Anyone have Silver Spangled Hamburgs? How about white leghorns?

[fordguy]

Do they Free range well? I need to change the way I manage my flock - I have gone from Rhode Island Reds (mine didnt go broody, would not reproduce themselves) to Buff Orpingtons. I am still watching the Orpingtons as they are still young.....but I suspect they won't keep up their bulk on free range. I hear they will go broody and show up one day with biddies.....

I need chickens that
1. Free range and survive on range
2. produce eggs
3. reproduce

Nothing else is that important (meat, beauty, etc. not important as the 3 things above.)

But the more I hear about the Hamburgs the more I think it may be the bird for me. I am not concerned about meat birds, just want eggs. I know hamburgs and leghorns are skittish and flighty and not pet type birds. im fine with that.

I keep Bourbon red turkeys, Pilgrim Geese, and Khaki Campbells with the chickens. The bourbon red turkeys are great at free ranging - so are the geese. I suspect I could cut turkey and goose feed substantially and they would still survive and perhaps thrive. Ducks perhaps, but not sure.

But I want to cut my feed cost and changing chicken type is probably the way to do that.

 

[Tricorn]

I have a SS Hamburg, and yes, she is fantastic when it comes to free ranging. Lays 1 med/small egg every day at 2 years old. She did quit early for the winter this year. I'd dare say she doesn't eat any of the grain I put out. I only put feed at night and she can't be bothered to come down from her perch. None of her eggs have been fertile, but this is most likely because we have young, 'rude' roosters who try to run the hens down- and they can't catch her.

She is very flightly. Nothing compared to any of the leghorns I've ever met. You can not catch her during the day, and she screams like a banshee and tries to take your hand off if you dare touch her at night.

 

[chickenbuddy]

The SS Hamburgs I have/had are great free range birds. I never had one go broody, but they lay well and will roost in trees if kept out at night too. Also, most of my batams tended to go broody. I would think OE games would do well as free rangers (though mine were always in pens) and mothers.

 

[Arielle]

I have a SSH rooster; can't catch him. Nice to the ladies and is the top rooster; he was slow to mature compared to a sex-linked rooster, but once he grew up, he easily took over the top position and maintains it, even though the other boy is much bigger.

I have a large free range area for all my LF; the BO are good at ranging far away and the marans as well. SSH keeps close to his girls, so he is limited by them.

I would consider number of eggs and size of eggs. If you want the birds to be self fed, a decrease in egg production should be considered. Either go for a few large eggs or many small-medium eggs.

I would also consider a small bird over a larger bird. Less food used for maintainence. Marans are large, hatchery BO are much smaller than breeder BO, and our SSH is a tiny spitfire. Just love him.

BO was excellent setter; I raised the chicks in a brooder as winter is settting in. BO are easy targets for predators from all I've read. Mine are very meek and mild. SSH is very alert and very quick. AND very pretty, too.

GL

 

[fordguy]

Has ANYONE had Silver Spangled Hamburgs OR White Leghorns that have gone broody and hatched off babies?