Freedom Rangers

[TimG]

The eggs I am getting are still on the smallish side, but it's been a while since I noticed a soft shell.

Mine are now 6 months old. I'm glad I waited because I lost three FR (to flip?) in the 4-5 month range. I'm guessing there is some genetic component to the flip, so that it can't hurt to not be breeding those that died.

I have not weighed my FR in a while. But, I do pick them up every-so-often. The pullets are tanks, I'd guess about 10 pounds. The cockerel is taller, but I doubt he weighs much more than the pullets. When I isolate my FR, I'm going to try to figure out just how much they are eating and possibly restrict their diet. As it is, the pullets are off food at least 12 hours a day -- every night they've been voluntarily returning to the coop that has no food.

My experience is that they don't forage much. But, they do stay outside a good portion of the day rather than sticking around the coop and the food (this was true when they were 8-12 weeks old, too). I think confinement works better for early growth.

 

[TimG]

Found a FR pullet on its back this morning not too long after letting them out -- rigor hadn't set in when I found it, but I didn't have time to process it before I have to head out (and might not have even if I did have the time).

I did weigh it though: just under 9 pounds.

So, down to three good sized pullets and one cockerel. I better get them isolated soon and start collecting eggs for the next generation.

 

[vscampbell]

Tim:
Any idea why it died?
I am also interested in the observations that the FRs don't forage much... I sort of thought that was the idea. I commented before... my Welsummers are forage beasts.... I'm of the suspicion they are part goat.

 

[TimG]

Quote:
I think it was flip and I think that is heart related (and common amongst Cornish Crosses).

I think any breed will grow slower on pasture than if they are in a pen with feed available 24/7. Chickens which forage work much harder for their food and will not end up eating more as a result of being out and about. What they eat while foraging may be good for them, but it likely won't match what they would get from feed as far as rapid growth is concerned.

Suppose you had three identical pens, one with Cornish Crosses, one with Freedom Rangers, and one with Welsummers. If you opened each pen up to a rich pasture, the Cornish Crosses might wander out, but some of them would stay right in the pen next to the feed bucket, and they would get almost all of their food from the feed bucket; the Freedom Rangers would explore the pasture and do some foraging, but would get a lot of their food from the feed bucket; the Welsummers would be out in the pasture from sun up to sun down. Perhaps I exaggerate.

In short: it's all relative. The "ranger" in Freedom Ranger should be considered relative to Cornish Crosses, not relative to your Welsummers.

Edit: this is all assuming that you leave feed in each of the pens. You can encourage any of these chickens to forage by removing their feed. I contend that they'll all grow slower without access to feed.

 

[midwestchickenwrangler]

Has anyone had any luck breeding a FR with a DP breed? If so, what roo over what hen?

 

[Mrs. Mucket]

We have bred using two roosters, both of FR strains.

1. One was a FR from the hatchery that ran with some hatchery FR hens and several other breeds of hens.
2. The other is a son of that FR and a hatchery FR hen. His flock includes two of his sisters (daughters of two FR hatchery birds) and several other breed hens. A broody is currently sitting on some eggs from that group.

From the first FR roo we had two FR roo X RIR hen chicks and I think one other chick was FR roo X Buff Orp hen. We also have FR X FR pullets and a FR X FR roo but I'm not sure what to call them since they are crossed from the hybrid FR!

We have not crossed any FR hens with DP roos. But I am considering trying this as the FR roos (hatchery and a FR X FR cross) and the FR X RIR roo have gotten so heavy (13-15#) and do not appear to be very gentlemanly. I'm wondering if there would be less rooster damage from a lighter-weight roo, but some people have said it would make no difference.

Edited to make post less confusing

 

[bluere11e]

coonriver,

Having raised 11 CX's to slaughter size (lost the lot to coyotes a week before 10 week old slaughter) and having started on the FR's, I would say the FR's are much more efficient. I put my CX's out to pasture and they just NEEDED to be fed from a feeder all the time. They constantly ate and that with the ranging on top of the food. I haven't gone through as much as the CX's at the same age and I have more FR's. Once they feather out they will pasture range.

BTW I had my first chicken liver from one of my chickens that I grew and had slaughtered. Now that may not seem like much, but I've been vegetarian for 14 years! It was sooooo good!

I can't wait until the bird is nicely done (Alton Brown Fan Page and Roasted Chicken Recipe) and I am eating it!


My DH is a chicken liver afficianado(sp?) I can't wait for my own. I'm raising cx now, but thinking about FR in the fall