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Breed shortlist
Breeds for hot summers
Heat is harder on chickens than cold. Lighter, tight-feathered birds with large combs shed heat best; heavy, fluffy breeds suffer.
How the list is made
Breeds whose general traits describe them as coping with heat, and not as struggling in it. 12 breeds in the catalogue qualify, and 11 of them can be ordered today. Sorted by how many listings are in stock.
| Breed | Eggs a year | Egg colour | Temperament | Climate | In stock | Pullets from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leghorn | 280–320 | white | Flighty | Copes with heat; large comb can frostbite | 3 of 3 | $5.99Cackle Hatchery |
| Rhode Island Red | 250–300 | brown | Active | Cold hardy and copes with heat | 3 of 3 | $5.99Cackle Hatchery |
| Cubalaya | 80–120 | tinted | Calm with people | Copes with heat | 2 of 2 | — |
| Austra White | 250–300 | tinted | Calm | Copes with heat | 1 of 1 | $5.99Cackle Hatchery |
| Naked Neck (Turken) | 150–200 | brown | Calm | Copes well with heat | 1 of 1 | $6.49Cackle Hatchery |
| Egyptian Fayoumi | 150–200 | tinted | Flighty | Copes well with heat | 1 of 1 | — |
| Sicilian Buttercup | 150–180 | white | Flighty | Copes with heat | 1 of 1 | — |
| Ayam Cemani | 60–100 | cream | Active | Copes with heat | 1 of 1 | — |
| Saipan | 50–100 | tinted | Calm with people; males fight | Copes with heat | 1 of 1 | — |
| Red Junglefowl | 30–60 | tinted | Flighty | Copes with heat | 1 of 1 | — |
| Serama | — | cream | Friendly | Copes with heat; needs shelter from cold | 1 of 2 | — |
| Novogen White | 300–320 | white | Active | Copes with heat | 0 of 1 | — |
Traits are general to each breed, from the breed standards and long-running references; a hatchery's own line can differ. "In stock" counts the breed's varieties that can be ordered today, and the pullet price is the cheapest sexed pullet among them.
Shade and water first
Breed helps, but shade, airflow and cool water decide how a flock gets through a heatwave. A panting bird holding its wings away from its body is too hot. Fresh water in the shade, changed through the day, matters more than anything on this list.
Figures on this page were computed from the catalogue reading of October 25, 2026.