Foraging And Feed Effeciency Comparing Breeds

[mymilliefleur]

We rotate our sheep and cows and then follow them with the chickens, who help by fertilizing, eating parasites, etc. rotation also benefits the chickens for many of the same reasons it does the other animals. I have seen Major improvements in areas of our land that were extremely poor in soil quality, simply by rotating my chickens through. It definitely makes a difference.

 

[Arielle]

I can hardly wait for spring!!!!

 

[RedRidge]

Many years ago I learned that the internal parasites of sheep/goats were different than horses so rotating these two           knocked down parasite problems. I do wonder how chickens fit into this . . . .I"m betting they work into the rotation too. 

We rotate our livestock daily - sheep first, then cattle, then poultry/rabbits. Two enormous advantages... No livestock ever needs deworming here (and fecal counts are very low). In addition, with frequent rotation and never letting forage get lower than 4", the quality of forage has increased so dramatically it's amazing.

 

[Arielle]

SHeri I envy that you have a system well established. I sure hope to get there someday soon. Sooon could be a few years from now realistically!! lol

 

[Rainey]

Read this whole thread yesterday and it prompted me to join BYC instead of just lurking. Have kept chickens for more than a dozen years, starting with birds that were given to us, not very productive. We've tried buying layers, pullets, day old chicks. Have had RI reds, Buff Orpingtons, NH, Black Austrolorps. Haven't kept a rooster or raised our own chicks, but thinking we should be moving in that direction. Learned with rabbits which we started raising for meat last year that we could have them thrive without pellets and hoping that the next generation starting soon will be even better adapted to how we feed. Want to do the same with chickens.

We keep chickens mostly for eggs, but would eat what had to be culled if we were breeding our own. Spring through fall have used a coop built on an old wagon frame, with run underneath, moved a couple times a week. Free range hasn't seemed feasible with the hawks, coons, coyotes, neighbor's dogs etc. We're down to just 4 older hens and want to start new chicks this spring and think we'll make some light chicken tractors easier to move often and run through harvested areas of the garden and pasture after the goats.
So I'm looking for suggestions of breeds that forage well but wouldn't mind the confinement of tractors. Part of what I've heard is that it isn't so much the breed as the particular strain. So I'd also like to hear from anyone who has bred a flock over time to adapt to the conditions/feed they have. And also looking for suggestions about how to find chicks for sale from someone who has raised them as I hope to and for my purposes.

And thanks to whoever persisted in bringing this thread back again and again to the original topic--gave me lots to think about.

 

[Beer can]

Leghorns they say do well in confinement, and they lay like crazy. Not a very big meat bird though. They also say you get the best food to egg conversion rate with them and they free range/forage well.

 

[Arielle]

Read this whole thread yesterday and it prompted me to join BYC instead of just lurking. Have kept chickens for more than a dozen years, starting with birds that were given to us, not very productive. We've tried buying layers, pullets, day old chicks. Have had RI reds, Buff Orpingtons, NH, Black Austrolorps. Haven't kept a rooster or raised our own chicks, but thinking we should be moving in that direction. Learned with rabbits which we started raising for meat last year that we could have them thrive without pellets and hoping that the next generation starting soon will be even better adapted to how we feed. Want to do the same with chickens.

We keep chickens mostly for eggs, but would eat what had to be culled if we were breeding our own. Spring through fall have used a coop built on an old wagon frame, with run underneath, moved a couple times a week. Free range hasn't seemed feasible with the hawks, coons, coyotes, neighbor's dogs etc. We're down to just 4 older hens and want to start new chicks this spring and think we'll make some light chicken tractors easier to move often and run through harvested areas of the garden and pasture after the goats.
So I'm looking for suggestions of breeds that forage well but wouldn't mind the confinement of tractors. Part of what I've heard is that it isn't so much the breed as the particular strain. So I'd also like to hear from anyone who has bred a flock over time to adapt to the conditions/feed they have. And also looking for suggestions about how to find chicks for sale from someone who has raised them as I hope to and for my purposes.

And thanks to whoever persisted in bringing this thread back again and again to the original topic--gave me lots to think about.

If you liked this thread, perhaps you would like this one too. IT is m ore active, with great input. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/845018/breeding-for-production-eggs-and-or-meat/0_20

Glad you joined BYC.

 

[Arielle]

Leghorns they say do well in confinement, and they lay like crazy. Not a very big meat bird though. They also say you get the best food to egg conversion rate with them and they free range/forage well.

Hi Beer can. I was a bit slow to pick up on this breed. lol THe old lines are good back yard birds, not flighty, and good, very good layers. I have thought of trying a commercial line just for the giggles.

 

[Beer can]

I have two brownleghorns and they are crazy flighty. They started laying in the middle of winter, subzero temps and I'm getting am getting around seven eggs a week from the two, ones laid many double yolkers, 84-86 ounces. I had a white leghorn cockerel and thought about breeding some pyles but I only want a couple white egglayers to round out the colorful eggbasket. I'll have to check out that thread also. Yeaah this is a dead thread it not as dead as one I commented on a couple days ago asking about duckweed, someone commented on it and it popped up as new, the original posts were three yrs old Lol! I'm going to check before I put my two cents in for now on.

 

[maranfarmer563]

Beer can I hatched cemani x red leghorn, they hatched completely black,now fully feathered they have a light tan stripe in the breast feathers