I raised Buff Orpington before & found them quite nice. I don't think however the Egyptian Fayoumis is cold hardy. Egypt doesn't get down into the temps we get. I will be raising a couple of them as my granddaughters are also "Egyptian" (Literally born there) and so we're getting them "Egyptian chickens" for fun. I will be selling some varieties too that are known to do well in our climate. The Jersey Giants, Red Cap, Silver Gray Dorking, Lakenvelders, and Crevecoeurs are also supposed to be descent varieties. It really depends on whether one is free ranging or pen raising the birds. I have one friend who doesn't want birds that will fly out of their yard, due to her dogs & coyotes. Another has an interest in free range. Each has their own unique qualities they have to have, to survive their setting. I want birds that will stay in poultry pens & not be flying out. So heavier breeds are bed. Also with the trees I have in my area, birds of prey could be a problem so I don't want birds that are readily carried off. The Dark Brahma and the [COLOR=222222]BLACK GIANTS [/COLOR]will be raised on my place his year as well as [COLOR=222222]BLACK AUSTRALORP who is the ancestrial breed of the Orpington, to my understanding. I didn't focus this year on comb styles, which may help me further in selecting my ideal. I didn't loose any birds over the winter and that may have been because of the level of straw I made available for them in the coop. Not really sure, but I have seen a lot of comb frost-bite. So in the future I'd like to cull out breeds from my flock with large combs. [/COLOR] [COLOR=222222]
SILVER-LACED COCHINS straight run 3 Std [COLOR=222222]$4.39[/COLOR]
[COLOR=222222]PARTRIDGE COCHINS[/COLOR] Pullets 3 Std $5.34
[COLOR=222222]BLACK LANGSHANS[/COLOR] St. Run 2 Std $4.39
[COLOR=222222]WHITE ORPINGTON [/COLOR] Pullets 5 Std $3.22
Buff COCHINS Pullets 3 Std $5.34
[COLOR=222222]SALMON FAVEROLLES[/COLOR] St. Run 6 Std $3.79
[COLOR=222222]CUCKOO MARAN [/COLOR] Pullets 3 Std $5.39
[COLOR=222222]BLUE COCHINS[/COLOR] [COLOR=222222]Pullets[/COLOR] 3 Std $5.39
[COLOR=222222]BLACK COCHINS[/COLOR] [COLOR=222222]Pullets[/COLOR] 2 Std $5.34
[COLOR=222222]LIGHT BRAHMAS[/COLOR] [COLOR=222222]Pullets[/COLOR] 2 Std $3.40
[/COLOR] The other major issue will be egg production over the winter. I want to see in the mix of breeds I am getting if I can improve my winter egg production with the use of warmer conditions via a solar panel and some well lit conditions. I have ready cold isn't what affects egg production, but rather its light. So as I get ready to build their new coop I am trying to remember some of these aspects & see if I can design into the coop better lighting and even a bit less extreme cold -- by installing a rocket stove system into the building.
