have lots of uses for a dog crate. If you use one, put some cardboard sheets around the perimeter on the inside. When the chicks are tiny, they can fit between the bars, so the cardboard keeps them inside. It also keeps some of the dust in the crate. No matter how you try to contain it, there will be dust everywhere.

Do you have a Tractor Supply Company near you? Or Family Farm and Home? They have "chick days" in the spring, and most chicks are $3-5 each. They'll have the really popular breeds: Australorps, Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Wyandottes, and others. They won't have the rarer breeds (Chantecler) or the rarer colors (Jubilee Orp). They also have all the "stuff" too: feeders, feed, waterers, heating plate or heat lamp, etc.

 

[PhantomSlayer]

I've brooded chicks indoors twice. The first time was with a heat lamp. Never again. Cheap, yeah, but it made me nervous. I spent $40 for a heat plate for the second batch, and liked it MUCH better. One thing I'll do next time is put a towel or tape a piece of cardboard over the top of it. The chicks like to stand on it, and poop, and poop, and poop. Icky to clean up.

For both times I brooded, I used an XL dog crate. $85, will last me forever, and I have lots of uses for a dog crate. If you use one, put some cardboard sheets around the perimeter on the inside. When the chicks are tiny, they can fit between the bars, so the cardboard keeps them inside. It also keeps some of the dust in the crate. No matter how you try to contain it, there will be dust everywhere.

Do you have a Tractor Supply Company near you? Or Family Farm and Home? They have "chick days" in the spring, and most chicks are $3-5 each. They'll have the really popular breeds: Australorps, Orpingtons, Barred Rocks, Wyandottes, and others. They won't have the rarer breeds (Chantecler) or the rarer colors (Jubilee Orp). They also have all the "stuff" too: feeders, feed, waterers, heating plate or heat lamp, etc.

Yeah I looked up the heat plate cause I saw GoldShawFarm on youtube use it and I remembered hearing their safer so I looked it up. And yeah i noticed people mentioned poop ontop. Is that dangerous for them to be ontop or is it okay and just annoying to clean up?
As for a brooder a dog crate is what my sister in law used but as you said when their little they can escape it lol I had two seperate occasions while babysitting for them when a chick escape. We have a extra large crate for our dog. We may end up using it but might not.

We have family farm and home fairly close but my moms looking at cacklehatchery.

 

[3KillerBs]

Is that dangerous for them to be ontop or is it okay and just annoying to clean up?

No, not dangerous at all.

I find that mine like to sit up there once they get a little older and don't need so much heat. They go on top or they sleep in a circle around the edge -- even if I've raised the legs as they grow.

We have family farm and home fairly close but my moms looking at cacklehatchery.

Cackle has a great reputation. I haven't ordered from them because I find their prices rather high, especially when you add their small order fees.

IMO, Ideal has the most reasonable small order fees, but they're in Texas and there is some advantage to ordering from a nearby hatchery vs. a distant hatchery since the chicks *should* arrive more quickly. (There *might* be an advantage to ordering from a hatchery in a similar climate to yours, but that's just a theory of mine and completely unproven so don't give the idea too much weight. )

I know nothing about Townline hatchery except the name but they're in Michigan. You *might* even be able to pick up chicks in person instead of having them sent in the mail.

 

[Aunt Angus]

The orpingtons are expensive at the hatchery we were looking at well atleast expensive for first time birds lol they were like $8-9 per unsexed bird. The wyandottes are less expensive but again my moms set on columbian rocks lol But they are higher up on the list of further expansion! Probably one of the first 2 breeds for expansion I believe. XD

Orpingtons are great birds. Mine lay regularly and have great personalities. They get along with everyone in my flock - even the ducks! I think they are a great option for beginners (apparently not a popular opinion?).

But I think Rocks are a FANTASTIC choice!

 

[WIchickMama]

I love Leghorns (I've only had 2, though). My female lays EVERY day, even when molting. And they are fantastic free range birds. The *only* concern I would have is their large combs, which can be more susceptible to frostbite.

Nope, she didn't have any problems even when it got down to -30F. But the coop is very dry and draft free with no food or water ever in it.

 

[Folly's place]

We have ordered from MMcM, Ideal, and Cackle. I do prefer the breed selection at Cackle (those Chanteclers!) and like their birds generally. MMcM was fine too, especially liked their buff Rocks. Our one Ideal experience wasn't great, very possibly thanks to the post office.
The TSC's near us usually gets their birds from Townline, which is in SW Michigan, so close by. Okay birds, inexpensive, but be aware that most/ all farm stores are really good at mislabeling their chicks, both by breeds and sex. At least know what chicks of the breeds you want actually look like before buying. Won't help with missed sexing, but at least the breeds may be correct.
Mary