Chicken breed advice for Texas?

me | 2-17-09 | self

[Marie]

I need some advice on chicken breeds. Where I live in Central Texas, in the summer it’s not uncommon for us to have a 6 week run of high temperatures going over 100’. So here’s what I’m looking for in my dual-purpose hens:

- I want girls that are temperature hardy that can handle the heat. (I know that I’m going to have to help any chicken survive a severe, prolonged heat-wave, [fresh water, misters, shade, etc.] but I don’t want to suffer 50% losses just because I was stupid enough to get birds which were never bred to handle it in the first place.) They also have to be able to survive a cold snap. (I’m not as worried about the cold. We’ll have a very well constructed coop with electricity.)
- I’m looking for decent layers who would average 80-100 medium eggs a year. (An egg every three or four days. Not asking for much there.)
- Good brooders/excellent mothers. Forget any breeds which are non-setters.
- Friendly enough to be approached by humans. (I’d prefer more docile birds, but I know that we can’t have everything we want. I’d rather have tough birds that live than sweet birds that can’t survive.)

For my roosters, I’m considering getting a completely different breed than that of the hens. These guys need to be just as weather-hardy, but MUCH friendlier and size-compatible with the hens.

[Marie]

The plan is to build the coop with the covered, attached run. We want to put in a gate that opens out to the garden. When we’re home during the day, the chickens can wander over a rather large area and help in the garden. If we’re not home, they’ll still have a secure run.

We want to build a small, portable chicken tractor for the ones who are sick or being picked on.

My daughter’s boyfriend’s mom just brings the inside when they’re not doing so well. I’ll put a cage in the house for a really sick bird.

[stickandrudder]

Build a chicken tractor, move it often.

I like the CornishX from
http://www.schlechthatchery.com/
8 weeks and they go to “Freezer Camp”!

If you want a longer maturing breed try the Colored Range Broilers from http://www.jmhatchery.com/ ready in 81 days, no leg problems like the CornishX and they like to move around more and scratch like a chicken. Not as “meaty” as the others, but good flavor. Huge discussion on http://www.backyardchickens.com/ in the forums under “Meat Birds”