Cold hardy chickens

[urbanchickenzz]

What breed of chicken is very cold hardy, friendly, and good egg layers?

Thank you!

 

[deacons]

I've had great luck with golden laced wyandottes. I got 4 late May chicks last year, and they've been great layers all though their first, very bitter cold, New Hampshire winter.

 

[Messipaw]

I'm on LI. We have cold winters and snow. My RIRs, BRs and EE all did fine. No extra heat in the coop just chicken heat.

 

[wsmith]

What breed of chicken is very cold hardy, friendly, and good egg layers?:cd Thank you!

Dominiques. Created in America for America before it was the US. Can't go wrong with Dominiques.

 

[lazy gardener]

Agree with PPs, and add EE to the list... Basically, anything that is Pea or Rose comb will be more frost bite resistant. One of my EE laid consistently, every other day all winter without light. Have fun. check out Henderson's chicken breed list chart for a partial listing of possibilities.

 

[Alaskan]

Even though Rhode Island Reds and Barred Rocks are great chickens..... I would have to stay that the best bet is to stick with breeds that have tiny combs.

Also, if you have freezing mud along with super cold then the feathered feet is probably bad too.

 

[thnxluckystar]

Hi All. So I live in RI and just got two Barred Rock hens. I have them in a converted garden shed with a dog crate inside. the whole thing has a nice layer of wood shavings. They have adjusted beautifully but I am petrified they won't be warm enough with temps getting back down into the teens at night again. Would it be better to move them into my garage at night?

 

[Alaskan]

Temps in the teens are perfectly fine for chickens.

You do want to make sure that there is plenty of ventilation.

Also, make sure they are either sleeping on the floor (in that crate), or make sure they are perching on something that is WIDE. I use 2x4s and 4x4s with them perching on the wide 4 inch wide side.

 

[donrae]

Hi All. So I live in RI and just got two Barred Rock hens. I have them in a converted garden shed with a dog crate inside. the whole thing has a nice layer of wood shavings. They have adjusted beautifully but I am petrified they won't be warm enough with temps getting back down into the teens at night again. Would it be better to move them into my garage at night?

Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshires, Delawares, Jersey Giants--these breeds were all developed in New England and are good cold tolerant birds. They were bred to live there without electricity, living with shelter from wind and rain but no heat, etc. Your birds will be fine.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Spangled Russian Orloffs all the way! We get well below zero and they don't even bat an eye! They will lay in the dead of winter (I find frozen eggs a lot) and they are super-friendly. Even my roosters are very respectful of my space and I don't have to worry about them attacking my toddler, either.