Good breeds for Central FL? Hot, harsh weather, humid, mosquitoes.

[HeidiEmbrey]

Hi! This is the first question I'm posting to this group! Please let me know if I'm posting in the wrong place or violating any norm?

I'm trying to research the best varieties, sorry, used to plants lol, the best breeds! of chickens for my zone 9a/b here in Florida. I want them for eggs, though I may cull them so eatability wouldn't hurt? And tamability. And I need them to be small=bantams? I'm just learning.. And I would like them to be robust and able to handle our weather extremes without getting all sweaty, you know, like we can't have a long haired dog here, and I'm not sure about which chicken breeds would correlate to that rule! I'm researching it and keep reading silkeys are good for Florida but they're so fluffy that is confusing me and seems like that could not be?

It just became legal here to have up to 4 hens here, so I can have 4, no roosters allowed. I've ALWAYS LOVED Key West Gypsy Chickens, and plan to adopt at least one if not two of them from the Key West Wildlife center. I assume they will be a good breed for our area because they can live in the wild here on their own! I hope to get them as chicks so I can tame them but I'm looking for any advice in that regard too. Can you tame a wild born chick? And would a wild born chicken be able to get along with other chickens I might buy that are captive born?

I'm specifically curious about Blue Lace Wynadot, anyone familiar with those? I love the blue chickens omgoodness..and the colored eggs too, but I read easter eggers are mean and don't lay well somewhere, but really I have no idea..I love the idea of colored eggs but I'm more about function than form, healthy first, although form is a consideration! I think natural looking chickens like the Key West chickens, with their variety, are most beautiful I've seen. And I love the laced chickens I think are so pretty, but I've seen wild Keys chickens that are laced, and blue! ..I also liked the silver laced Polish bantam I saw recently, very cute..are they friendly I wonder? I might get one larger chicken if the big and small ones will get a long ok?

Any advice reqarding this matter would be greatly appreciated. And thanks so much again everybody for such a warm welcome to this group in the welcome forum! So excited to be here and finally researching getting chickens, which I hope to have everything in place for by this spring.. A LOT to learn by then, so very happy to have the help! Thanks

 

[Kiki]

@Farmer Connie Care to chime in here?

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Hello from a fellow Floridian!

want them for eggs, though I may cull them so eatability wouldn't hurt?

Silkies and bantam are smaller birds. For egg consumption or processing You may want to look into larger birds. If you desire both sizes (lg & sm), you may need separate quarters to house them in.

And tamability.

Most birds are tamed by hearing the lid of the feed can. The more your presence around them, the bigger the bond of trust becomes. I have hens in houses that rum from me, from not going in there much except to clean and grab eggs. But the freedom rangers will follow me around and basically trip me when the pack gets under me.

OUR WEATHER is hot. I agree. Ventilation is a must. Shade is manditory.
I can't quote birds I am not familiar with that handle the temps but I can tell you what I have in my Florida flocks.

• Barred Rock. Gentle brown egg layers
• R I Reds. lite brn eggs and mild mannored.
• Leghorns. A med size bird w/white eggs. They fly a lot. Only adult wings we have to clip.
• Whyandottes. we have several types. lite brn eggs. Slow growers.
• Auricanas. Pale green easter eggs. If crossed with another breed, you still get easter eggs.
• Austrilorps. HUGE
• Jersy Black Giants. Huge.
• Mottled Java. docile and semi aggressive.
• Red Sex links...
  
• Buff Orpintons.. fluffy.. until summer molt.

That is what I am raising/breeding with little heat issues.

LOT AND LOTS of water dispensors.
I am in North Central Fl. Our winters can drop cold to hard freeze but not to many days in a row.
I have seen 14*F one year but the twenties is usually all we see.
On super hot days, I have been known to cut watermellons in half and partial freeze them and cool the birds down with a treat.
I also have a water mister rig in a tree near my big hen house for the egg ladies to enjoy.

I don't do the small breeds of chickens anymore. When my kids were young and in FFA/4-H, we did silkies and other tiny breeds for show. Now we are into it for the jumbo eggs.
What ever breeds you decide, try to start them all off at the same age and size. It will be easier to get 4 together at a young age than introducing adults to a new social setting.
I am outside on my tablet, so forgive the mispells! hard to spell check at the present time. If you have any question about the breeds I mentioned, fill free to ask. I will be happy to share experiences with the breeds I have raised and seen a few strange but happy things that take place with my peeps..
Connie

 

[HeidiEmbrey]

Hello from a fellow Floridian!

Silkies and bantam are smaller birds. For egg consumption or processing You may want to look into larger birds. If you desire both sizes (lg & sm), you may need separate quarters to house them in.

Most birds are tamed by hearing the lid of the feed can. The more your presence around them, the bigger the bond of trust becomes. I have hens in houses that rum from me, from not going in there much except to clean and grab eggs. But the freedom rangers will follow me around and basically trip me when the pack gets under me.

OUR WEATHER is hot. I agree. Ventilation is a must. Shade is manditory.
I can't quote birds I am not familiar with that handle the temps but I can tell you what I have in my Florida flocks.

• Barred Rock. Gentle brown egg layers
• R I Reds. lite brn eggs and mild mannored.
• Leghorns. A med size bird w/white eggs. They fly a lot. Only adult wings we have to clip.
• Whyandottes. we have several types. lite brn eggs. Slow growers.
• Auricanas. Pale green easter eggs. If crossed with another breed, you still get easter eggs.
• Austrilorps. HUGE
• Jersy Black Giants. Huge.
• Mottled Java. docile and semi aggressive.
• Red Sex links...
  
• Buff Orpintons.. fluffy.. until summer molt.

That is what I am raising/breeding with little heat issues.

LOT AND LOTS of water dispensors.
I am in North Central Fl. Our winters can drop cold to hard freeze but not to many days in a row.
I have seen 14*F one year but the twenties is usually all we see.
On super hot days, I have been known to cut watermellons in half and partial freeze them and cool the birds down with a treat.
I also have a water mister rig in a tree near my big hen house for the egg ladies to enjoy.

I don't do the small breeds of chickens anymore. When my kids were young and in FFA/4-H, we did silkies and other tiny breeds for show. Now we are into it for the jumbo eggs.
What ever breeds you decide, try to start them all off at the same age and size. It will be easier to get 4 together at a young age than introducing adults to a new social setting.
I am outside on my tablet, so forgive the mispells! hard to spell check at the present time. If you have any question about the breeds I mentioned, fill free to ask. I will be happy to share experiences with the breeds I have raised and seen a few strange but happy things that take place with my peeps..
Connie

Hi there! Thank you so much for this info! Central Florida here.. I don't even notice typos no worries.. I don't mind small eggs., is the only reason you don't want small chickens anymore the small eggs, or for other reasons too? Did you select your breeds for heat tolerance? Do you notice that some are more tolerant than others? Are there any breeds you have noticed hate the heat? The silkies didn't mind it? I dont want a silkie or any show chickens like that but it confuses me that they could survive here in the heat they're so fluffy! I picture them looking like wet mops here..do chickens sweat? ..My backyard is so cool and breezy all the time, very shaded by the neighbors huge oaks, and that is where i'm legally required to keep them, though I plan to put them in the chicken tractor in the sunny parts of the yard when its nice out and i'm here with them..I was worried about them getting enough sun because I read they need 8 hours full sun to lay eggs but these comments are making me happy i have the shade for them. Love the watermelon tip!

 

[jane s chickens]

What about naked necks?

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

Hi! Let me see if I can help you out.

First off, bantams are small, yes, but they are skinny (not good 'eatability') and they are not very good layers (Small eggs every now and then). Also, I have 4 EEs myself, and they are so sweet! They love to be held and always hop up on me. They don't pick on my one Silkie (although she is getting a friend soon to keep her company) and they don't pick on each other.

As for breeds in a hot, sticky, climate, you will definitely want clean legged breeds. You can't go wrong with an RIR! They are generally docile hens and great layers! They do good in hot climates as well.

Again, I would suggest EEs. Mine are too young to lay, but they are supposedly a good producer of 4-5 eggs a week. They do well in warm and cold climates. I would recommend them to you.

Leghorns are also very good layers! They do well in the heat, and are pretty birds! Temperament wise, I have heard they aren't the most docile, but each bird is different! A flock I knew had a Brahma hen (supposedly super sweet birds) that was the nastiest as can be! Every bird is different which is why it's hard to place a label on temperament.

Best wishes to you and your flock! I hope you enjoy having chickens! They really are great animals! Let me know what you end up choosing!

-Chatty

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

I read they need 8 hours full sun to lay eggs

Actually, they need about 14 hours of daylight for max laying potential. The sunlight does not need to be direct, it just needs to be light outside.

Best wishes!

 

[HeidiEmbrey]

Actually, they need about 14 hours of daylight for max laying potential. The sunlight does not need to be direct, it just needs to be light outside.

Best wishes!

Thanks again! And thanks for including the egg colors in your chicken breed list..checking out the breeds on your list one by one. My favorite of those you named are the Whyandottes..are they very large? I just have a small space and prefer smaller scale things anyway, so I don't really want gigantic birds unless they have to be for eggs. The Key West Gypsy Chickens are pretty small but I've heard they are good layers still. Probably would not be good to eat but not allowed to eat those anyway when you adopt them you have to promise you wont.

 

[HeidiEmbrey]

Hi! Let me see if I can help you out.

First off, bantams are small, yes, but they are skinny (not good 'eatability') and they are not very good layers (Small eggs every now and then). Also, I have 4 EEs myself, and they are so sweet! They love to be held and always hop up on me. They don't pick on my one Silkie (although she is getting a friend soon to keep her company) and they don't pick on each other.

As for breeds in a hot, sticky, climate, you will definitely want clean legged breeds. You can't go wrong with an RIR! They are generally docile hens and great layers! They do good in hot climates as well.

Again, I would suggest EEs. Mine are too young to lay, but they are supposedly a good producer of 4-5 eggs a week. They do well in warm and cold climates. I would recommend them to you.

Leghorns are also very good layers! They do well in the heat, and are pretty birds! Temperament wise, I have heard they aren't the most docile, but each bird is different! A flock I knew had a Brahma hen (supposedly super sweet birds) that was the nastiest as can be! Every bird is different which is why it's hard to place a label on temperament.

Best wishes to you and your flock! I hope you enjoy having chickens! They really are great animals! Let me know what you end up choosing!

-Chatty

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

Thanks again! And thanks for including the egg colors in your chicken breed list..checking out the breeds on your list one by one. My favorite of those you named are the Whyandottes..are they very large? I just have a small space and prefer smaller scale things anyway, so I don't really want gigantic birds unless they have to be for eggs. The Key West Gypsy Chickens are pretty small but I've heard they are good layers still. Probably would not be good to eat but not allowed to eat those anyway when you adopt them you have to promise you wont.

I believe you meant to quote @Farmer Connie and not me? Lol! All is forgiven!!!