Are white chickens more vulnerable to attacks?

[cmom]

Here we also have mostly coyotes. Nothing preys on coyotes so there is nothing to keep their population in check, but the coyotes will prey on other predators they can catch including bobcats and fox as well as any chicken they can get. I have several game cameras in different spots on my property and the majority of the time I see coyotes on the cameras. Most nights I get one on at least one the the cameras.
Last night. Same coyote on two different cameras.

 

[cmom]

Maybe not. I know a lot of people that warn against white birds due to predation, especially from raptors but that may only be anecdotal.
Growing up, we always had about 100 white leghorns that free ranged the orchards and perennial gardens. I don't remember a lot of predation but those were different times. I think location has a great deal to do with it. We've had a resurgence of terrestrial predators and birds of prey in the last 50 years. We never had problems with mink, coyote, bears, mountain lions or even hawks 60years ago. But we do now.
Some parts of the world have few predators. We have tons.

Did you have another 100 birds of different colors such as RIR? 50 years ago I had my first flock and they were White Leghorns too, but I don't remember having the predator problem we have these days. The birds did have a coop but they also free ranged.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Did you have another 100 birds of different colors such as RIR? 50 years ago I had my first flock and they were White Leghorns too, but I don't remember having the predator problem we have these days. The birds did have a coop but they also free ranged.

As I said, all of these discussions are anecdotal. But as you suggest, a better test would be to have a large number of birds in several flocks on the same property, each flock in a different color variety, all having equal types of terrain and cover. I don't have that kind of space nor the desire to expend that much time or energy. Maybe that would be a job for a university.
Originally we only had white birds. The only time I remember having more than 100 is when we also raised 50 old school Cornish cross. Yeah, my dad had this crazy misguided notion that raising our own meat birds would save money.

 

[ezeo]

i have white leghorns and brown leghorns. every time a loose dog gets into the yard, they chase the white ones first. But it might be that the white leghorns are flightier and attract attention when they start flapping away. No experience with hawks (knock on wood).

 

[ChicksinMT]

Ezeo that’s kinda what I’ve experienced with these guys And I just don’t know what to think. I’ve got my heart set on some white chickens but I wonder if it’s a bad idea long term.

 

[cmom]

As I said, all of these discussions are anecdotal. But as you suggest, a better test would be to have a large number of birds in several flocks on the same property, each flock in a different color variety, all having equal types of terrain and cover. I don't have that kind of space nor the desire to expend that much time or energy. Maybe that would be a job for a university.
Originally we only had white birds. The only time I remember having more than 100 is when we also raised 50 old school Cornish cross. Yeah, my dad had this crazy misguided notion that raising our own meat birds would save money.

It's just a discussion. I know I have a lot of birds and most likely don't have a lot of years left but I haven't crossed the finish line yet. I'm just a crazy old chicken lady. It's been a long road...

 

[ezeo]

Ezeo that’s kinda what I’ve experienced with these guys And I just don’t know what to think. I’ve got my heart set on some white chickens but I wonder if it’s a bad idea long term.

what predators do you have, and do the chickens have places to run for cover? If you don't have white chickens, the predators will still come and eat the brown ones....

 

[cmom]

Ezeo that’s kinda what I’ve experienced with these guys And I just don’t know what to think. I’ve got my heart set on some white chickens but I wonder if it’s a bad idea long term.

From my experience the predators don't care what color the birds are. A coyote running around a grow-out coop. I'm sure it knows the electric wire.