Newbie Question: Heat Hardy Breeds?

[Soltaria]

My wyandottes have done great in the North Texas heat. The buff orps though, not so much. They pant and stop laying when it gets over 100, sometimes just over 90. The red sex links I have lay well in the heat but aren't the meatiest birds and I'm not sure if it would be accurate to really call them a dual purpose. My Delaware and heratige Rhode Island red both handle the heat ok but do a lot of panting. I think you'll get at least a little bit of panting and drooping wings with any breed in Texas heat but my wyandottes have held up the best. And as mentioned above, my one dark brahma does seem to do pretty well too.

Edited for typos and to add that my wyandottes are ranging from 8-10 lbs at 6 months old, they're monsters!

 

[Michael OShay]

I think you'll get at least a little bit of panting and drooping wings with any breed in Texas heat but my wyandottes have held up the best. And as mentioned above, my one dark brahma does seem to do pretty well too.

I was raised in Greenville, TX (about one hours drive NE of Dallas), and my uncle lived in Weatherford, TX (about 35 minutes west of Fort Worth), and both of us raised dozens of chicken breeds (including Black Australorps) in those locations, and our Black Australorps had no problems at all (panting, drooping, or otherwise) with the heat in those areas. Of course, we did make sure that our flocks had shade, good coop ventilation, and plenty of cool, fresh water.

 

[Soltaria]

Interesting. With them being black I would have imagined the heat would be worse.

 

[Michael OShay]

Interesting. With them being black I would have imagined the heat would be worse.

One would think that, but it's not the case. The black feathers of the Australorp have a beetle green sheen to them when the bird is in the sun. This reflective property of the feathers reflects the sun's heat away from their bodies.

 

[HillCountryTX]

Thanks for input everyone - I'm checking out the respective breed threads, too.

 

[obofarr]

Some heat hardy breeds:

Appenzeller Spitzhauben

Barred Plymouth Rock Bantam

Black Silkie Bantam

Black Sumatra

Blue Andalusian

Blue Hamburg

Blue Silkie Bantam

Buff Silkie Bantam

Easter Egger

Easter Egger Bantam

Egyptian Fayoumi

Exchequer Leghorn

Golden Buff (Red Star)

Golden Campine

Golden Lakenvel

Light Brown Leghorn​

Mille Fleur d'Uccle Bantam

Partridge Penedesenca

Partridge Silkie Bantam

Sicilian Buttercup

Silver Lakenvelder

Silver Spangled Hamburg

Welsummer

Welsummer Bantam

White Crested Black Polish

White Crested Black Polish Bantam

White Leghorn

White Silkie Bantam​

 

[mcbrown7513]

South Mississippi newbie, my Maran has seemed to fair better than either my RIR or my Cinnamon Queens. Will look into getting heat hardy chickens. Thank all for the knowledge.