Future Breeds to get best for my climate

[redinator]

I’ve got five chicks that are about to hit the five-week mark on Monday (03/16), and I can’t even express how much I’m loving this experience. These are my first chicks, and I’m totally hooked! I knew I could have a few chickens where I live, but I just discovered that I can actually have as many as I can take care of, and I can even keep roosters. I don't plan to get more chicks (or hatching eggs) for at least a month but I'm trying to narrow down my options. Also, if I get chicks from a local TSC is it safe to assume they only have chicks that can handle the climate here?

Before I dive headfirst into becoming a crazy chicken lady, I need to ask another question. Do fluffier breeds like Silkies and Frizzles do well in my hot and humid climate here in southern Louisiana? Their coop is in the shadiest spot in my yard, and I plan to let them free range for a few hours in the evening when I’m home. I’m just wondering if those fluffy feathers get muddy when wet. I’m plan to provide dry sand in their covered run for dust bathing, but wet feathers might complicate things. Another thought is to keep them in the covered run when it’s damp, but that would cut down on their free range time. Are there specific chicken breeds that thrive better in humid conditions?

 

[Rose the Legbar]

I wouldn’t go for any feather legged breeds in your climate. Their legs can get grimy and muddy real fast and are a pain to manage. Frizzles may be fine but silkies not so much. They (silkies) are high maintenance and aren’t very smart to the point they would need their own separate coop and run to keep from being picked on. Or from even just wandering off and getting killed honestly.

Any Mediterranean breed would do well as they arent as heavily feathered and do well in warm climates. Appenzeller spitzhaubens and/or legbars may also be a good choice if you want a funky crest that is still there but not impeding their vision.

 

[redinator]

I wouldn’t go for any feather legged breeds in your climate. Their legs can get grimy and muddy real fast and are a pain to manage. Frizzles may be fine but silkies not so much. They (silkies) are high maintenance and aren’t very smart to the point they would need their own separate coop and run to keep from being picked on. Or from even just wandering off and getting killed honestly.

Any Mediterranean breed would do well as they arent as heavily feathered and do well in warm climates. Appenzeller spitzhaubens and/or legbars may also be a good choice if you want a funky crest that is still there but not impeding their vision.

Thanks that helps a lot and I also figured as much, but decided to ask before crossing them off my list. Too bad about the silkies being not so bright though, they were high on my list of wants, lol. I'm definitely looking for low maintenance/friendly breeds since I'm still learning the ropes myself. I don't need/want any birds that will play in traffic or tease death on a regular basis.

Follow up question: I do currently have two feathered legged chicks I got from a BYM of hatching eggs . . . do you bathe a chicken that gets mucky, or just provide a dust bath?

 

[Rose the Legbar]

Thanks that helps a lot and I also figured as much, but decided to ask before crossing them off my list. Too bad about the silkies being not so bright though, they were high on my list of wants, lol. I'm definitely looking for low maintenance/friendly breeds since I'm still learning the ropes myself. I don't need/want any birds that will play in traffic or tease death on a regular basis.

Follow up question: I do currently have two feathered legged chicks I got from a BYM of hatching eggs . . . do you bathe a chicken that gets mucky, or just provide a dust bath?

If it gets bad enough you can get some warm water in a tub and soak their feet in it while scrubbing. If the leg feathers are too much of a hassle, you can definitely trim them so they aren’t as large.

 

[saysfaa]

I’ve got five chicks that are about to hit the five-week mark on Monday (03/16), and I can’t even express how much I’m loving this experience. These are my first chicks, and I’m totally hooked! I knew I could have a few chickens where I live, but I just discovered that I can actually have as many as I can take care of, and I can even keep roosters. I don't plan to get more chicks (or hatching eggs) for at least a month but I'm trying to narrow down my options. Also, if I get chicks from a local TSC is it safe to assume they only have chicks that can handle the climate here?

No. They will carry what sells and too many people don't think about how well a given breed can handle the climate.

They also don't have much say in what breeds they carry. At least, the local store doesn't generally. Probably, the contract between the hatcheries and corporate level people specifies to some degree.

I know that is kinda contradictory on the surface at least.

.. here in southern Louisiana? .. Are there specific chicken breeds that thrive better in humid conditions?

I would look for breeds with large single combs. Also, smaller breeds with rangier builds.

The potential problem with choosing these breeds is that most of them are very active and reactive. That is good if you want to free range. Not so much if you have limited space and/or want calm, friendly birds.

Cackle hatchery has a section for breeds recommended for warmer climates. They also say large combs, smaller builds and they add lighter color.

Washing chickens is not good for them. This explains why. I would get clean-legged breeds rather than wash or clip feathers but I also like clean-legged better anyway so haven't had any and don't know how much trouble it would be.

 

[Down Under]

Follow up question: I do currently have two feathered legged chicks I got from a BYM of hatching eggs . . . do you bathe a chicken that gets mucky, or just provide a dust bath?

From experience the feathered leg breeds will seek out the smallest patch of mud and go play in it like little children splashing in puddles, I ended up putting a ceramic salad bowl of water out for them to drink from but the feathered leg birds decided that it is better for them to wash the mud off their feet in when they get dirty, it also turns out that they like standing in it on hot days.

Here is my advice for warm climates.. I have found this article to be pretty accurate for breeds that can handle the heat more than others: https://www.thefeatherbrain.com/blog/hot-climate-chicken-breeds unfortunately there is only one breed on the list in the blog that would not be a complete nightmare for a beginner and that would be the Naked Neck (Turken). The other option you have for hot weather is hybrids/sex links https://www.thefeatherbrain.com/blog/sex-link-chickens as their own well being is a second thought if a thought at all so if they do manage to kill themselves they are usually cheap and easy to replace.
Mediterranean breeds are good in the heat but keeping them can be a steep learning curve even for an experienced poultry keeper, so if you have a bit of poultry experience behind you or a close friend that does go for it but if you are fairly new then it might be best to cut your teeth on the easier breeds.
Other breeds that can handle the heat and humidity are the breeds from around Indonesia like Ayam Cemani, Sumatra and Jungle Fowl but as I have never kept any Indonesian breeds I don't know what they are like to keep.

 

[Rusty Hills Farm]

FYI: Clean legs are cooler for the chicken, a key quality in Louisiana. I'm in Alabama and RIRs do well here, as do my neighbor's White Rocks.

 

[redinator]

If it gets bad enough you can get some warm water in a tub and soak their feet in it while scrubbing. If the leg feathers are too much of a hassle, you can definitely trim them so they aren’t as large.

Thankfully the two chicks with leg feathering are pretty easy to handle, so this might be possible. Although they may not like me much afterwards, lol.

 

[redinator]

No. They will carry what sells and too many people don't think about how well a given breed can handle the climate.

They also don't have much say in what breeds they carry. At least, the local store doesn't generally. Probably, the contract between the hatcheries and corporate level people specifies to some degree.

I know that is kinda contradictory on the surface at least.

I would look for breeds with large single combs. Also, smaller breeds with rangier builds.

The potential problem with choosing these breeds is that most of them are very active and reactive. That is good if you want to free range. Not so much if you have limited space and/or want calm, friendly birds.

Cackle hatchery has a section for breeds recommended for warmer climates. They also say large combs, smaller builds and they add lighter color.

Washing chickens is not good for them. This explains why. I would get clean-legged breeds rather than wash or clip feathers but I also like clean-legged better anyway so haven't had any and don't know how much trouble it would be.

I wasn't planning the wash the whole chicken, just the legs if/when necessary, now I know to use only small amount of warm water. Thank you though, the article was very informative . . .it seems any roosters I keep will love the damp soil, but the hens will need a dry covered dust bathing area.

 

[redinator]

FYI: Clean legs are cooler for the chicken, a key quality in Louisiana. I'm in Alabama and RIRs do well here, as do my neighbor's White Rocks.

Is there a way to tell White Rocks from White Leghorns? I have a chick I got from a BYM of hatching eggs and I've been thinking it's a White Leghorn. Looking at the pictures here: https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/white_rocks.html of both the adult and chick mine could be a White Rock . . . My chick hatched from a large white egg and hatched out w yellow down and orange legs and beak, turned pure white now at 5 weeks.