Temperament vs. Heat Tolerance

[Counting chickens]

I'm in the desert. I have Australorps. They do ok here, as long as you can keep one that might go broody in the higher summer heat from sitting on a nest. I had one insistant hen die this past summer that way. I have heard that Australorps do well in other colder states, too.

I have heard that the Naked Necks also do well in higher heat places, so I picked up a few of those almost a month ago, and will be checking them out.

Naked Necks kinda freak me out... lol

 

[BlueBaby]

Naked Necks kinda freak me out... lol

They sort of did to me at first, too. I thought that they looked a bit like buzzards, but as more people were talking about the benefits of them being heat hardy, I slowly came around. They act like my other chickens. I have one pullet that has started laying a nice sized egg already, so they will be even bigger when she get to be a full fledged hen. I'll be testing them out on that heat tolerance this summer.

 

[Folly's place]

Another thing to consider is how much space you have, and how close the neighbors are. Birds listed as enthusiastic far ranging are likely to travel a lot further than more sedentary types.
My coop and run are only about 50' from the lot line, and it's fenced, but I still avoid breeds described as ranging widely, or as very good flyers.
In Michigan, I prefer birds without single combs. You will likely want the opposite types! Many breeds will do fine in your climate, and all chickens need shade and protection from bad weather.
Mary