which breed does best over hard winters?

[chutewoman]

I have 5 hens in one 4x8x4 ft tall coop. I have a covered outside area that is 10x10. They get fresh greens everyday, layer crumbles 24 hrs a day, fancy scratch mixed with cat food every morning thrown into the dry hay outside for them to find, fresh bale of hay in their outdoor pen every two weeks. They get sun, wind protection, fresh water with low dose vitamins, oyster shell and grit everyday. I cut fresh clover from under the dead ground cover in the areage we have for them, everyday. They are all laying eggs everyday also. They are just crazy! I have found other sites that say pecking is a trait this breed has and I agree, they have always pecked each other, I know there is a pecking order but this group has always been aggressive. Thanks for any opinions but this group of girls is going and I hate to have this trouble again, so if you see something I am doing wrong please tell me so I do not make the same mistake twice! By the way, the silkies have the same, but in a smaller pen for now and even when they were all wounded and bleeding badly not once did any of them peck at the others wounds. That is all I am looking for. a small group of calm chickens to take care of and love. )

 

[arlosmine]

I started with buff orpingtons, still have several and really enjoy them. They are significantly less flighty than any of the other standard hens I have with the exception of the Cochin- but I have her for the "hug-factor", not eggs. Mu Brahma is very nice as well, though not as docile as the orps.

 

[chantecler]

HI

Chantecler's are excellent winter birds. They are also very calm, friendly and very easy keepers. They have cushion combs and very small wattlles and so are very resistant to frostbite. They were bred for the harsh Canadian winters. Mine go out in snow almost every day except when it's storming.

N:_)

 

[ams3651]

my rirs are doing well, just a tiny little bit of frostbite but they have laid about 2 eggs a day with no intervention. my EE's on the other hand have all but stopped laying.

 

[chutewoman]

Thanks for all the info, if anyone has any other breeds for me to consider please pass it on! ) I will be looking into all the breeds mentioned above and hopefully find some of those breeds available in this area. I can't wait to get started again!

 

[smith2]

When we lived up North, my mom swore by BOrps, Buckeyes, Chanteclers, and Dominques. The BO's are very calm. Our Doms were fairly aggressive but not toward each other only toward threatening predators. I personally like the BO's for cold hardy, but my Wyanndottes are very cold hardy as well, they just don't lay that well. I don't think any strain breed is going to lay like sex-links. I too have had some issues with sex-links being aggressive. Sexlinks that are a RIR roo White leghorn cross can get aggressive. Some strains of RIR roos are known for unpredictable aggression and leghorns are very flighty. If you happen to put just the right mix of aggressive traits together, I think that is where the sex-links get their pecking issues. They definitely need more space than some other breeds.

 

[chantecler]

oops, forgot to mention that my chanties are laying like the dickens!
I have 17 hens and get about 15 eggs day right now and they just started laying 6 weeks ago. Its really cold and miserable here too!!

 

[moduckman]

I said this in another post, but I'll repeat it here. Most feather legged birds tend to handle winters better as do rose-combed birds, since their combs do not freeze. As for egg - the Mediterranean varieties (leghorns are in this class) lay well and eat less. Australorps are nice dual purpose birds as are RIR's. I live in Missouri and most handle winters well. I do get a little frost-bite on single combs, which comes with the territory. Our Langshans seem to do quite well.

 

[briteday]

My RIR's are doing great this winter. I have 6 pullets that were hatched in April. They are in an un-insulated coop with an outdoor run. They get no extra heat or light...and I'm still averaging 5 eggs per day. And that was pretty much the same as before it got really cold and dark...I have one who is a bit broody, but at least she's keeping the eggs from freezing now so I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn. I live a bit above 5000 feet elevation, days are in the 20-40's, nights 0-30 degrees.