Breeding (mostly) self-sufficient chickens

[falcon500]

I want to get into chicken breeding. I want birds that will be their own primary defense from predators, lay year round, raise chicks reliably, and forage well. I’m thinking that I’ll use some kind of Asils and Freedom Rangers, as well as perhaps Jersey Giants. I’m hoping that aggressiveness and sheer size will make them difficult targets for predators, but of course, (because of the nature of my goal) natural selection will be the primary decision maker for how these birds end up. Does anyone have input on this?

 

[DaYooper_Duck]

This sounds like a really interesting idea! My grandparents have hens who literally just fend for themselves, foraging and picking up bits of cow feed around the barnyard. They do not have a coop, so they just nest in the barn, and lead my grandmother on mini Easter egg hunts every week or so.

 

[derBauer]

Honestly, I really think it depends on the area. You are not going to probably have, (depending on where you live), birds that are completely safe from predator. Just think, the wild jungle fowl, Wild pheasant, Wild grouse and Wild turkey all get taken every year by simple North American predators. Them being aggressive may help, but not too much.I would consider adding in some broody breed because often when you crossbreed, many of the birds, or most, aren’t broody. JG and FR don’t really go broody often, though asil does, you won’t get reliable eggs. Some VERY reliable Breeds are :OEGB,MGB, AGB, Crossbreed bantam, (yes, my bantams always live longest and are the some of the most aggressive of my breeds, they are usually broody both spring and fall too!), Egyptian fayoumi, any gamefowl or junglefowl, especially jungle and Saipan and aseel and Malay and shamo. Many generations mixes, I had a 6 gen hen that slept 35 feet in a tree, no kidding, three times as tall as the roof of the coop, she could fly al the way from that tree to the barn roof, 40 feet away. Mix of BO,BR,Bantam!Silkie, EE, Jungle fowl, leghorn, some other stuff.... another reliable sufficient breed is The Icelandic or the leghorn or the campine.

 

[centrarchid]

I would use two breeds. First would be dual purpose that produces hatching and table eggs. Second is hen only that serves as incubator / brooder of free-range chicks and juveniles. Never have all birds out at once and protect the breed stock in pen(s).

Do not be lacks. Invest in predator control measures starting before your start. Fencing, dogs, covers patches, roosting sites.

I would use American Game hens as broodies.

 

[The Moonshiner]

That's a pipe dream.
Its gonna be pretty rare to find any bird that will put up much of a defense against predators. The ones that do better at staying alive while completely free ranging are the flighty breeds. Its their ability to be aware of a threat quicker and flee faster that keeps them alive not an ability to fight off or scare off any major predator.
You're also wanting a bird to lay all year long plus be broody enough to raise their own chicks.
Those two things don't go together. To be a great layer they have their broody tendencies bred out.
And the good broodies don't lay consistently.
I'd also stay away from using the heavy breeds. They're big, slow and can't hardly fly. That equals a nice meal for a predator.
From you're description you're wanting the best of all worlds and that is a tall order that IMO can't be filled.

 

[centrarchid]

I would compare stated goals to what were self-sustaining flocks prior to 150 years ago in the US and possibly the Old World as well. it was done then although with yields far below that are expected today.

 

[RiverOtter]

You are not getting a big bird that can ward off predators. It just doesn't work that way. One of two things will happen
One, you'll end up with a small, flighty, seasonal layer, exactly like every feral chicken breed. You will still eat less egg and chicken than any predator in a 5 mile radius.
Or Two, you'll get tired of feeding the local wildlife and build a sturdy coop and lock them in at night, like pretty much everyone through history, from the dawn of chicken keeping, who wants to know they'll still have chickens in the morning.

There is no such thing as a bird too big and mean for predators. Ostrich get taken by predators, and they're as big and mean as birds get.

 

[centrarchid]

You are not getting a big bird that can ward off predators. It just doesn't work that way. One of two things will happen
One, you'll end up with a small, flighty, seasonal layer, exactly like every feral chicken breed. You will still eat less egg and chicken than any predator in a 5 mile radius.
Or Two, you'll get tired of feeding the local wildlife and build a sturdy coop and lock them in at night, like pretty much everyone through history, from the dawn of chicken keeping, who wants to know they'll still have chickens in the morning.

There is no such thing as a bird too big and mean for predators. Ostrich get taken by predators, and they're as big and mean as birds get.

Not exactly. Your history starts with advent of complete feeds.

 

[spartacus_63]

I raised a self sustaining flock for many years, although I did provide a coop, feed and water. I used Orpingtons and RIRs. The RIR roosters I had were pretty good at keeping the hawks away. The RIR hens were great layers and the Orpington hens tended to be broody. The RIR / Orpington cross hens were even better brooders. The further down the rabbit hole the crosses got, the lower the egg production got so I tried to raise some pure chicks from both breeds each year. I did incubate one or two broods per year, but that was mostly because I enjoy incubating.

I also tried this with Barred Rocks & Orpingtons, but it was not nearly as successful. No scientific data, just observations.

 

[RiverOtter]

I would compare stated goals to what were self-sustaining flocks prior to 150 years ago in the US and possibly the Old World as well. it was done then although with yields far below that are expected today.

No, it really wasn't.
Did you ever see the Tales From Green Valley BBC series? The same team also did Victorian Farm and Edwardian Farm. You can find them on YouTube.

Or, have you ever read the Little House books? Fascinating diaries, describing childhood memories of carefully raising chicks in a wooden box next to the wood stove and Dad building a chicken coop sturdy enough to keep everything out.