Best Breeds For Free Ranging?

[GirlsHuntToo]

Nowhere is covered in snow all the time, except the arctic. The problem with white chickens is that when spring comes suddenly they'll stick out like a sore thumb for half of the year

Not one chicken breed on the planet changes color with the seasons, like native temperate animals do. They're tropical animals originally and so they don't change colors seasonally

That's true too...

 

[pvaldes]

"Is spring again, let your toddlers enjoy being outdoors painting the chickens green and drawing daisies on its backs, with our food grade dye. We sell also rose red nail polish for the camouflage needs of the modern hen, and tiny combat helmets for the lads"

 

[Love Donkeys]

I have 37 Speckled Sussex they are very friendly and great free range foragers. We have many birds of prey in our area of Alabama. I noticed when my chickens see a hawk circling they freeze until danger passes. I believe the Speckled Sussex coloring acts like camouflage and they know as they stay still they are hard to see. I do feed them Layer Crumble in their coop (i have a walk in coop) every morning and in the winter months they get scratch feed outside in the late afternoon. I've seen them eat small acorns, Stink Bugs and mice.

 

[Sylvester017]

@ChickensComeHome2Roost -- regarding spooky White Leghorns: We never had a problem with the one White Leg girl we had because we got her from a private breeder (home school mom) as a young pullet and the breeder's kids handled all their chicks a lot.

But as sweet as our White Leg was we had to allow her to approach us and THEN gently pick her up. When we would sit down then she would fly up to the armchair to take treats from our hand. That's fairly sociable for a White Leg. She actually allowed me to pick her up from the top of the coop to set her back down and we never saw her fly to the top again -- almost as if she was intelligent enough to know not to do that again? White Legs are very independent birds not prone to stay within a flock but venture out alone a lot to forage. We had Buff Legs too but they were not babies when we got them but were half-grown about 2 mo-old. We didn't get them young enough to socialize with us so they were somewhat more aloof.

 

[McChooky]

@ChickensComeHome2Roost -- regarding spooky White Leghorns: We never had a problem with the one White Leg girl we had because we got her from a private breeder (home school mom) as a young pullet and the breeder's kids handled all their chicks a lot.
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But as sweet as our White Leg was we had to allow her to approach us and THEN gently pick her up. When we would sit down then she would fly up to the armchair to take treats from our hand. That's fairly sociable for a White Leg. She actually allowed me to pick her up from the top of the coop to set her back down and we never saw her fly to the top again -- almost as if she was intelligent enough to know not to do that again? White Legs are very independent birds not prone to stay within a flock but venture out alone a lot to forage. We had Buff Legs too but they were not babies when we got them but were half-grown about 2 mo-old. We didn't get them young enough to socialize with us so they were somewhat more aloof.

I'm glad I only had 9 of them in my last batch .The welsummers would just stare at them like where you going in such a hurry ? lol

 

[TinyRaptorDodos]

Here in Alaska my BEST free rangers are Easter eggers, black sex link, cinnamon queen/red sexlink and Australorps. We have hawks, owls, eagles, dogs, have had foxes and have had lynx- I’ve never lost one of those. I have a nearly 6 year old BSL, a 4 year old australorp, my RSL is 3 and Easter eggers 2-4 years old

Though.. my australorp is quite sassy (she’s a sweetheart, just had a bit of trauma from something happening in her old home)
Pictures just because I love my girls and think they’re gorgeous

 

[McChooky]

Tiny raptors!

 

[TexasBlues]

Hawks avoid my white birds because they think they are polar bears. Stupid hawks

 

[Insnesnakos]

Nowhere is covered in snow all the time, except the arctic. The problem with white chickens is that when spring comes suddenly they'll stick out like a sore thumb for half of the year

Not one chicken breed on the planet changes color with the seasons, like native temperate animals do. They're tropical animals originally and so they don't change colors seasonally

It'd be cool if they did, they could molt and go from brown in the summer to white in the winter like hares

 

[barchorses52]

F

I’m wondering which breeds best survive airborne predators? In terms of awareness, canniness, running speed, agility, and foraging skills. Live in the Southwest. Chickens are for eggs. Chicken will free range during the day and be in a coop at night. Given bag feed. Ample places to hide.
Someone at feed store suggested Cream Legbars….
I’m not looking to avoid purchasing feed by free ranging. I’m just looking for chickens that won’t stick out
(white). Looking for chickens who won’t just stand around waiting to be picked off by hawks, owls, and so