Choosing The Best Chicken Breed

Which hearty breed of Chicken you choose depends on the climate you live in. There is no one breed for all conditions. This article addresses which breeds you should consider when hardiness is one of the most important characteristics. Homesteading breeds in a SHTF scenerio need to be the most self-sufficient and predator available.

There is a ton of breeds of chickens each with its own special characteristics. For our purposes though we can eliminate the vast majority of these breeds and concentrate on a group that has come to be known as Landrace chickens. Landrace chickens are breeds that are extremely self-sufficient, foraging well on their own, breed well, are more adept at raising chicks, and are able to defend themselves better from predators. Hint: don't expect them to protect themselves that will still be your job to a large extent.

Cold Climates

For those of you in climates that experience extremely cold weather consider any of the following breeds. Icelandic, Swedish Flower Hen or Olandsk Dwarf. Tolerance to extreme cold does not mean they don't need protection from the elements. It means they are bred to withstand subfreezing temps with little to no addition heat added if they have a suitable shelter that their bodies are able to do the heating for you.

Australorp is another breed to strongly consider in norther climate. They lay lots of good sized eggs are a big bird and are cold hardy. They breed readily and are friendly to other chickens. And something not normally considered... they are quiet. In a SHTF situation you do not want to advertise your home to people passing close by.

Barred Rock is another breed to consider if you live in a norther climate.

If you live in a hot climate, then you should be looking at different breeds that can take the heat and where cold hardiness is not a concern. Trust me even the breeds not considered cold hardy are actually very tolerant to temps that I consider cold, such as temps in the upper teens.

Hot Climates

Rhode Island Red is a large breed that lays a good amount of eggs and is well adapted to hot climates. Another breed to consider is the Australorps. This breed lays lots of eggs, are friendly, good to eat, breed well and are pretty hardy against disease. Sounds good to me!

Sussex is a breed similar to Australorps just a bit larger. An excellent choice.

Mediterranean chickens are an excellent chicken to raise in hot climates. Not only are they heat tolerant they are one of the best free range birds because of their abilitity to not succumb to predation.

Minorca chickens have very large comb, wattles, and earlobes that help them keep their cool and can withstand the hottest of summers.

Turken chickens are less appealing to the eye than other chickens because of the featherless neck. However, the featherless neck is perfect for easier plucking. Also, this bird is one of the most heat tolerant chickens around. Probably their strongest suit is their resistance to diseases. This breed is an excellent choice for hot climates and surprisingly they are actually also quite cold tolerant.

These chicken breeds are certainly not the only breeds to consider, but they are a good start. If a certain breed catches your eye that I have not listed here then do your research and see if they are suited for your climate, breed well, lay eggs well, get along with other breeds and if they are suitable for free-ranging and foraging on their own. Good Luck!