which breed does best over hard winters?

[chutewoman]

I am from Missouri, I am looking to increase/change my flock for next spring. I am planning on getting rid of my Black and Red sex-links and get another breed. I have 2 White Silkies and really enjoy them, has anyone had trouble with these over the winters and how do they do with egg production? The one silkie hen I have left was too young to lay until about 1 wk ago (no eggs yet), my rooster is the same age. I have had no trouble with the silkies besides housing them with the Sexlink hens, they killed one and injured one this winter. I have since separated them and have had no issues. Should I just get more of these?

I want a breed that would do good in the winter (no pecking/canibalism) and do ok in egg production.

 

[chickens112]

I have read that buckeyes are a really good breed for cold climates. Silkies feathers do not help keep in heat or keep in cool, so harsh climates are not very good for them but it is worth a shot.

 

[Chirpy]

My Australorps and RIR did great through our winter last year and laid the entire winter.

 

[banter]

I have Russian Orloffs (need I say more-LOL!) and Cream Brabanters. We are at 5 degrees tonight with -30 chill factor. They are in a barn. I fed them some cooked barley and tucked them in. They will do better then me tonight!

 

[gritsar]

The brahmas do excellent in the cold weather and (despite their size) in the heat as well.
The only problem I could forsee with the silkies - and just to be clear I don't own any of them - is that they go broody ALOT and a broody hen is not laying eggs.

 

[pdsavage]

My bard rocks (got a egg 2 days aggo from them)and speckled sussex (suppose to be good winter layers) have done well this winter so far without heat,I live in north west missouri and it gets cold here.

I have also 2 silkie crosses that are doing well but they are in the batum pen and that one has one heat lamp.

I have 2 other pens one is a mixed pen with one polish roo and some oeg mixed hens and no heat.
the second pen has just has a EE hen and rooster and no heat but its mostly inclosed.

 

[kentuckysilkies]

Brahmas are great cold weather birds, but I must say that my Silkies love the cold. They do better in the winter than in the summer. They hate the heat. My girls lay well during the winter but being Silkies they are broody as well.

 

[chutewoman]

I am new to this and do not know what Brahmas are but will start doing research on them. What about Delawares, any opinions on winter keeping of these? The group of sexlinks I have right now are pecking each other to death, can't keep up with the hospital care, my hens are even eating the pine tar I have covered them with. So I not want a breed that is overly aggressive towards each other. Thanks for any help!!

 

[The Chicken Lady]

How large of a space do you have your birds in (and how many birds do you have)? Boredom and confinement in too small of a space could be contributing more to the picking than the breed you have.

Just trying to rule out any possibilities while you troubleshoot...

 

[gritsar]

There was a nice article on the brahma breed in backyard poultry magazine a few months back.
You can read the article here:

http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/issues/3-4.html