Freedom Rangers

[Titasam2]

So cute hens

 

[Titasam2]

We got these back in the middle of April '12 from Kendall (@ FreedomRangerHatchery). We knew it was getting too late for another start of meaties this far south but decided to go with a small batch of FR with no real end-date in mind. They did very well early on foraged well (and still do) from the time we started letting them out. They free-range all day and are fed in the evening. As they got larger we had a couple get that leaning-over-forward walk like they were just too heavy. We processed those as they got large enough. (We did find the flavor to be more "chickeny" than the CX that has been raised prior. More noticeable as the birds got older) We had one end up with what appeared to be a dislocated hip. Lost 3 in the earlier part of the summer when they didn't leave the enclosure during the day and overheated. With all this said, we have ended up with about 12 birds that are doing well and have grown into nice looking stock. We intend to keep a Roo and 4 hens and raise some F1 from this stock. The BYC'er opinions on this seem to cover the whole spectrum so we decided to try it ourselves. There are a few other combinations we may experiment with as well. We have some young Buckeye roos as well as RIR roos we'd like to try. We'd also like to see a cross with a CX roo. Looking forward for some cooler temps.

We didn't get current weights on these birds as we do not handle the birds in this heat. They forage out on pasture in the morning hours and under groves of trees during the heat of the day. Everything comes in for light rations in the evening. They are no longer penned as they simply roost with the laying flock in the barns.

I don't particularly like this shot as there is just too much interference. This ended up being the only shot that shows this roos nice upright stance and confirmation. Of the roos available this one appears to be the one we will keep.




This is a shot of the same roo to show the width through the back.




This last shot is just a melange to demonstrate the variety we got in this batch of birds. The hens I like the best all look like young buff orpingtons with a bit of "columbian" coloring in the lower neck area. This pic also shows some of the nice coloring on the other roos.

I love these hens

 

[Titasam2]

I love these chicks.

Well -- like the rest of the archives, the opinions on this thread are both for, and somewhat against the FR. As I mentioned earlier, we intended to raise these birds to POL and hatch out some of the eggs. Here are the first three. I'm impressed with the overall size of the chicks and their width. The width is noticeable in the width of their stance as well as the width when viewed from the rear. These pics are at ~ 24 hrs old.

We are looking forward to crossing with our CX roo with these hens. Updates to follow.

 

[BMaverick]

OK FREE freeranging has been put on hold! The little monsters associate ALL humans with food so they have been chasing us to the cars but once into the car and out of sight they would leave. Today they started following the car with my husband in it. I noticed and ran out with bread and stopped them as they bound up the road after him!. A couple hours later I hear screaming and honking...well they saw my across the street neighbor at her mailbox and ran for her! I live on a fairly busy road so I have a running lady, chickens running everywhere blocking traffic...it was so embarrassing! I managed to round them up and got a bucket of feed and lured them into the cow pasture. I cant have them in the road and scaring poor little old ladies! I think the Stupid Slow Cornish X and looking better for next time! These things are fairly intelligent and really fast! It looked like a dinosaur horror movie! I am worn out and not sure what to do with them. Its suppose to rain tonight and they are laying along the fence instead of going in the cow barn. I guess I will have to pick each one up and put them in a stall. Ughhhhhhhh CHICKENS!!!!

Reading your post is almost like being there watching the whole ordeal.

Did you know that owning FRers allows a person to get ample amounts of exercise?

Those seniors in the car can get more out of control than your birds. haha

 

[denasfarm]

I see why they call them Freedom Rangers. They freely range all over the place! No matter what I do they leave and they go over a block over. Ive seen them way down at my back neighbors pond, I even cut wing feathers. I now have FOUR with broken legs, two ankles, one above the elbow and I think the other one is in the hip...I guess they are flying over the fences and with the wing feathers cut, and being so large they are breaking bones now on landing. They are constantly starving and I now have to hold the cows pan up and shoo birds so she can eat. They flood her pan and eat all her food, no room for her head.

I really don't like these birds...Can you tell? Messy, Run all over the place, My Game birds don't range as far as these chicks do!, Always under foot, Pushy monsters! They have until the end of this month to put on some more size and they are GONE! I hope they are worth the price and trouble in taste! Next time I am going with lazy white CXR Broilers.

At least they stay where I put them!

 

[3 NH reds]

I found that feeding my red rangers fermented feed killed their horrible poop smell allot. I am now down to three hens and one cockerel, They are 10 months old. I found them to be afraid of people at first, they just seamed any time I came in to feed them. I got them for a slower developing bird and they grew out just fine with food24/7. My male is big but he holds no interest in breeding but he leads the hens. I also started jersery giants about a month or more later and the Males all go after the hens and some hens have bald backs. I do not find them to be smart, they ignore hawk calls while giants run in the coop. I wanted to breed them but if he has no interest I can do nothing. My only thought is to separate them from giants as he may be afraid of them.

 

[coffeenutdesign]

Has anyone tried fodder with the FRs? I am going to try to start feeding some fodder for my layers and my rabbits, I wonder if I should think about growing fodder on a much larger scale for my meat birds when I get them.

 

[BMaverick]

Has anyone tried fodder with the FRs? I am going to try to start feeding some fodder for my layers and my rabbits, I wonder if I should think about growing fodder on a much larger scale for my meat birds when I get them.

Basic hay or grass clippings need to be at least full green for the FRs. They really like full plant leaves the best. The dry hay they totally ignore.

 

[BMaverick]

I see why they call them Freedom Rangers. They freely range all over the place! No matter what I do they leave and they go over a block over. Ive seen them way down at my back neighbors pond, I even cut wing feathers. I now have FOUR with broken legs, two ankles, one above the elbow and I think the other one is in the hip...I guess they are flying over the fences and with the wing feathers cut, and being so large they are breaking bones now on landing. They are constantly starving and I now have to hold the cows pan up and shoo birds so she can eat. They flood her pan and eat all her food, no room for her head.

I really don't like these birds...Can you tell? Messy, Run all over the place, My Game birds don't range as far as these chicks do!, Always under foot, Pushy monsters! They have until the end of this month to put on some more size and they are GONE! I hope they are worth the price and trouble in taste! Next time I am going with lazy white CXR Broilers.

At least they stay where I put them!

Depending on the type of FRers you got, the slow growing ones will follow you and not wonder off so far. If your area has no vegitation or limited on bugs, indeed most birds will seek out other places. As for the wings, clip the one side way down and the other side about half way. This way, they require more enegery to fly and not in a straigh path. Thus the FRers give up taking to the air. One must do this just prior to removing them from the brooder.

As for the birds getting into the cow/goat feed, the Rhoad Island Reds as the worse! Any ability or chance they get, bam-o, they are in those feed troughs. I got to fight them off. Kinda scary when thinking about it. It reminds me on the movie called, The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock. They get all up on me and in my hair! At least the FR's are much more gentle.

 

[denasfarm]

Well I went ahead and hatched Generation 2 using game hens. I ended up with 11 Full Gen2 Freedom Rangers 2 that are half FR and half BCM and 2 that are half FR and half Easter Egger.

They are being fully raised by the game hens so I am not feeding them a lot this time they are actually ranging. The issue I have found with them is they are still sleepy/lazy babies and they fall asleep after eating all over the back yard. (I have them in the small chainlink fenced backyard of my house instead of the barn.)

The Gamehens don't have to do much with them. The hens are sister and are working together with the small group.
I will keep you posted. I cant wait to see how the BCM cross turns out.

I also included a pic of the Rooster I kept. He went to school for show and tell, in a dog harness and lead, and did great!