Foragers/Egg layers What's the best of both worlds

[Colonel]

Quote:
Thanks for the info, RChicks! I did some searching and found a fair amount of information about them. Looks like a good choice. At this point, I've got 8 Buff Orpingtons, so we'll see what happens next.

Colonel

 

[broncbuster07]

Australorps are good foragers and they hold the world egglaying record!

 

[Davaroo]

I read the Java article in BP twice. It was interesting and the author knows his Java "stuff." I especially liked the true picture of a newbie's egg incubation efforts. As an anecdotal piece, it was nice. And it left me feeling there is more to say on the issue. Here it is, long-winded as usual.

I wouldn't assume anything from that one article. There was no evidence to support the claims that Javas are better than others at foraging, since that seems to be the key topic here. His personal experience, in his one place on earth, is not the end all on the matter. Too, he offered no documented data to support his claims of lessened feed requirements.

If you read the article, you'd learn that the author is blessed with the ability to roam his birds on 21 acres of virgin hardwoods. They probably do not eat thesmelves out of the grubs, worms and insects under such conditions that are the main protein constituents in that environment. He doesn't have a large flock, either and so I can see why he doesnt offer them supplemental feed quantities, aside from scratch.

On the other hand, keep your Javas in confinement on the normal few acres, with the usual lifeless moonscape they create and I suspect your outcome would be vastly different than his.
As I see it, if you like black birds with beetle green sheen, you now have two choices, as has been noted: Austrolorps and Javas. Keep in mind, I aint knocking the author or his efforts. He is persistent, for sure!

But again, expecting birds to forage for their food means there has to be some and you must know that it is both adequate and sufficient for their needs. If you live on 21 acres of virgin, mountaintop hardwoods, then you might be able to duplicate his results. If NOT, you'll porbably need to devise another strategy or come up wanting.

Chickens are like wine, in that the infinite descriptors used to describe either one are HIGHLY subjective. What one person likes or finds notable may not jibe with your differing experience, taste or conditions. I know we like to get all glassy-eyed over the seemingly endless variety of chickens, but it's not the chickens, folks. The bird, in and of itself, is almost self-regulating and a good poultryperson can do well with most any breed.

The Truth here is the same as it always has been. A tad boring, perhaps, as the Truth is rarely interesting or colorful. But, it is what it is:

Success with chickens, no matter the breed, invariably lies in their proper management.

 

[broncbuster07]

You are very wise, Elderoo.

 

[KKluckers]

I have seven Australorps, they seem to be good foragers.

 

[Buckguy20]

The best foragers I ever owned and much to their own demise were stadard size old english game chickens. When I lived on a large farm we had lots of them and sometimes I would find them a quarter mile or more away from the house. If you spooked them they would fly like a pheasant all the way home. Most stayed within a few hundred yards of the barn. We did lose a lot to predators but those hens always seemed to hatch more than we ever lost. They were great layers from March to September but usually took the winter off.
Monty
P.S. The Welsummers I have now forage well and lay great.

 

[LoneCowboy]

Thanks for all the input. I've been watching my Crids (critter- kids) and they all seem to be pretty busy scratching and eating whatever they can find. I throw in hand full of long tender grass and they wolf it down like worms,

it's very funny. Now, when they here the back door close, they come running out of the coop to see if I'm bringing them goodies. I'm thinking that they all might be good at foraging.

I'm wondering too, about Jersey Giants. My husband is very interested in these big birds. He saw a picture of a kid holding one and it was just huge. Now he wants one. Are they good foragers? We are thinking that we might get one and free range him or her around. Should be big enough to take care of themselves.

Yes, we have chicken fever.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I like Henderson's breed chart, as a starting place, too. It's nice to see some general information on breeds, even though you can see some differences in strains or individual birds.

http://www.ithaca.edu/staff/jhenderson/chooks/chooks.html

 

[Davaroo]

I'm wondering too, about Jersey Giants. Are they good foragers? We are thinking that we might get one and free range him or her around. Should be big enough to take care of themselves.
It doesnt work like that. Just because a chicken is big is not a guarantee that it can "take care of itself." In fact, large birds tend to be poorer at fending for themselves than their smaller cousins.

We did a Jersey Giant post the other day. Check it out here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=15944

It might also be said the whole freeranging and fending for themselves thing is something of a myth. One that is, sadly, too often relied upon to the birds detriment.

Yes, chickens can and do find food naturally. But, I wouldn't trust solely to Nature to provide my bird's meals. Keep a well prepared ration before them, out of doors, with plenty of fresh water and fresh air. Chickens will denude even a fairly large area of suitable food in a pretty short time if kept in any sort of confinement...then what are they to eat? So feed them - whatever else they can find on their own is gravy.
Fail to do this and the typical result is a yard full of scrubs that don't thrive as well as they might, nor give back what you've put into them.