Recommend breed for desert?

[Christoffking]

Hope this is in the right area...

I been reading ALOT about breeds, so I figured I'll just ask the experts. I been looking for a breed of chicken that would do well with AZ heat, not to loud to cause issue with the neighbors and are friendly enough to be the pets we want. What breed would you recommend?

 

[redsoxs]

I'm not in Arizona but when I read the first part of your post I was thinking leghorns....small-bodied, white to reflect sun, large combs to dissipate heat. But then you said not too noisy and friendly...and for those traits I would steer away from leghorns. I am thinking that Americaunas/Easter Eggers would work well for you. They are reasonably friendly if you work with them and very quiet in my experience. Just my 2 cents. Others will have other opinions. You might ask fellow AZ chicken folks in this link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/31227/arizona-chickens
Good luck to you!

 

[Christoffking]

I'm not in Arizona but when I read the first part of your post I was thinking leghorns....small-bodied, white to reflect sun, large combs to dissipate heat. But then you said not too noisy and friendly...and for those traits I would steer away from leghorns. I am thinking that Americaunas/Easter Eggers would work well for you. They are reasonably friendly if you work with them and very quiet in my experience. Just my 2 cents. Others will have other opinions. You might ask fellow AZ chicken folks in this link: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/31227/arizona-chickens
Good luck to you!

Thank you!

 

[Weehopper]

Clayborn Farms Hatchery specializes in breeds that tolerate heat well

 

[donrae]

How about Turkens? Aren't they supposed to be heat tolerant?

I know Leghorns are "supposed" to be flighty and noisy, but mine didn't read the manual I guess. They're the peskiest, most underfoot birds I've had in a long while

. Maybe a bit noisy, but it's hard to say with all my birds who is raising a ruckus.

Game birds and jungle fowl should be pretty heat tolerant, not sure if that's what you're looking for. Not so much as pets, I don't think.

I'd think a Leghorn based hybrid like an Austra white may be perfect. In fact, Australorps might be your breed. They were developed for the heat of Australia, pretty darn hot there.

 

[Weehopper]

http://www.clabornfarms.com/