Looking for egg layers that are cold hardy

[Sanderguy777]

I got bit by the chick bug again...


I'm probably buying some chicks in the next week. I have 2 hens, but want to add 6 more (and a rooster if there is a quiet one).

I have a Black Australorp and a Rhode Island Red, so I would like to get other egg colors, and breeds. I like the BAs for the egg numbers, so I'd like like similar egg numbers, but with other colors. White would be ok, but I want to eventually free range them, so I don't want a hen with zero survival instincts , either.

I'm looking at one each of: New Hampshire Red, Black Sex Link, BA, Silver lace wyandotte, Ameraucana, and buff orpington. Im open to other suggestions as well.



I hear Icelandic chickens are cool, but I don't see places selling them much (at least not for normal prices!) I'd be happy with other landrace breeds, too.

Do Ameraucana hens tend to be healthy. It seems like I read somewhere that they aren't as healthy as other normal breeds.

Also, I get the Merecks shot for them. Is that necessary? And is there one for salmonella?

I know this is all over the place.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Chanteclers are an excellent cold hardy breed.

 

[StinkyAcres]

The Ameraucana-type mixed breeds known as Easter Eggers or Americanas are hard to beat. Cold and heat hardy, generally very healthy and long-lived, lightweight and good flyers, 200+ large colored eggs a year, laying into their senior years. And they come in all sorts of pretty colors! Can't recommend them enough.

 

[Zenmonkey]

(and a rooster if there is a quiet one).

There isn't. At least not while he's still able to inhale. Bantams seem to be a little softer sounding, the smaller the softer. I wouldn't call them quiet.

On the other hand, if you want *more* crowing, there are a number of long crowing breeds. And I think the are laughing roosters available as well? Yup. Ayam ketewa. I'll bet they're not quiet either. I believe laughing pigeons have one primary recessive genre for the voice (and probably half a dozen "helper" genes?). If chickens are the same, you might be able to cross that trait into another breed in just a few years. Still not quiet though. But maybe less offensive?

https://greenfirefarms.com/ayam_ketawa.html

Regarding cold hardiness, I'm a fan of smaller combs. Or at least not the large single combs. As I understand it, the blue egg gene and the pea comb gene are linked, so most of the Auracana related breeds bring both the child tolerant comb that I like as well as colored eggs.

I've also heard that feathered feet are good for cold tolerance. However last winter was my first experience with such, and if the birds access snow, ice seems to cling to the foot feathers (boots?). I'm not sold on the idea yet.

Also large bodied birds are better in cold weather, IMO. So bigger is better IMO. Which unfortunately conflicts with my "slightly quieter Bantam rooster" advice.

Best of luck!

 

[Sanderguy777]

The Ameraucana-type mixed breeds known as Easter Eggers or Americanas are hard to beat. Cold and heat hardy, generally very healthy and long-lived, lightweight and good flyers, 200+ large colored eggs a year, laying into their senior years. And they come in all sorts of pretty colors! Can't recommend them enough.

All of that, EXCEPT flying seems like a good thing. But I suppose I can trim their wings (feathers only, I think right?) if/when I get a fence and let them free range.