What are some good winter chicken breeds?

[alwaysthere4chickens]

I live in Wyoming were it can get pretty cold in the winters due to the winds. so I was wondering, what are some chicken breeds that do well in the winter? We are raising chickens for eggs, so we also want ones that lay often.

 

[FarmInProgress]

Cinnamon queens!! We are getting some this month… Says they are good in cold weather and lay a lot of eggs

 

[Pretty Birds]

Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Wyandottes, Easter Eggers, Brahmas, Golden Comets, and Buff Orpingtons are all good winter hardy breeds (in my experience).

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Really any heavy breed, particularly with a smaller comb. If you want to go the extra mile, feathered feet don't hurt. But I have a leghorn and a Partridge Penedesenca (small birds, large combs) and they did just fine in temps in the teens. So far they've not had to endure lower temps, but in my area we have had temps below zero. On the other hand, I also have cochins and brahmas and the heat is not their friend. They struggle with egg laying all summer.

 

[Peaches Lee]

When we've had very bitter cold winter days here, some of my flock would be all puffed up and huddled against the cold. My Orpingtons however, are just fine, walking around like nothing's different! Cochins are pretty tough too. A word of warning though, both breeds like to go broody in the spring.

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

Generally, you'll want a large, dark, fluffy, small combed bird.

 

[Sixandahalfacres]

I’m in Canada and get very cold winters (Regularly -30 F for weeks at a time) - my Orpingtons, Wyandotte’s, and Easter Eggers have done really well (and I don’t heat the coop all winter, just have it insulated and ventilated). I agree, smaller combed birds do better than bigger combed birds. My birds do take a break for a few months in the winter because I don’t supplement with light until about February, though. I like to give them a good break so they’ll be healthier longer.

 

[Uff Da]

I am in Montana. Despite their Mediterranean build and having larger combs, my Icelandics do well in winter. My poor sex-links lost their entire combs to frostbite this year when a bad wind slammed the coop shut and locked my chickens out when I was gone at work. Both of my Icie roosters suffered frostbite, but their combs healed all the way. None of the Icie hens got any frostbite, despite having larger combs than the sex-links. They took a 3-week egg break, with no supplemental lighting. They lay 3-5 eggs a week.

But if you really want a winter-proof bird, look into Chanteclers and Hedemora!

 

[alwaysthere4chickens]

Thank you!