Winter hardy birds?

[bkterry]

Im planning on adding some brahmas to our flock next month but Im wondering if there are any other breeds that are known to be cold weather hardy...maybe some that wont eat as much as the brahmas!

 

[BJ]

Buff Orpingtons are winter hardy. I'm sure they eat as much as any other full-size chicken though!!!

 

[deeszoo]

I have had no trouble with my Silkies and winter hardiness, though they look like they would be fragile. They are bantams, but not real small. They lay a lot of eggs. As they get older, they lay bigger eggs! If they don't go broody, they lay very reliably. If they do, they will hatch anything you put under them. Cochins are like that, too. And, though I am not a super silkie fan, I am pleased with how good of layers they are, and how hardy they are in the cold. (i know, i know - lots of silkie fans out there, and I do like them, just not as much as other birds) Oh, and they don't eat much, either.

DeAnna

 

[MNKris]

The single most winter worthy chicken we have ever owned is the OEG BB Red and Silver Duckwing Bantams. They are by far the easiest keepers we have ever owned. They don't eat much at all and produce an egg that is 1/2 the size of an extra large. We figured food value wise, it is a much better deal having to crack 2 eggs to get one x-large than it is to raise standards to get the x-large eggs. They are beyond fabulous foragers too.

That said, I have about a billion standards, just because

Good Winter Standards
Red Stars
Buff Orps
Americaunas
New Hampshires
RIRs

Our Australorps and Blue Andalusians seem to be starting their lives in this wintery weather very well too. They are only 4 weeks old, but seem to be very hardy so far.

 

[s6bee]

Our Silver Laced Wyandottes have been wonderful egg layers through the winter, so has my Barred Rock and Austrolorps.

 

[SeaChick]

Me, too, my Australorp has been laying great guns all winter long.... even more consistently than my sex link. Barred Rock and Wyandotte have also done very well!

Stacey

 

[greyfields]

If you've ever driven through Scotland, all you see are black sex links which are called "Black Rocks" over there. They are considered incredibly winter hearty.

 

[coopist]

I'd differentiate between a good "winter layer," like an Australorp, and a bird that is "winter hardy" like a Brahma. To me, "winter hardy" means a comb that won't freeze like that of a single-combed breed. So, I'd suggest a Buckeye, or, really, any pea-combed breed, which is going to stand cold pretty well. But the soft-feathered birds like Brahmas do very well...

MNKris covered the winter layers pretty well.

 

[Cheekon]

Chantlers are one of the best winter hardy breeds. They also lay good in cold weather.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Weren't RIR's & New Hampshire's bred specificly to be winter hardy?

I know my RIR's & Black-sexies have had no problem with the cold. Now it's not as cold here every day like it is much further north but I also don't have any electric for heat in my 8x8 coop. My 5 girls all huddled up in one corner and kept warm. They even went out in the snow and ice when we had it.