HELP ME CHOSE A BREED

[QP]

Well this Spring I'm getting new chickens and I'm going with brown egg layers. I've had people tell me that Spekled Sussexs were the way to go because they have a good personality and produce quite a bit of eggs. I live in Michigan so the weather can be awfully unpredictible, so I need a breed that can stand up to the cold. Any suggestions???

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Any rose combed breed would be great for colder weather. Breeds like wyandottes, dominique, rhode island, and some others. There are also chanteclers that have a cushion comb and were bred for cold weather in Canada. There is buckeyes that have a peacomb. Any breed with a single comb has a chance at getting frost bite. Our faverolles and RIR got frost bite with their smaller single combs.

 

[Picco]

Wyandottes are the way to go. They are very calm, tame easily and become very friendly and they lay well. They are cold hardy and are very beautiful and lay decently in the winter There are several varieties to choose from; silver laced, blue laced red, golden laced, white, buff, black, blue...

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Wyand/BRKWyand.html

 

[QP]

Thanks

 

[AtRendeAcres]

There are alot of cold hardy breeds but, I have to agree pea comb is the best for cold!!!
my coop is petty confortable temp & I still had Cochin, Austrolorp & plymouth rock get a touch of frost bite!


By Brahma's (all very friendly) & my Easter Eggers (like to keep there distance) had no sign of frost bite!

 

[hooligan]

Our new member from Alaska had some Orpingtons and some other breeds. She should chime in here!

 

[theOEGBman]

My SS were good layers, but the eggs werent very large. I would suggest a Rock, either Barred, White or Buff. I've had Barred and White and they are both great layers of big brown eggs. I've read that Partridge rocks are more prone to go broody.

 

[Oblio13]

We've had RIR's, Silkies, "mutts", Marans and guinea fowl recently. Our neighbors have at least a dozen breeds. Neither of us have had any problems with cold here in central NH. Our chickens usually prefer being outside even on bitter nights.

The Marans were our favorites until they were killed by a neighbor's dog. Mostly because we take a childish pleasure in collecting those big, dark, dark eggs. (I'd like to try Ameraucanas one of these days, too.) They were also the tamest, and they foraged well for themselves. The Silkies have sweet temperaments also. Nothing wrong with the RIR's except that they're just... boring and common. They're the best layers, but that's not important to us - we get more eggs than we need from even the Silkies.

 

[hoosierhen]

I LIKE boring and common! My RIR hens are sweet! (I also have SL Wyandottes, Delawares, EEs, and Barred Rocks)
I also like zinnias, marigolds, and dandelions- yup! Boring and common- I like to call it Classic!! LOL

 

[pacanis]

I live along Lake Erie and have SL Wyandottes and Buff Orps. They seem to be doing very well. The Orps in my group are a calmer bird with little handling as they were growing up.