Million dollar question- What breed is right for me?!

[GrimApatheia]

Hi all,
Very new to the forum so please forgive me if I make any errors, and I understand that this is one of the biggest questions when it comes to backyard chickens, but I want to do things as right as I can get.

Recently I have started keeping coturnix, and have just hatched my first batch of eggs with fantastic success! I’ve wanted chickens for a loooooong time, and quail were the first step in keeping poultry for me. I’ll probably wait until it warms back up to start hatching more chicks, but I want to try chickens next spring.
I live in the deep southeast USA, and the summers here are awful. Super humid and hot! And the winters, while we don’t often get snow, aren’t fun either. It’s still nippy and icy all over. I want a breed of chicken that’s very hardy in hot and cold, as well as a decent layer. We do have cats, so I’d love maybe something a little larger, but without sacrificing a good temperament. Any suggestions are appreciated!!

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi all,
Very new to the forum so please forgive me if I make any errors, and I understand that this is one of the biggest questions when it comes to backyard chickens, but I want to do things as right as I can get.

Recently I have started keeping coturnix, and have just hatched my first batch of eggs with fantastic success! I’ve wanted chickens for a loooooong time, and quail were the first step in keeping poultry for me. I’ll probably wait until it warms back up to start hatching more chicks, but I want to try chickens next spring.
I live in the deep southeast USA, and the summers here are awful. Super humid and hot! And the winters, while we don’t often get snow, aren’t fun either. It’s still nippy and icy all over. I want a breed of chicken that’s very hardy in hot and cold, as well as a decent layer. We do have cats, so I’d love maybe something a little larger, but without sacrificing a good temperament. Any suggestions are appreciated!!

Here's a great article and chart of types of chickens.

Welcome to BYC!! And good luck!

 

[Amer]

Raise your cats well with the chickens and they will leave even the bantams alone, the chickens will stand up for themselves. (Chicks may be vulnerable, my cats would never kill a baby chick since they are conditioned to realize it is a domestic bird but I know other cats would.)

 

[Amer]

Buckeyes, Naked Neck, Plymouth Rock, Dominique and Delaware just to name a few. They are known to be good layers, heat hardy and with very calm temperaments.
That said, I am talking about the standard bred show quality birds. I don’t know if the hatchery fowl have the same behaviors.

 

[kurby22]

I’ve had great luck with my true Ameraucanas, Wyandottes, and Easter Eggers in the heat and the cold, although the cold here is never too cold. My bantam Brahmas are good sized for a bantam and they do reasonably well in hot and cold as well. I would NOT recommend Orpingtons, Polish, silkies, bantam Cochins, salmon faverolles, or Marans. All of mine struggle a lot in the summers and I lost the Polish and Salmon Faverolle this past summer after a really long week of 100+ heat. I gave them misters, ice blocks, cool water, shade and fresh fruits…and they still didn’t make it :-(

 

[5Australorpasaures]

What happens is you are happy with your choice. Out of the blue another breed has something that appeals to you so you get "sum", then another breed appeals and before you know it you're a victim of the Chicken Math Monster.

 

[Amer]

I’ve had great luck with my true Ameraucanas, Wyandottes, and Easter Eggers in the heat and the cold, although the cold here is never too cold. My bantam Brahmas are good sized for a bantam and they do reasonably well in hot and cold as well. I would NOT recommend Orpingtons, Polish, silkies, bantam Cochins, salmon faverolles, or Marans. All of mine struggle a lot in the summers and I lost the Polish and Salmon Faverolle this past summer after a really long week of 100+ heat. I gave them misters, ice blocks, cool water, shade and fresh fruits…and they still didn’t make it :-(

Agreed, though my bantam Brahmas never laid any eggs.

What happens is you are happy with your choice. Out of the blue another breed has something that appeals to you so you get "sum", then another breed appeals and before you know it you're a victim of the Chicken Math Monster.

So true. Once I found the breed that I loved I no longer had interest in getting other breeds.

 

[Ocho 8 Farm]

What happens is you are happy with your choice. Out of the blue another breed has something that appeals to you so you get "sum", then another breed appeals and before you know it you're a victim of the Chicken Math Monster.

Haha! “Sum”
This is exactly what happened to meeee!!

 

[TooCheep]

Welcome to BYC @GrimApatheia. You post was fine. People on BYC are generally very helpful and friendly, particularly to newbies.

You are doing things right, put some thought into what you are doing rather than just buy chicks/chickens and try to do things without educating yourself first. Search and asking questions will help you become well-prepared so your birds will benefit from your efforts. I live much farther north, so don't have good answers for heat-tolerant birds.

One practical suggestion, I recommend you put your general location in your profile. Many questions are location/climate dependent and it helps people help you.