Freedom Rangers

[WalkingWolf1]

Quote:
The ones that hatched this past spring have a few we call feather dusters -- all pullets. They are the same orangish/brown as the others in color with similar body type but a little smaller. The funny part is there legs are very short. They look like little penguins waddling around and their fuzzy butts dust the ground.

 

[bobbi-j]

Quote: Hmmm, definitely something to keep in mind.

 

[denasfarm]

My second generations are getting just as big as my gen1s. I kept 3 hens and a roo. Two are half Easter Egger and Two are pure. All are about the same size and almost as big as the gen1s. The EE X FR roo has muffs on his face but is a nice red color, other than the muffs you could not tell he isn't a pure FR, full size, filled out boy just a little leggy still being a teenager. The two pure gen2s look just as nice as the gen1s. My Gen1 birds (3 hens and 1 roo) are with 4 Dark Rhode island red hens to pull in a nice dark red color. But that will be this spring. No chicks right now unless one of the wild games shows up with some. I will get some new pics soon. Its been too cold lately to stay long enough at the barn for a photo shoot.

I have not had any bent leg issues with the gen2s. I did not feed them all they could eat like I did the gen1s. They only got scratch feed even as chicks. They are still 99% ranging for food on three acres and I think that keeps the excess weight off, and keeps them active for breeders. Remember the gen2s were raised by game birds and were free ranged their entire chickhood. They are still hefty and meaty. I will try and get a live weight on all 8 birds along with pics.

 

[juststruttin]

My second generations are getting just as big as my gen1s. I kept 3 hens and a roo. Two are half Easter Egger and Two are pure. All are about the same size and almost as big as the gen1s. The EE X FR roo has muffs on his face but is a nice red color, other than the muffs you could not tell he isn't a pure FR, full size, filled out boy just a little leggy still being a teenager. The two pure gen2s look just as nice as the gen1s. My Gen1 birds (3 hens and 1 roo) are with 4 Dark Rhode island red hens to pull in a nice dark red color. But that will be this spring. No chicks right now unless one of the wild games shows up with some. I will get some new pics soon. Its been too cold lately to stay long enough at the barn for a photo shoot.

I have not had any bent leg issues with the gen2s. I did not feed them all they could eat like I did the gen1s. They only got scratch feed even as chicks. They are still 99% ranging for food on three acres and I think that keeps the excess weight off, and keeps them active for breeders. Remember the gen2s were raised by game birds and were free ranged their entire chickhood. They are still hefty and meaty. I will try and get a live weight on all 8 birds along with pics.

Do you have any pictures?

 

[juststruttin]

Had to process a 10 month old Freedom Ranger Pullet today because she had bumble food and she was very uncomfortable. She weighted 10.8 pounds live and 7.8 pounds dressed. Here are some photos of her parted out next to a LF Polish Rooster, also 10 months. The size difference in impressive


Wings: Polish left, Freedom Ranger Right




Drumstick: Polish left, Freedom Ranger Right





Breast: Polish left, Freedom Ranger Right


Edited to add: To put things into perspective: This is a 12" plate.

 

[LindaB220]

Had to process a 10 month old Freedom Ranger Pullet today because she had bumble food and she was very uncomfortable. She weighted 10.8 pounds live and 7.8 pounds dressed. Here are some photos of her parted out next to a LF Polish Rooster, also 10 months. The size difference in impressive


Wings: Polish left, Freedom Ranger Right




Drumstick: Polish left, Freedom Ranger Right





Breast: Polish left, Freedom Ranger Right

Impressive is right.

 

[denasfarm]

Finally a sunny day today to take pics.

OK Generation 1 Birds. The scale wouldn't do right so I don't have weights. It kept saying Rufus weighed 5lbs so I tried my big Gander who is close to 25lbs and it said he weighed 10 lbs so I will have to get weights later. Rufus probably weighs close to 20lbs. He is about the same size as the gander.
Five/six pics down is a Black Copper Marans hen, She is a big hen and she looks small compared to the Rangers.

 

[denasfarm]

Generation 2 Birds
Two Pure FR Hens Compared to a Barred Rock hen in size.








Two Easter Egger X Freedom Ranger One Roo and one Hen? still not positive. Its doesn't crow yet but The mixed roo just started crowing. They both have EE muffs.













Still in the gawky long legged teen stage.



Blurry but size compared to Dark RIR Hens

 

[bobbi-j]

Looks to me like a rooster and a hen. I have an EE/Brahma cross rooster who has some pretty good size to him, so if I can keep him alive for a few years, maybe he can add some genetics to the mix to avoid inbreeding and any complications that would cause.

 

[WalkingWolf1]

Quote:
Thanks for the update denasfarm -- A great example of just how tough and strong these birds are. This poor bird is frozen into a 5 pound block of ice but still able to drag it around the yard and forage for something too eat . You have done a great job of raising up the rangers and they serve as a fine example that folks can raise them up and use for breeding stock. We feel the FR can put meat back on the "backyard" flock to give a chicken more representative of the birds from 50-60 years ago. Best of luck moving forward.