20 Heat-Hardy Chicken Breeds
Chickens are far more likely to suffer heat exhaustion in the summer than problems relating to the cold, so if you live in a warm climate, choosing breeds of chickens that are heat-hardy is a good idea.
If you live in a place that experiences both extremes - bitterly cold winters as well as hot, humid summers - you should still consider the heat-hardy breeds, since nearly all chickens are cold-hardy to a great extent.
Certain breeds, such as those with smaller body masses and larger combs (the comb on a chicken acts as a 'radiator' and helps to eliminate heat from the body) fare better in the heat than those breeds with larger body masses and smaller combs.
Lighter-colored breeds such as Leghorns tend to handle the heat better than darker breeds, say black Australorps or Marans, for instance.
Interestingly, most of the white egg-laying chickens are heat-hardy breeds.
Many of the heat-hardy breeds originated in the Mediterranean - go figure! Above, our Andalusian pullet Eva, is extremely suited or warm climates with her small, sleek body. She'll eventually grow a super large comb to help her stay cool as well.
There is a wide selection of breeds that do particularly well in the heat and with names like Appenzeller Spitzhauben, Black Sumatra, Egyptian Fayoumi, Penedesenca, Sicilan Buttercup and Mille Fleur d'Uccle, not to mention our White-Faced Black Spanish (below) how can you resist adding a few to your flock?
20 Heat-Hardy Chicken Breeds
These heat-hardy breeds include:
Regardless of which breeds you raise, a bit of TLC when the mercury rises can help them. Read my Tips on Beating the Summer Heat, for more tips on caring for your chickens this summer.
Do you live in a cold climate and are interested instead in cold-hard breeds, then HERE are some suggestions for you.
