the ones I had, will set on empty nests,... they give up after a month or so.They will set rocks if you let them, but most of mine lay there eggs in the barn so I get to collect them up before they get a chance to start setting.
Chris
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the ones I had, will set on empty nests,... they give up after a month or so.They will set rocks if you let them, but most of mine lay there eggs in the barn so I get to collect them up before they get a chance to start setting.
Chris
Most any common breed will do well, considering hatcheries, the most common source for chickens, breed for egg production.
The absolute best out there for both traits combined though are probably Gamefowl, especially American Gamefowl.
All chickens can scrounge. However, few can find enough food to really fill them up. Though, I am a huge fan of dual-purpose breeds, I do not consider them amongst the best foraging productive breeds. If a productive foraging breed is desired, then you are best off with a smaller bird around 3-5 pounds. These birds include the Campine, Dominique, Egyptian Fayoumi, Hamburg, Leghorn and more.
As other's have suggested pick a bird for your climate. If you experience cold winters (freezing) then pick birds with smaller combs such as the Dominique, Hamburg, and Rosecomb Leghorn.
Also, since your birds are foraging, keep with safe colors. Choose a Gold penciled or Spangled Hamburg over a Silver Spangled Hamburg, and a Brown Leghorn over a White.
Hi RhodeRunner,
When you said "Campine, Dominique, Egyptian Fayoumi, Hamburg, Leghorn and more" above, can you please expand the "more" for us/me as we are looking for self-sufficiency (you don't need to feed them) birds for meat, eggs and incubation purposes.
Thanks..
That is exactly why I keep the Rose Comb Brown Leghorns.I really do not care much for all white birds. I think living in Perdue country has messed me up.
I think you would do well with any of those breeds, because they are all hardy and lay eggs well.
I think the varieties of Brown Leghorn are better than the White Leghorn for free ranging, because their colors allow them to hide better from predators. If you are in a cold region, you can get Rose Comb Brown Leghorns so that their combs are less likely to get frostbite. The White Leghorn will lay eggs a little better than the brown. But the browns are a lot more beautiful, in my opinion.