Latest / Valley Hatchery Podcast / Chicken Supports Insights - Episode 42: The Breeds People Regret Not Choosing for Winter

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Chicken Supports Insights - Episode 42: The Breeds People Regret Not Choosing for Winter · Valley Hatchery Podcast

• 0:09
  Cortney: Hey everyone, welcome back to the Chickens In Sights podcast.
• 0:12
  Cortney: I'm Courtney and I'm here with Connie.
• 0:15
  Cortney: Today we're going to talk about the breeds people regret not choosing for winter.
• 0:20
  Cortney: We're going to get into what people sometimes overlook when choosing breeds for cold weather, and more importantly, what signals you should actually be looking at before you choose your bird.
• 0:31
  Connie: Yeah, because I think it's pretty easy to choose a breed because you like the way it looks or because everybody else seems to recommend it.
• 0:39
  Connie: And then winter comes around and you realize you didn't really think about how the breed fits your situation.
• 0:46
  Cortney: Exactly.
• 0:47
  Cortney: So we're going to talk about cold hardiness, winter performance, climate, and some of those breed fit questions that are worth asking before you order.
• 0:57
  Cortney: Let's get into it.
• 0:58
  Cortney: So, Connie, when someone says they want a cold, hardy flock, what should they actually be looking for?
• 1:04
  Connie: So, Courtney, I think the first thing is figuring out what winter success actually means for your flock.
• 1:12
  Connie: A cold, hardy flock are with a lot of plumage and small combs.
• 1:18
  Connie: The rose comb and the pea comb breeds resist frostbite the best.
• 1:23
  Connie: Cold hardy breeds are steadier winter layers than those of the thin layer birds, as the thin layers get stressed often and the cold.
• 1:32
  Connie: Cold hardiness comes down to comb type, body size, and the feather density.
• 1:38
  Connie: Small combs and wattles freeze less.
• 1:42
  Connie: Larger bodies hold the heat and the dense feathering insulates.
• 1:47
  Cortney: Right, because one person maybe might be thinking, I want reliable winter eggs, while someone else might just want a hardy breed that's good to fit their backyard well.
• 1:57
  Cortney: So cold hardiness by itself isn't enough to make the decision.
• 2:01
  Connie: So another Courtney, what breed fit signals do people tend to overlook when they're choosing breeds for winter?
• 2:09
  Cortney: I think people can get really focused on production numbers or appearance and forget that the bird still has to fit the environment that they're gonna raise it in.
• 2:19
  Cortney: When you're talking about winter, things like cold tolerance, feathering, body type, and even comb type can be important.
• 2:26
  Cortney: You also want to consider how consistently that breed tends to lay throughout the colder months.
• 2:32
  Cortney: But it's not just about the breed itself.
• 2:34
  Cortney: Think about your available space, the setup you have, the overall purpose of your flock.
• 2:41
  Cortney: A bird that works great for one keeper may not be the best fit for someone else's environment.
• 2:46
  Cortney: So I'd encourage people to look at the whole picture, not just how a bird looks or how many eggs it may produce.
• 2:53
  Cortney: The best breed is the one that fits your goals and the environment you're gonna actually be raising it in.
• 2:59
  Connie: Yeah, and that's where breed fit really comes into play.
• 3:03
  Connie: A breed can be a great breed and snow knot be the right choice for somebody's particular backyard.
• 3:10
  Cortney: Connie, which breeds are worth putting on the list when someone is planning for cold weather?
• 3:15
  Connie: So the first thing they've got to consider the flock's purpose, such as eggs for the winter, dull purpose use, or a general backyard keeping.
• 3:26
  Connie: Depends on the overall breed that fits your climate.
• 3:29
  Connie: Some of the best out there are the barred Plymouth Rock, any of the Wyandotte, the Rhode Island Red, Buckeye, Delaware, Brahmas, Jersey Giants, the Bellafelder, or the Dominique.
• 3:42
  Cortney: Exactly.
• 3:43
  Cortney: The better question isn't necessarily what's the best winter breed, it's what's the best fit for your winter flock.
• 3:50
  Cortney: And if you're listening and thinking, okay, but how do I actually compare all of these traits when I'm choosing a breed?
• 3:56
  Cortney: We have a resource that can help with that.
• 3:58
  Connie: Yeah, Valley Hatchery put together a practical guide on cold hardy chickens that goes deeper into things we're talking about today.
• 4:07
  Cortney: It's called Cold Hardy Chickens, a practical guide.
• 4:10
  Cortney: And we'll have it linked in the episode description.
• 4:13
  Connie: So if you want to do a little more research before choosing your birds, go read that guide.
• 4:18
  Connie: It's a good resource to have while you're thinking through your own climate, your flock goals, and the breeds you're considering.
• 4:26
  Cortney: Exactly.
• 4:27
  Cortney: Don't just choose a breed because someone says it's good for winter.
• 4:30
  Cortney: Look at your own situation and use those traits to make a decision that actually fits your flock.
• 4:36
  Cortney: Yeah, that's the important part.
• 4:38
  Cortney: And before we continue, here's a quick message from Valley Hatchery.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, this is Courtney, Costumer Support Manager here at Valley Hatchery.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: A quick message before we continue with the episode.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: The 2027 early reservations are coming up in October.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: Follow Valley Hatchery on our social media accounts because that's where we'll announce when the waiting list opens and share the details on how to get on it.
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: Joining the waiting list puts you first in line when early reservations open.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: You'll have the opportunity to lock in this year's price, pick your breeds before availability publishes, and choose your preferred shipping dates.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're planning your flock for 2027, make sure you're following us on Facebook and Instagram so you don't miss the waiting list announcement.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: We'll share everything there when it opens.
• 5:43
  Cortney: I think the biggest regret usually isn't choosing a bad breed.
• 5:47
  Cortney: It's choosing a breed without thinking about whether it was actually the right breed for you.
• 5:52
  Cortney: It's easy to choose a bird because it's popular, it looks cool, or has strong egg production, but there's more to consider.
• 5:59
  Cortney: What's your climate like?
• 6:01
  Cortney: How much space do you have?
• 6:02
  Cortney: What is the main purpose of your flock?
• 6:04
  Cortney: A breed that works wonderfully for one keeper may not be the best for everyone else.
• 6:09
  Cortney: You don't want to wait until winter arrives to realize the breed you chose doesn't fit your environment or your goals.
• 6:16
  Cortney: So before choosing your breed, think beyond popularity or appearance and make sure the breed fits your climate, space, and your flock goals.
• 6:25
  Connie: Yes, a breed can be great and still not be the right fit for every backyard.
• 6:31
  Cortney: All right, Connie.
• 6:32
  Cortney: So if someone is choosing their flock now, what question should they ask before picking a breed?
• 6:38
  Connie: I'd start by writing down what you need from your flock, then look for breeds that line up with those needs.
• 6:46
  Connie: Are you looking for egg production?
• 6:49
  Connie: What kind of winter and summer climate do you have?
• 6:53
  Connie: What do you want your flock to provide, whether it's eggs or dual purpose?
• 6:58
  Connie: How much space am I working with?
• 7:01
  Connie: And if you've got little ones, the temperament, and based on those actual needs, or because you simply like the breed.
• 7:10
  Connie: Right.
• 7:10
  Cortney: Start with your situation and your flock goals, and then choose your bird.
• 7:14
  Connie: And you don't have to know every breed out there.
• 7:18
  Connie: You just need to understand what you're looking for and then find the breeds that fit those requirements.
• 7:24
  Connie: Hopefully, this gives you a different way to think about choosing a flock for winter.
• 7:28
  Connie: Cold hardiness matters, but it shouldn't be the only thing you're looking at.
• 7:33
  Connie: Think about your climate, your space, your flock's purpose, and the traits you actually need from your bird.
• 7:40
  Cortney: Yeah.
• 7:40
  Cortney: And if there's one thing to take away from this episode, it's that the most popular breed isn't automatically the right breed for you.
• 7:47
  Cortney: The goal is to choose birds that fit your flock that you're trying to build in your backyard.
• 7:54
  Connie: So before you order, take a few minutes and ask yourself, what do I need these birds to do?
• 8:00
  Connie: And what traits will help them fit my winter conditions?
• 8:04
  Cortney: And if you want to keep researching, check out Valley Hatchery's Cold Hardy Chickens, a practical guide.
• 8:09
  Cortney: We'll have that link in the episode description.
• 8:12
  Connie: And if you have a chicken question you'd like us to cover in the future episode, we'd love to hear from you.
• 8:19
  Cortney: Have a chicken question for us, leave us a voice message using the fan mail link in the episode's description on Buzz Sprout.
• 8:26
  Cortney: We listen to every message, and you might hear your question answered in a future episode on Chickens Insight.
• 8:32
  Connie: We'd love to hear what you're dealing with in your own flock.
• 8:36
  Cortney: We want to thank you for listening to the Chickens Insight podcast.
• 8:39
  Connie: We'll see you in the next episode.
• 8:41
  Cortney: Take care, everyone.
• 8:42
  Cortney: Bye for now.
• 8:44
  Cortney: Bye.