Self Sufficient Breeding vs. Dual Purpose Breeding

[Christiancowboy]

I imagine that most people look at this heading, and think "What's the difference"? To me there's a huge difference! Think about it? What is a dual purpose chicken, and what is a free range chicken?
I grew up raising Game Chickens all my life. Our hens that we weren't breeding, just ran out and free ranged. I've seen game hens fly a block in the air to get away from predators. Plus, we didn't even feed them, except every once in a while I'd give them a little. To me, this is the definition of a "True Free Range Chicken". They can survive on their own, and are very good at avoiding predators. They're setbacks, are they're smaller body wise. A rooster weights 5-6lbs, and hen around 4lbs. There eggs are smaller, but actually richer.
As for a "Dual Purpose Chicken Breeds", there are many. They've been raised to produce lots of eggs, and be a decent size for meat. While they meet these needs, their abilities are limited in the free range self sufficiency department.
More and more people like myself are starting homesteading and raising our own food in an effort to be self sufficient. Chickens are a main source of food, and they pick a "Dual Purpose Chicken Breed" or breeds. However, they soon realize, that these dual purpose chickens require a lot of care and feed, even free ranging them. Thus, the goal of self sufficient is not as achievable as they thought with chickens.
This is were my experience with Game Chickens, has lead me to raising Game Chickens for the purpose of free ranging and self sufficiency. I'm also experimenting with crossing Game Chickens over Dual Purpose Chickens to add a little size. Are any of you doing any breeding of Game and Dual Purpose Crosses for the benefit of a self sufficient chicken?

 

[Kiki]

Are you using the 'self sufficient' words to mean you don't offer food to them at all?

 

[Christiancowboy]

Are you using the 'self sufficient' words to mean you don't offer food to them at all?

Yes, I am. As I stated, I grew up raising Game Chickens, and the hens we weren't breeding just ran out and fended for themselves, and did fine.
I have game chickens now, and various dual purpose breeds that I'm crossing in an effort to add a little more size, while keeping the self sufficiency of the game chickens.

 

[3KillerBs]

Where are you located?

I find it highly unlikely that this practice would succeed in any area that isn't capable of supporting a year-round population of feral chickens.

Unless, of course, they have access to a fair number of other livestock animals that are fed so that they can find sufficient food by scavenging spilled feed, picking undigested grain out of manure, etc.

 

[Christiancowboy]

Where are you located?

I find it highly unlikely that this practice would succeed in any area that isn't capable of supporting a year-round population of feral chickens.

Unless, of course, they have access to a fair number of other livestock animals that are fed so that they can find sufficient food by scavenging spilled feed, picking undigested grain out of manure, etc.

So, I take it that your calling me a liar. There's no use in arguing with stupidity. The Lord feeds the birds just as the Bible says...

 

[Shadrach]

I imagine that most people look at this heading, and think "What's the difference"? To me there's a huge difference! Think about it? What is a dual purpose chicken, and what is a free range chicken?
I grew up raising Game Chickens all my life. Our hens that we weren't breeding, just ran out and free ranged. I've seen game hens fly a block in the air to get away from predators. Plus, we didn't even feed them, except every once in a while I'd give them a little. To me, this is the definition of a "True Free Range Chicken". They can survive on their own, and are very good at avoiding predators. They're setbacks, are they're smaller body wise. A rooster weights 5-6lbs, and hen around 4lbs. There eggs are smaller, but actually richer.
As for a "Dual Purpose Chicken Breeds", there are many. They've been raised to produce lots of eggs, and be a decent size for meat. While they meet these needs, their abilities are limited in the free range self sufficiency department.
More and more people like myself are starting homesteading and raising our own food in an effort to be self sufficient. Chickens are a main source of food, and they pick a "Dual Purpose Chicken Breed" or breeds. However, they soon realize, that these dual purpose chickens require a lot of care and feed, even free ranging them. Thus, the goal of self sufficient is not as achievable as they thought with chickens.
This is were my experience with Game Chickens, has lead me to raising Game Chickens for the purpose of free ranging and self sufficiency. I'm also experimenting with crossing Game Chickens over Dual Purpose Chickens to add a little size. Are any of you doing any breeding of Game and Dual Purpose Crosses for the benefit of a self sufficient chicken?

This is a topic I'm interested in and know a little about.
However, if you make any reference to anything even remotely religious I'll be gone from this thread and you'll be on ignore.

Yes there is a marked distinction between chickens able to survive on forage alone and fed chickens.
The correct term for chickens that inhabit an area of land of their own free will is feral.
Game chickens is probably not the way forward and depending on where you live the breeds that fare well as feral chickens may not be available to you.

The most imprtant consideration is the environment. To make an obvious point, if you try to develope a feral population in regions where the temperature rarely gets above 20C you're going to fail and kill a lot of chickens in the process.

In Southern Europe, Asia, China and places in North Africa feral chicken populations are not uncommon.

One of the most important qualities for developing such a breed is their ability to reproduce.

One way to encourage reproduction from the standard Dual Purpose chicken is to cross it with a hardy Bantam breed.

 

[Pickensandchigs]

Even remotely religous..

@Christiancowboy See, what I mean? Your existence offends them. They have their knives out.

The man referenced the number one selling book on earth. He wasn't trying to get anyone baptized.

 

[raingarden]

Following. Wouldn't want to miss this.

Predators can prevent a feral flock from becoming established. Nesting on the ground makes them vulnerable.

Our local feral flocks have a lot of gamefowl blood. There may, or may not, be links directly back to polynesian RJF as well. There is also more recent introgression of production breeds.

 

[Shadrach]

Bye.

 

[Pickensandchigs]

Following. Wouldn't want to miss this.

Predators can prevent a feral flock from becoming established. Nesting on the ground makes them vulnerable.

A single male goose can help with this.. Not two. If there's only one he'll love the chickens and protect them.