The Perfect Free-Range Chicken?

[varidgerunner]

Little bit of Oriental blood makes them bigger too. Not just for the carcass. Six pound chicken is less appealing than a four pound one to some winged predators, OEG bantams, in my experience, is a good way to insure a steady supply of cooper's hawks nesting near your place raising babies on a diet of poultry.

 

[FayoumisFreak]

Thanks for all of the advice! In my opinion, a part of what makes a free range chicken desirable is the lack of extensive care necessary. I think dubbing all of my birds would be a hassle. I didn’t order Games in my chick order that should arrive next week, but I’ll see if I can order more later in the season. (I got E. Fayoumis, Lakenvelder, BPR, SLW, Jersey Giant, Ameraucana, Rare Mystery Chick) Also, is the pea and/or rose comb dominant? If so, the SL Wyandottes (and ameraucana) will definitely help the mix. (I forgot which one the SLW has) And for the first few winters, there will be a heat lamp in our (metal) coop for the Fayoumis. The coop is surrounded by grassland, but there are trees around a 100 yards away. I am going to plant more trees soon. Thanks for all the input!

 

[123RedBeard]

Think bushes or blackberry/raspberry patch ... might as well give them treats too!

Yes the pea/rose combs are dominate, but ... it becomes tricky ... I'm no expert on it ... but atleast half of the offspring of a single comb X pea comb mix should be pea combed, possibly all of them ... depends on something in both parents ...

The game will definitely help in the find their own food dept, and if crossed with say a rose comb light/dark brown leghorn ... mixed with a bigger bird like the SLW or Buckeye to put more meat on their bones ...

 

[123RedBeard]

Here is an interesting thread with simular goals ...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/catskill-homesteader-breeding-project.975521/

 

[stuckinthecity]

You're gonna be pleased with your wyandottes and fayoumis. I know a couple of people who ordered fayoumis from McMurray and they were almost as broody as game, but not until after their 2nd year. Your lakenvelders may not last long if they choose to stay out in the open. I never have luck with white birds ranging.
I hope you post pics eventually

 

[stuckinthecity]

You hit the nail on the head. The chicken in it's wild form is a forest creature. When I talk to people that have games that have problems with them getting killed, their place is open field, grass, and not much cover. Give them cover and they can become a nuisance. Hordes of chickens descending from the forest, gobbling up everything in your path. Most of my loose birds are oriental game and American game crosses, and a few have some wyandotte mixed in. The OG will give you decent carcass size but cuts down on winter hardiness at anything above 50%.

When the SHTF, the only birds I'm keeping will be my game and game cross. Got a Wyandotte hen right now with 14 Game x Wyandotte chicks and 15 hatchery chicks. Can't wait to see what some of the pullets look like. So far, "golden partridge" and silver partridge.

 

[varidgerunner]

You won't need to dub all of your chickens. Most game hens have a pretty tight comb that doesn't need dubbing. Most of your stags are going in the freezer before frozen combs are an issue, or they will kill each other. One adult male should be all you need. (Game cock will handle a lot of hens). But you can get roundheads to start out with if the comb thing is an issue.

 

[FayoumisFreak]

Thank you for the tips! A raspberry bush would be great, but not only for the birds! (yum!) I really do need to get some games. Roundheads or OEGBs seem great. The chicks should arrive within the next few days, and I will post pics too! My brooder is set up and the anticipation is killing me! I'm very glad McMurray Fayoumis go broody. Counterintuitively, I have limited experience with Fayoumis. I made my account at the peak of my interest in them. I will update!

 

[FayoumisFreak]

My new chicks arrived today! FYI, the breeds you guys recommended were not in this order because I placed it before I created this thread. My group contains: Barred Plymouth Rock, Ameraucana, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Egyptian Fayoumis, Lakenvelder, Black Jersey Giant, and a mystery chick I have yet to find. I set up 2 brooders and realized it was still a little cramped. I am going to move a heat lamp to the coop and move the chicks there in a few weeks. I am probably going to place another order in a few weeks for some bantams and gamefowl.

^2 brooders

Also, I have a few Ameraucanas that I don't know the color pattern of. Can somebody ID for me?

^Ameraucana #1

^Ameraucana #2

^Ameraucana #3

Thank you for reading and responding!

 

[stuckinthecity]

the equivalent of "partridge" and "dark partridge" for easter eggers with the first 2 chicks. I need to go back and read which hatchery you got these from. Some sell easter eggers.
You still have some solid breeds to work with.
Looking forward to see how the fayoumis progress.