- Oct 16, 2011
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The best free range chickens I've ever owned were a Rock/Wyandotte/Sussex crosses. (If you're into crosses)
I live in SW Ohio and I bought 5 Speckled Sussex, 5 Partridge Rock, 5 Buff Rock, 5 Blue-Laced Wyandotte, 5 Gold-Laced Wyandotte, 5 Silver Laced Wyandotte to start with as chicks, as they matured, my roosters that I kept, that showed showed the best traits, were a Speckled Sussex, Blue-Laced Wyandotte, and a Partridge Rock and the hens I kept were a 2 Speckled Sussex, 2 Partridge Rocks, 1 Buff Rock(hawk got the 2nd one), 2 GLW, 2 BLW, 4 SLW.
Being in to the fourth generation from this flock they've shown that they can take care of themselves very well, good foragers, very alert to predators, very winter and drought hardy, good mothers, I've been very happy with the amount of Broodiness, produce a good amount of eggs, they don't eat me out of house and home, and hens are heavy enough to put in the pot and feed a family of 5, oh and also the roosters are just the right amount of aggressive/Protective.
I usually do a 3/12-15 ratio and thats worked the best for me!!
I live in SW Ohio and I bought 5 Speckled Sussex, 5 Partridge Rock, 5 Buff Rock, 5 Blue-Laced Wyandotte, 5 Gold-Laced Wyandotte, 5 Silver Laced Wyandotte to start with as chicks, as they matured, my roosters that I kept, that showed showed the best traits, were a Speckled Sussex, Blue-Laced Wyandotte, and a Partridge Rock and the hens I kept were a 2 Speckled Sussex, 2 Partridge Rocks, 1 Buff Rock(hawk got the 2nd one), 2 GLW, 2 BLW, 4 SLW.
Being in to the fourth generation from this flock they've shown that they can take care of themselves very well, good foragers, very alert to predators, very winter and drought hardy, good mothers, I've been very happy with the amount of Broodiness, produce a good amount of eggs, they don't eat me out of house and home, and hens are heavy enough to put in the pot and feed a family of 5, oh and also the roosters are just the right amount of aggressive/Protective.
I usually do a 3/12-15 ratio and thats worked the best for me!!
