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Hi, just joined, planning on adding chickens next spring. Planning on starting w 3 layers/foragers and a chicken tractor. Been reading a lot. Would like advice from others on what breeds work best or don't work well in GA? Looking at breed selectors, not sure if I need both heat and cold resistant for our area? How much winter protection do I need to plan for? Would they be ok on a simple tractor? I am in Roswell, zone 7b.
Thank you in advance for reading and sharing your experiences :)
 
I may be a little biased but turkens are perfect for Georgia's hot hot summers and mild winters. They are also considered dual purpose birds.
 
RoswellOrganic said:
Hi, just joined, planning on adding chickens next spring. Planning on starting w 3 layers/foragers and a chicken tractor. Been reading a lot. Would like advice from others on what breeds work best or don't work well in GA? Looking at breed selectors, not sure if I need both heat and cold resistant for our area? How much winter protection do I need to plan for? Would they be ok on a simple tractor? I am in Roswell, zone 7b.
Thank you in advance for reading and sharing your experiences
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Hello and Welcome. I'm located between Athens and Augusta. We have 2 Rhode Island Red hens I think the RIR's are great layers and foragers and do great in GA. Also Easter Eggers although not a breed they are great birds to have especially if you want colorful eggs. We have 5 EE's and they are good layers and foragers.
 
RoswellOrganic said:
Hi, just joined, planning on adding chickens next spring. Planning on starting w 3 layers/foragers and a chicken tractor. Been reading a lot. Would like advice from others on what breeds work best or don't work well in GA? Looking at breed selectors, not sure if I need both heat and cold resistant for our area? How much winter protection do I need to plan for? Would they be ok on a simple tractor? I am in Roswell, zone 7b.
Thank you in advance for reading and sharing your experiences :)
Click to expand...


Welcome to the forum. Don't over think it. Any breed will do just fine here. While we think it is hot a well adjusted and healthy animal/bird with full access to water and shelter/shade can fend for itself quite well. Same goes for the winter months.
It's extremes that cause problems. Meat birds, ie cornish x, can stroke out in the heat due to extreme weight. Any bird can get into trouble when wet to the skin, again an extreme condition. Frostbite is best prevented by draft free coops. Icy wind blowing on combs and wattles is extreme.
For your first birds I would highly recommend a calm breed like orpingtons, australorps or EEs.

I've seen hundreds of birds go through our winters in open three sided coops with no ill effect. Just be sure they are well fed and always have clean water available in non solid form and they'll do fine.

A tractor is perfect for a small number of birds with a couple cautions. One is predators, be sure to provide the most secure housing you can. Roswell has as many predators in town as any rural area. The next caution for tractors is our biannual spring and fall storm seasons. Like all lightweight structures they are vulnerable to wind.
 
gawildlife said:
Welcome to the forum. Don't over think it. Any breed will do just fine here. While we think it is hot a well adjusted and healthy animal/bird with full access to water and shelter/shade can fend for itself quite well. Same goes for the winter months.
It's extremes that cause problems. Meat birds, ie cornish x, can stroke out in the heat due to extreme weight. Any bird can get into trouble when wet to the skin, again an extreme condition. Frostbite is best prevented by draft free coops. Icy wind blowing on combs and wattles is extreme.
For your first birds I would highly recommend a calm breed like orpingtons, australorps or EEs.

I've seen hundreds of birds go through our winters in open three sided coops with no ill effect. Just be sure they are well fed and always have clean water available in non solid form and they'll do fine.

A tractor is perfect for a small number of birds with a couple cautions. One is predators, be sure to provide the most secure housing you can. Roswell has as many predators in town as any rural area. The next caution for tractors is our biannual spring and fall storm seasons. Like all lightweight structures they are vulnerable to wind.
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Thank you so much for the advice! I really like the breeds you suggested and I appreciate the advice not to over think it. :) That said, it has taken me 7 years to convince my husband to let me try out the chickens, so I do want to be careful and do it right from the start, even if that means investing more of time initially and resources. It is very important that they do not die too quickly, before he sees that it is worth it and that I will not be too attached or sad when it happens :)
I do think my biggest hurdle will be the predators. I have seen a good assortment, including coyotes and foxes. The hawk is a regular by the bird feeder. The fox walks in the fenced backyard as if it is its own ( and have pee mail contests with my little dogs).
I am hoping it will work out to keep the chickens in the vegetable garden. It is 70' by ~150', flanked by the house with a southern exposure and afternoon shade in half of it during summer. I have raised beds 4' by 4' with a wide 4' path in between. I am planning on investing in electric fence and an automatic door closer. Ideally the electric fence would be outside of the short rabbit fence and also help keep deer and cats out of the garden. One of the dogs is blind, so a moveable fence inside the fenced area is more of a challenge as they are usually with me.
I do work full time from home and dh has requested a set up that allows us flexibility to travel. So it needs to be easy enough for a teenager to come and do chicken duties when we are gone.
A moveable tractor would be better as it appears to reduce work in feeding and cleaning as well as reduce pests and weeds in the veggie garden. I have 2 acres and part of it is wooded,so space is available but if I do have a permanent coop I would have to make sure it is not smelly as neighbors backyards would be too close.
All of that said, if I do have a gentle breed that is large enough and trainable enough to stay close by, then I could just get them out after work and let them walk with me and the dogs and work in the yard with us. Dogs have been around chickens at friend's house and are good about keeping the hawk out. So that may work out too. I just really wanted the more natural, mow down just 30% and move and not the bare ground, take them food, leaves, and garden bits if I could help it. It seems like a lot more work than moving the coop everyday and I thought there is enough space on the veggie garden to support 3 hens.
Either tractor or permanent coop, I do think an electric fence is paramount where I am at. Hopefully just the simple 3' high kits would work.

Thanks again for the advice, would love to hear feedback if any of this makes sense.
 
RoswellOrganic said:
Thank you so much for the advice! I really like the breeds you suggested and I appreciate the advice not to over think it. :) That said, it has taken me 7 years to convince my husband to let me try out the chickens, so I do want to be careful and do it right from the start, even if that means investing more of time initially and resources. It is very important that they do not die too quickly, before he sees that it is worth it and that I will not be too attached or sad when it happens :)
I do think my biggest hurdle will be the predators. I have seen a good assortment, including coyotes and foxes. The hawk is a regular by the bird feeder. The fox walks in the fenced backyard as if it is its own ( and have pee mail contests with my little dogs).
I am hoping it will work out to keep the chickens in the vegetable garden. It is 70' by ~150', flanked by the house with a southern exposure and afternoon shade in half of it during summer. I have raised beds 4' by 4' with a wide 4' path in between. I am planning on investing in electric fence and an automatic door closer. Ideally the electric fence would be outside of the short rabbit fence and also help keep deer and cats out of the garden. One of the dogs is blind, so a moveable fence inside the fenced area is more of a challenge as they are usually with me.
I do work full time from home and dh has requested a set up that allows us flexibility to travel. So it needs to be easy enough for a teenager to come and do chicken duties when we are gone.
A moveable tractor would be better as it appears to reduce work in feeding and cleaning as well as reduce pests and weeds in the veggie garden. I have 2 acres and part of it is wooded,so space is available but if I do have a permanent coop I would have to make sure it is not smelly as neighbors backyards would be too close.
All of that said, if I do have a gentle breed that is large enough and trainable enough to stay close by, then I could just get them out after work and let them walk with me and the dogs and work in the yard with us. Dogs have been around chickens at friend's house and are good about keeping the hawk out. So that may work out too. I just really wanted the more natural, mow down just 30% and move and not the bare ground, take them food, leaves, and garden bits if I could help it. It seems like a lot more work than moving the coop everyday and I thought there is enough space on the veggie garden to support 3 hens.
Either tractor or permanent coop, I do think an electric fence is paramount where I am at. Hopefully just the simple 3' high kits would work.

Thanks again for the advice, would love to hear feedback if any of this makes sense.
Click to expand...
As far as breeds go, as long as they aren't a particularly adventurous breed like game fowl they'll be pretty good about staying close to familiar territory. And once they've slept there for a few nights they'll have learned where home is and always come back at sunset. If you have trees around they'll probably like to hang out underneath them because they provide protection from aerial predators. If you go the tractor route, make sure it has some kind of covering on it like netting to keep them from getting snatched and a roofed area so they can get out of the rain. I use live traps around my coop baited with raw chicken wings (from the grocery store, don't worry). So far I've caught a feral cat, two possums, a racoon, and a skunk who have all met their demise at my father's hand, err... pistol rather (as well as an over curious young pullet, who won't make that mistake again. lol!) I hear some folks use (this is gonna sound gross, but hey if it works) wolf urine granules that you can get on Amazon. Everything but wolves is afraid of wolves, so it'll keep anything with four legs and a nose away. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the full free range approach. In that method you start with a predator resistant breed like game fowl and provide no security or infrastructure. They roam freely 24/7, roost in the trees, and lay their eggs in whatever good spot they find (maybe in your raised beds.) These breeds are fast, excellent fliers, and naturally skittish so they pretty much take care of themselves; they're born to free range, so expect very low feed costs; you just put out a waterer and feeder to keep them around. Word of caution: the roosters in this breed can be territorial and aggressive if they see you as more of a threat and less of a snack machine (so bring noms to make them love you!), but on the other hand they'll fight any predator big or small, two legs or four to the death protect their hens and offspring. If you want huge delicious birds you can pick up and cuddle, that may not be the path for you, but it's a legitimate option that's so low budget and low maintenance that lots of folks swear by it.
 
RoswellOrganic said:
Hi, just joined, planning on adding chickens next spring. Planning on starting w 3 layers/foragers and a chicken tractor. Been reading a lot. Would like advice from others on what breeds work best or don't work well in GA? Looking at breed selectors, not sure if I need both heat and cold resistant for our area? How much winter protection do I need to plan for? Would they be ok on a simple tractor? I am in Roswell, zone 7b.
Thank you in advance for reading and sharing your experiences
smile.png
Click to expand...
Also, any of the heritage breeds are a safe bet. They're old historic bloodlines from leaner times, so they're thrifty on feed, good foragers, good parents, disease resistant, consistent layers, and grow a nice amount of tasty meat. They work well in lots of climates too and have pretty even temperaments.
 

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