What to get

[BrandonM]

I am getting chickens and turkeys very soon. What breed should i get?
Traits i need:
Needs to be able to free range
Fend for themselves
Would like to have a good mother
Cold and heat tolerant
Not noisey

*I am looking into dark cornish and barred rock for chickens and either bourbon red or chocolate for turkeys. What do you guys think?

 

[shmccarthy]

Barred rocks are both cold and heat tolerant and they are good layers. I am not sure on motherly behaviors with them though. I live in Michigan so I had to make sure I had both cold and heat hardy breeds because in the so yet it's frequently below zero and this whole week has been 90s and humid :/ my Easter Eggers also do very well in heat and cold. The small combed breeds are generally better in the cold because they don't lose as much heat and aren't as prone to frostbite.
This might help you select based on what criteria you are looking for.
http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html
I don't know much about turkey so I can't help you there.

 

[ray24]

I am getting chickens and turkeys very soon. What breed should i get?
Traits i need:
Needs to be able to free range
Fend for themselves
Would like to have a good mother
Cold and heat tolerant
Not noisey

*I am looking into dark cornish and barred rock for chickens and either bourbon red or chocolate for turkeys. What do you guys think?

Blue andalusion.

 

[AraucanaAnnie]

I would suggest Old English Games, but they can be very loud. Barred rocks sound good! Not sure about turkeys as I only have experience with Narragansetts, so I can't help you there!