Are Rangers broody

[3 NH reds]

This is my 1st year for meat chickens and We got some Rangers on the way.I hope from the straight run I can get some breeding stock and not all roosters or hens. Anyone raising Rangers know if they are broody? I ordered 6 chicks from the local co op and I hope that's enough or I may have to buy some on line.

 

[yinepu]

This is my 1st year for meat chickens and We got some Rangers on the way.I hope from the straight run I can get some breeding stock and not all roosters or hens. Anyone raising Rangers know if they are broody? I ordered 6 chicks from the local co op and I hope that's enough or I may have to buy some on line.

I have some coming this week.. even if they don't go broody I am planning on holding a few back to use as breeders just to see how the next generation turns out..

I think I remember reading a thread over in the meat bird section of the forum on breeding freedom rangers.. .. so you may get a better response if you ask over there

 

[3 NH reds]

I will go look there. I was shocked to see that Cornish birds were not recommended for breeding due to the size and health problems yikes

 

[leesbunny]

I have 25 Freedom Rangers that are almost a month old. I can tell you that keeping some back for breeding stock will be costly in the food department. I have heard that is why people just order more chicks rather than hatching their own. They eat like cows, which means they also poop like cows....

 

[Linda Swihart]

But they are hybrids and cannot be expected to breed true in any case. I would expect them to get heavier and heavier and become unable to walk easily or stay upright, in large part, as the Cornish-Rock crosses do. We have 105 (or so) FR on pasture at this time, 8.5 weeks old, straight run. Lotta roosters starting to crow that funny cracking-voice crow.

We found one that could not walk last Monday night when we went out to shut them into their "hoopie trailer." It was very thirsty and I'm guessing that it had probably not walked for most of that day, behaved just like CxRs whose knees lock up or hurt too much or whatever it is that makes them stop walking. It spent the night in a box in the garage with some water and became dinner on Tuesday, dressed out at about a half ounce over 3 lb (just coming up on 8 weeks, and not the biggest chicken in the bunch.)

 

[yinepu]

But they are hybrids and cannot be expected to breed true in any case. I would expect them to get heavier and heavier and become unable to walk easily or stay upright, in large part, as the Cornish-Rock crosses do. We have 105 (or so) FR on pasture at this time, 8.5 weeks old, straight run. Lotta roosters starting to crow that funny cracking-voice crow.

We found one that could not walk last Monday night when we went out to shut them into their "hoopie trailer." It was very thirsty and I'm guessing that it had probably not walked for most of that day, behaved just like CxRs whose knees lock up or hurt too much or whatever it is that makes them stop walking. It spent the night in a box in the garage with some water and became dinner on Tuesday, dressed out at about a half ounce over 3 lb (just coming up on 8 weeks, and not the biggest chicken in the bunch.)

several of mine have flipped.. and a few have had issues with walking as early as a few days old... I have read where they are not as hardy as they used to be.. so it looks like I'll keep the best with the least amount of issues and see how they do as they get older

granted they can't be expected to breed true.. however if I can get a few without health issues then I can cross them with other breeds and hopefully get some of the better traits added into some of my meat birds

 

[wingstone]

I have 3 freedom ranger hens in my laying flock that are a year and a half old, they are great egg layers but I do not let them go broody, they have tried,,,,I find that the weight on them tends to break eggs, but i have hatched some of the eggs in the incubator, since they were crossed with leghorn the chicks just look like large leghorns with thick legs...

 

[mstricer]

But they are hybrids and cannot be expected to breed true in any case.  I would expect them to get heavier and heavier and become unable to walk easily or stay upright, in large part, as the Cornish-Rock crosses do.  We have 105 (or so) FR on pasture at this time, 8.5 weeks old, straight run.  Lotta roosters starting to crow that funny cracking-voice crow.


We found one that could not walk last Monday night when we went out to shut them into their "hoopie trailer."  It was very thirsty and I'm guessing that it had probably not walked for most of that day, behaved just like CxRs whose knees lock up or hurt too much or whatever it is that makes them stop walking.  It spent the night in a box in the garage with some water and became dinner on Tuesday, dressed out at about a half ounce over 3 lb (just coming up on 8 weeks, and not the biggest chicken in the bunch.)

 

several of mine have flipped.. and a few have had issues with walking as early as a few days old... I have read where they are not as hardy as they used to be.. so it looks like I'll keep the best with the least amount of issues and see how they do as they get older

granted they can't be expected to breed true.. however if I can get a few without health issues then I can cross them with other breeds and hopefully get some of the better traits added into some of my meat birds

Just wanting to know what you fed them and how you feed them. I've raised both. Have never had any FR's that flipped or had leg issues. Mine always ate more grass then feed. I only had a few CXs with leg problems and now I've learned to look for those who seem to have them before hand and cull. (not wanting to let them suffer) I feed them 12 on 12 off. I have bred the FR to a Marans roo and the meat tasted great. Just my experience.

 

[yinepu]

Just wanting to know what you fed them and how you feed them. I've raised both. Have never had any FR's that flipped or had leg issues. Mine always ate more grass then feed. I only had a few CXs with leg problems and now I've learned to look for those who seem to have them before hand and cull. (not wanting to let them suffer) I feed them 12 on 12 off. I have bred the FR to a Marans roo and the meat tasted great. Just my experience.

chick grower which is 18% protein only for 8 hours a day.. with access to free ranging on grass from sun up til dusk