Free Range

[BarredCometLaced]

I want to free range a cool breed of chicken that had several diff. colors (not EE). Any options?

 

[speckledhen]

Plymouth Rocks are really great free rangers and come in several colors including barred, blue, black, splash and partridge. Not sure if you wanted something more exotic, but your more exotic breeds usually are not known for their foraging capabilities.

 

[BarredCometLaced]

If i breed different color rocks will they continue to have the same egg laying and production characteristics? Will they still be Rocks, or will they be considered mutts?

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
Cool breed, several different colors... GET SOME ICELANDICS... best free rangers on the planet and they are like a box of chocolates, when they hatch you never know what you'll get... a true "land race".... go here to read all about them and see their amazing colors.

The ongoing Icelandic Thread!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Quote:
They will still be Plymouth Rocks. If you use a black rock rooster over a barred rock you'll get black females and barred males. A way to sex at hatch. Also works with the blues over barred.

 

[speckledhen]

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They'll still be Rocks, just some would be non-traditional colors. Blue/Black/Splash all are meant to be bred together, though. Many breed barred to those as well. If you breed barred rooster to splash hen, the chicks will all be blue barred. Laying ability will be the same. The only color I mentioned that I do not have is the partridge. They also come in white, of course, but I'm not partial to white birds, generally, and many believe that white birds are more easily seen by predators while on range.

 

[BarredCometLaced]

What combinations could i use to make a sex link from the following?

White

Barred

Partridge

Buff

 

[brahmakid11]

i let all 38 of my chickens free range 2 acres of field

 

[speckledhen]

Oops, I did forget Buff Rocks, too! They are such great free rangers and great layers, I love Rocks. To me, they're the best all-round chicken.

 

[Cowgirl71]

Quote:
Partridge rooster x Barred hen=Black Sexlink
Buff rooster x Barred hen=Black Sexlink


Some White Rocks have the correct color genes to make Red Sexlinks, others don't. Depends on the strain. Only way to find out is to try crossing them and see what you get. But assuming they do have the proper color genes, you can make Red Sexlinks by crossing...

Partridge rooster x White hen=Red Sexlink
Buff rooster x White hen=Red Sexlink