Between heritage breeds and commercial/modern strains? I have read over and over people making remarks about heritage breed's better ability when it comes to foraging, but I'm unable to find any hard data. I'm particularly interested in learning if the amount of food heritage breeds get from forage makes up for the fact that most don't lay as well as the commercial strains. I like heritage breeds, and I'd like to do a comparison study myself, but, alas I'm already slightly over the number of chickens I'm allowed to have at 5. If anyone knows of such a study, or can point me in the correct direction I'd very much appreciate it.
That would be interesting. I have Leghorns and production hybrids and I'd say that they are doing a FINE job of ranging. The grass is all brown and I have NO idea WHAT they are eating, but their crops are getting full and I haven't bought Layena in a while (what....almost 3 months??) If someone told you that hatchery bred egg-production birds don't forrage, they musta lied! Mine get lots of training, I have them booted out to the chicken tractor by 2.5 weeks old if I can! As soon as they hit the grass their feed consumption drops off considerably.
