Free range chickens

[IcameIsawIleft]

Okay, I free range my chickens during the day. What I'm wondering is, what breed or breeds are best for free ranging? By best, I mean which breeds can eat the most percentage of their diet while free ranging, and thrive on it? Also, which breeds can do the above and lay fairly well? I like to be as self-sufficeint as possible, and cheap is always better to!
Thanks!

 

[Judy]

Henderson's breeds chart has info on foraging ability. I don't know that foraging has much effect on egg laying, if they will return to the coop to lay, and if they have layer available. I have 4 free range hens who lay well in the coop and eat very little feed.

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

 

[FarmerDenise]

We let our chickens free range beginning in late summer through first planting. The egg production is usually better when they free range. We have no problems with them returning to the nest box or the hen house at night. The feed bill is cut by about 1/2.
We are working on creating a large movable enclosure for the chickens, so they can have more range in the summer, when our vegetables are growing.

 

[FarmerDenise]

When our chickens get to have the whole field to run amok in, I only feed them in the evening in the hen house.

 

[Krys109uk]

When free ranging, the busiest breeds I've owned have been Leghorns & Marans.

 

[walkswithdog]

I have Plymouth Rocks, EE's, Delawares. Rocks are pretty good at it, EE's better and Delawares are awesome. Silkies and Sizzles need a little help - chuckle, face it they're pets.

Of course the Delawares are also smart enough to BREAK INTO feed bags given the opportunity, can be found in the kitchen if you leave the door open too long, and will raid feed from any other farm critter fearlessly.

They're PIGS. Gardens have to be netted seven feet high or you find the Dels in it. They're turds, I love them.

 

[Pathfinders]

I day range my Buckeyes and they do really well. They will hunt down and kill mice and even small snakes!

 

[pdsavage]

Quote:
I had some bantam OEG hens that where like that...best mousers i ever had....

 

[Pathfinders]

It is amazing to watch, you can see how birds have dinosaurs in their distant past! They run after the mouse, grab it, knock it's head to stun it, and then play chicken football with it. Rather gruesome, but funny too, if you know what I mean. And if they find a nest of pinkies, whoosh, gone!

 

[walkswithdog]

My favorite is snake kills. We have copperheads here. And they've CHASED us. I haven't seen a single copperhead this year, after our second year of having free range chickens and turkeys (turkeys ROCK at free range too). I'll take it.