What breed and how many?

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. If you put your general location into your profile it will help people give better-targeted advice.

Since you talked about temperatures over 100F and lows only down to the teens you might find this article informative: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

For the most part, the common backyard breeds are widely tolerant of a range of conditions. The best hot-climate birds are the Mediterranean types and others that combine a large, single comb with clean legs.

I suggest getting an assortment of varieties to see what you actually like best is the same as what you *think* you'll like best.

Beyond that, Go Ahead, Pick the Prettiest Chickens!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Most hatchery birds will rarely brood/raise young. Sex links and production birds tend to have laying issues going into third year.

Where do oppossum and ferret share a habitat? Or are you thinking mink?

If you want a breed that broods each spring look into getting breeder stock instead of hatchery birds. Not all breeders are reputable, many are simply propagating hatchery stock but with some research you can locate something good local to you. Breeder stock tend to lay less eggs, 4-5 per week apposed to 6-7, lay for more years then hatchery birds. Birds that provide more eggs first years will trail off in later years apposed to moderate layers that stay that productive longer. Most breeder stock will brood every Spring. And of course they conform more, better looking, to the standard of breed.

If you look around for local poultry groups and check out craiglist skeptically you can locate a breed that suits your needs. If diversity of color is a concern then look for Blue variety of a breed. They produce blue, black and splash color so your flock isn't all the same looking.

Smaller Mediterranean breeds, think leghorn, will lay more and are typically more alert and eat less feed. They brood infrequently, will be more standoffish than a dual purpose type bird that lays less, is larger therefore eats more and broods more. Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, Orpington, Sussex, and Australorp (Austrailian Orpington) are examples of dual purpose breeds without feathered feet.

A bird per person is typically all you'd need for egg supply. Keep in mind you'd stock up prior to late fall when the birds will molt and all but stop laying for nearly two months. Upping their protein intake during molt will shorten the time. Full molts happen fall of second year of life and every fall thereafter.

 

[ilikepigeons]

Where do oppossum and ferret share a habitat?

I've only just now learned that opposums and Possums are different Australian bushtail Possums are what I meant, I have seen both ferrets and possums here.

Or are you thinking mink?

I don't think so, the pictures of ferrets I've seen online look exactly like the ones I see here.

 

[junior67]

I am not sure on breeds for heat and cold.

But what I can say is I have 5 laying right now and not at full production yet with the days just getting longer so they slowed a bit in the winter (one stopped and 2 slowed down and 2 weren't laying at all then). the past 2 weeks since the 5 have been laying I get about 20-24 eggs a week. I have Brahma's, Easter Egger, Salmon Faverolles, and Cochin that are laying right now. None of them are really big egg producing breeds. I do get 3-5 a week from each one though. My EE and SF laid 5-6 a week when it was warmer out (I have only had them just under a year so not sure how they will be this spring/summer though.

 

[kurby22]

All have provided good advice! I live in a place that has pretty extreme summers and sometimes cold, but not as cold as yours. I have found that my Orpingtons are the most stressed during the summers. All of my other chickens have handled the heat pretty well. My Wyandotte actually has been the most bullet proof chicken I own, however she is not at all broody. My silkies are amazing broodies and have handled the heat and cold well, but they are NOT predator savvy at ALL. They all lay as you would expect for non-hatchery birds, they all started between 6 and 9 months. I think having a mix is a good idea...my Marans LOVE to forage, handle the temps fine, and lay pretty brown eggs. They also seem pretty savvy and they're a bit bigger bird which could be good with some of the predators listed, especially hawks and owls. I've heard really good things about Brahma roosters and I have Ameraucanas (true Ameraucanas) and my roosters are the best and help a lot with predator awareness and protection. Another consideration if you are open to any kind of colorings...would be some landrace breeds that are colorings that blend in with the environment more. I have Swedish Hedemoras and Olandsk Dwarfs and sometimes I can't find them in my security cameras because they blend in really well. They are really self sufficient, love to forage, handle cold and heat well, and I think some can go broody. I would recommend just getting yourself a couple really well known broody chickens and have the rest be more fitting to your other requirements. All of the breeds I have are gentle breeds (Orps, Wyandottes, Marans, Ameraucanas, silkies, bantam cochins, Mille Fleur d'Uccle, bantam brahma, Polish, the Hedemora and the Olandsks) and I feel comfortable having my kids around them and handling them. I really like my Hedemora but she is smaller, and I am in love with my Ameraucana boys. If you had to force me to keep only a few of my chickens I would for sure keep them.