37 breeds
Best chickens for cold climates
Cold isn't what hurts a flock — frostbite and damp are. These breeds carry the heavy feathering and small, frostbite-resistant combs that let them ride out a real winter, and many keep laying through the short days.
1Golden Comet🌱Cold-hardy · 250–320 eggs/yrUnited States2ISA Brown🌱Cold-hardy · 280–320 eggs/yrFrance3Black Sex Link🌱Cold-hardy · 250–300 eggs/yrUnited States4Rhode Island Red🌱Cold-hardy · 200–300 eggs/yrUnited States5Australorp🌱Cold-hardy · 200–280 eggs/yrAustralia6Barred Plymouth Rock🌱Cold-hardy · 200–280 eggs/yrUnited States7Buff Orpington🌱Cold-hardy · 180–280 eggs/yrEngland8Delaware🌱Cold-hardy · 200–280 eggs/yrUnited States9Easter Egger🌱Cold-hardy · 200–280 eggs/yrUnited States10Dominique🌱Cold-hardy · 180–260 eggs/yrUnited States11Ameraucana🌱Cold-hardy · 180–250 eggs/yrUnited States12Rhode Island White🌱Cold-hardy · 200–250 eggs/yrUnited States13Sussex🌱Cold-hardy · 200–250 eggs/yrEngland14Holland🌱Cold-hardy · 200–240 eggs/yrUnited States15New Hampshire🌱Cold-hardy · 200–240 eggs/yrUnited States16Wyandotte🌱Cold-hardy · 180–240 eggs/yrUnited States17Cream Legbar🌱Cold-hardy · 180–230 eggs/yrEngland18Chantecler🌱Cold-hardy · 180–220 eggs/yrCanada19HamburgCold-hardy · 150–220 eggs/yrNetherlands and Germany20Welsummer🌱Cold-hardy · 160–220 eggs/yrNetherlands21Barnevelder🌱Cold-hardy · 150–200 eggs/yrNetherlands22Black Copper Marans🌱Cold-hardy · 150–200 eggs/yrFrance23Brahma🌱Cold-hardy · 130–200 eggs/yrUnited States24Buckeye🌱Cold-hardy · 150–200 eggs/yrUnited States25Jersey Giant🌱Cold-hardy · 150–200 eggs/yrUnited States26Langshan🌱Cold-hardy · 150–200 eggs/yrChina27Naked Neck (Turken)🌱Cold-hardy · 150–200 eggs/yrTransylvania (Romania)28Salmon Faverolles🌱Cold-hardy · 150–200 eggs/yrFrance29VorwerkCold-hardy · 150–190 eggs/yrGermany30Appenzeller SpitzhaubenCold-hardy · 150–180 eggs/yrSwitzerland31AraucanaCold-hardy · 140–180 eggs/yrChile32Cochin🌱Cold-hardy · 150–180 eggs/yrChina33Java🌱Cold-hardy · 150–180 eggs/yrUnited States34Old English GameCold-hardy · 100–160 eggs/yrEngland35Russian OrloffCold-hardy · 100–150 eggs/yrRussia36Silkie🌱Cold-hardy · 100–120 eggs/yrChina37SumatraCold-hardy · 100–120 eggs/yrIndonesia
How this list is built: Every breed here is rated cold-hardy in our profiles. Ranked by annual egg production so you can find a winter layer, not just a survivor. It updates automatically as we add breeds — no hand-picking.
Keep exploring
Cold-hardy breeds that keep laying in winterBest chickens for hot & humid climatesBest chickens for beginners
New to this? Keeping Chickens Laying in Winter: Light, Care, and Honest Trade-offs walks you through it. Or browse all 50 breed profiles.
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