Best Chickens for Cold and Hot Weather

If you’re looking at how to take care of chickens, you definitely need to consider the best chickens for cold and hot weather.

You see, not all chicken breeds are created equal. Just like you wouldn’t get a long-haired dog and leave it in the Arizona heat, you need to make sure the chicken breeds you choose are suited for the climate in which you live.

So what makes a chicken better suited for either hot or cold weather? What are the best cold hardy chicken breeds and which chicken breeds do best in the heat?

Let’s take a look at what makes a chicken better suited for one climate over another and why some people don’t need to worry about the breed of chicken they purchase and others definitely do.

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How Many Breeds of Chickens Are There?

According to The American Poultry Association, there are roughly 53 registered large chicken breeds around today. This does not include the smaller Bantam varieties of which there are roughly 60 registered breeds.

However, many chicken breeds are not registered and some people (such as Wikipedia) estimate there are more than 500 different breeds of chickens. This of course does not include the millions of barnyard mixes running around in peoples’ backyards.

What Makes A Chicken Breed Cold Or Heat Hardy?

A fact that most chicken owners are well aware of is that some chicken breeds are better suited for cold climates and others are best suited for warmer climates. But what is the difference?

What makes a chicken breed cold or heat hardy?

The answer is in the comb. And the wattle.

 

A chicken comb is the fleshy part that sticks out atop a chicken’s head. Usually this is either pinkish or reddish.

The wattle is the fleshy part that dangles underneath a chicken’s chin. Again, this is typically either pinkish or reddish.

Have you ever noticed that some chickens have very large combs and wattles while others are much smaller?

The size of a chicken’s comb and wattle will greatly determine its ability to withstand colder and warmer climates (which makes it easier to avoid frostbite in your chickens).

Just like humans lose body heat through the tops of their heads and the bottoms of their feet, chickens use combs and wattles to maintain their body temps. This means chickens with larger combs and wattles will do better in warmer climates due to their ability to release excess body heat.

Alternatively, chickens with smaller combs and wattles will do better in colder climates because the smaller combs and wattles allow the chicken to maintain body heat even when it’s cold outside.

The Best Chickens for Cold Weather

The following breeds tend to have smaller combs and wattles, making them better suited for cold weather. If you live in a cold area and want your backyard birds to lay eggs all year long, consider these breeds.

1. Orpingtons (one of my very favorite cold hardy chicken breeds – love their brown eggs)
2. Austrolops
3. Wyandottes
4. Rhode Island Reds
5. New Hampshire Reds
6. Barred Rocks
7. Delewares
8. Brahmas
9. Favorelles
10. Chanteclers
11. Buckeyes
12. Plymouth Rock Chickens
13. Dominiques
14. Welsummers
15. Cochins
16. Americaunas
17. Sussex
18. Cornish (not to be confused with the Cornish Cross)
19. Easter Egger (typically mixed with either an Americauna or an Araucana)
20. Jersey Giants
21. Marans
22. Barnevelders

 

The Best Chickens for Hot Weather

The following chicken breeds have larger combs and wattles, making them better suited for hotter climates. That’s why they’re some of the best heat tolerant chicken breeds that lay eggs all year long!

Now all you have to worry about is how to keep your chickens cool (think lots of shade, lots of water, lots of air flow).

1. Campines
2. Penedesenecas
3. Leghorns (one of the most popular heat tolerant chicken breed options, and they tolerate confinement very well)
4. Appenzellers
5. Sumatras
6. Andalusians
7. Fayoumis
8. Sumatras
9. Minorcas
10. Cinnamon Queens (another popular heat tolerant chicken breed among locals)
11. Austras
12. Anconas
13. Catalanas
14. Naked Necks (Turkens)
15. Sicilian Buttercups
16. White-Faced Black Spanish

 

What About Chicken Breeds For Both Hot And Cold Climates?

While some breeds will do better in either one extreme or the other (such as the ones listed above) there are a few chicken breeds that, when properly acclimated and when provided with the proper shelter, will do okay in regious that experience both hot and cold days.

Note – When talking about chicken breeds that can handle both hot and cold climates, the humid south DOES NOT count. If your summers are humid and get above 90 degrees for more than 2 weeks out of the year, please stick to hot weather chicken breeds and then just make sure you give them a draft-free coop with extra bedding in the winter months. This holds true whether you free range them or not.

These are known as mixed weather breeds and the following chickens will be your best bet, assuming you actually do live in a mildly temperate climate:

1. Barnevelders
2. Black Sex Links
3. Red Sex Links
4. Marans
5. New Hampshires
6. Rhode Island Reds (did you know the Rhode Island Red is one of the world’s most popular chicken breeds, known for its plentiful white eggs?)
7. Orpingtons
8. Plymouth Rocks
9. Welsummers
10. Brahmas

 

What Do Chickens Need To Regulate Temperature?

When raising backyard chickens in places that experience both hot and cold climates (i.e. mixed weather chickens) it is EXTREMELY important to provide them with the tools they need to stay warm or cool.

This means:

• Protect the comb and wattle during extremely cold temperatures (vaseline should do the trick)
• A coop that is free from drafts (especially important in colder climates – in hot temperatures, you will want more air flow)
• Plenty of shade in hotter climates (especially on extreme heat days)
• Treats like scratch to up body temperature (good on colder days)
• Room-temperature water (never ice water as it makes it difficult for the birds’ bodies to regulate) – B be sure to include plenty of options inside the coop, inside the run, and if you free range, around the yard.
• Fans or misters (or another idea to help your chickens stay cool is to provide them with ice water bottles to sit next to – NOT DRINK)
• Plenty of bedding to nestle down in (this will help in both warm and cold temperatures)

Now that you know what chicken breed is best for your climate, as well as what they need to regulate temperature, you can make an informed decision when adding chickens to your flock.

Do you have any other questions about what chicken breed is best for your backyard flock? What are your favorite chicken breeds for hot climates or cold climates? Let us know in the comments below!