Best Chicken Breeds for Upstate New York

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Welcome to The Fairy Farmer blog! Where we explore the holistic connection between our everyday lives and stewardship.

Lets talk about the best chicken breeds for upstate New York.

The North East is known for its beautiful array of the four seasons, and Upstate New York, tucked below the Canadian border, and Western Vermont is known for its long, cold season and the type of winter that you prepare for all year. When it comes to raising chickens in cold climates, you always want to ensure your flock remains in optimum health year-round. In the winter months, chickens can still thrive, especially those more suited for colder climates. Let’s talk about the kinds of chickens that thrive in a cold winter climate, where temperatures can go below -20 degrees Fahrenheit or more.

We will go over the breeds recommended when raising chickens in this region, according to history. Prior to industrialization, family farms relied on these hardy and versatile breeds to survive the long, harsh upstate winters.

Let’s get started, your flock will thank you! 😉

Factors to consider when looking for cold hearty breeds:

1.) Small Comb

Chicken breeds with large combs will get frostbite more easily, and choosing a breed with a smaller comb can save your chickens from frostbite in the harsh winter months. While this isn’t absolutely necessary, your chickens will want to be able to go outside, rather than stay in the coop for the entirety of the winter months. Look for breeds with pea, rose, walnut, and cushion combs.

2.) Feathers

Some breeds are more feathered than others, like Brahmas, for example. When choosing a cold hearty breed, the more dense the feathers, the better. Some extra feathers along the legs and feet definitely wouldn’t hurt!

3.) Body Composition

Compare a Maran to a Sumatra chicken, and you will realize the difference in body composition. Birds with a larger body mass and fat will be able to keep themselves warmer in a cold climate compared to the more slender and agile birds, who are able to thrive in hot or humid climates.

Winter Hardy Chicken Breeds

Buff Orpington

Historically kept in Upstate New York, with thick feathers for insulation, and known for consistent year-round egg laying in cold climates.

Brahma

Historically kept in Upstate New York, Thick plumage down to the toes, a large-sized bird suited for cold climates

Chantecler

Developed in Canada, features small combs and wattles and thrives in extreme cold.

Rhode Island Red and New Hampshire Red

Historically kept in Upstate New York, Hearty and reliable, take extra care of the larger combs. These birds also have a great foraging instinct when food is scarce in the winter months.

Wayondotte

Historically kept in Upstate New York, with heavy plumage and good egg laying year-round. This is a reliable winter bird.

Domonique

Historically kept in Upstate New York, with a rose comb, these birds are well-suited for cold-weather climates.

Astralorp

With dense feathering and a compact body, Australorp birds handle winter well.

Marans

With a heavy body constitution and plumage, Marans are a breed of birds that can handle cold winter temperatures.

Salmon Faverolle

Developed in France to lay eggs during winter months, Salmon Faverolle is an eggcellent winter bird. Comes in a bantam size as well.

Other cold-hardy breeds:

Barred Rock, Jersey Giant, Welsummer, Suxxex, Delaware, Ameraucana, Cochin, Bienfelder, Sex-Links, and Silkie

Caring for chickens in winter

1.) Draft Vs Ventilation

A draft can be deadly for any animal during winter. A draft is airflow that blows quickly, usually from below, that can cause a serious chill or frostbite. During any season, a draft allows moisture, smells, and dust to build up, which can cause respiratory issues or mold.

Proper ventilation allows air, moisture, and ammonia to rise and slowly seep out of vents at the top of the coop or barn.

Cover or insulate your coop, even a thin plastic works well for coops with chicken wire or large gaps that let in too much wind. However, you still want to make sure there is access to ventilation for air, dust, moisture, and ammonia to escape slowly as it rises to the top.

2.) Bedding

Deep bedding is great if your setup allows 12-16 inches of layered bedding. You can use a mixture of woodchips, leaves, hay, or straw. This extra depth generates warmth in a similar way to a compost pile. The depth of one foot or more provides an ecosystem for healthy microbes to thrive, helping break down the poop and any smell.

If you are unable to keep deep bedding, make sure the flovk always has dry and fresh bedding for warmth.

3.) Keep water from freezing

This can be done by purchasing a heated waterer or adding a heating element to your chickens’ waterer. If you don’t have electricity, refill your waterer with hot water throughout the day and use a ribber bucket or insulate your waterer. My Amish friends use hot water bottles and jugs around the chicken waterers in the winter, refilling them throughout the day to keep the waterer warm.

4.) Keep a heat lamp handy

In the event of a serious or storm of if a chicken needs an extra source of heat, its nice to have a heat lamp ready. Turning a light on in the coop for a few extra hours in the evenings can boost egg production as well. Though this can wear your hens out sooner, as winter is a time of rest for hens and they naturally lay less.

5.) Frostbite Prevention

Make sure the roosts allow the birds’ toes to lie flat, so they can sit and cover their feet with their body when roosting. A two-by-four on its side works well.

Nipple waterers help prevent the chickens’ faces from getting extra wet and susceptible to frostbite. Keep the waterer outside of the coop to prevent spillage and frostbite.

Some use petroleum jelly to cover the waddles and combs to prevent frostbite, but there is mixed results when it comes to the use of petroleum jelly.

If a chicken gets frostbite, bring them into a warmer area. Use warm water around 100 degrees to place frostbitten feet in or use a warm towel compress on the combs and waddles. Use an antibiotic spray or ointment on the recovering areas and wrap toes for extra warmth and protection. If areas turn black after treatment, this is a natural part of the healing process and does not need to be removed or cut away. Allow your chicken to rest in a warm area and keep an eye on their healing process. Avoid exposure to weather conditions where they could refreeze while still in recovery.

6.) Providing Nutrients and Grit

Make sure they have access to grit when the snow is covering the ground, allowing foraging to be difficult.

Chickens are omnivores, providing constant access to feed in the day is crucial for them to stay warm, and they would appreciate any extra greens they can get while forge is low in the winter. Using fodder is a great way to supplement greens and nutrients for your flock, and it is super easy to grow.

Get a flat tray or tub for sprouting any grains or legumes in, I prefer barley seed.

Rinse the seed and spread it out on a tray. Rinse and spread the seed daily. Keep covered with a moist fabric or another tray.

After a few days, you will see sprouts growing. After day 4 or 5, it will be long enough and will have grown into a woven mat of sprouted seed and entangled root. This can be fed to chickens. Ideally, day 7 is a nice and long grass perfect to be fed to chickens, cows, horses, goats, rabbits, or sheep alike!

7.) Access to dirt/dust baths

Provide a tub for chickens to dust bath in. Dust baths are an imoirtant part of chickens social life and pest prevention.

Provide a tub with some dirt you dug up before the freeze and mix wood ash or diatomaceous earth for them to fluff their feathers with. I took some dirt from one of their favorite dust bathing areas in the barnyard and placed it into a tub to store for winter use.

Store the tub outside of the coop to keep dust down if necessary.

In Conclusion

Caring for chickens in the long winters in Upstate New York can be a straight sorward and simple process if both you and your flock are prepared peorpely. I hope this blog helps you find the ideal breed for your flock to enjoy for many winters to come.

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