Hello, for anyone has owned both Heritage Leghorns and Ancona in a free range setting or knows someone who has and can advise, your insight would be much appreciated!
For background, I have started a long-term project to raise "survival chickens" on my 20 acre property in Alabama. Foraging drive and ability and flying ability are both very important to me. I thought that Heritage Leghorns would be the most suitable start, and I now have raised 8 young roosters (from 28) and 21 pullets, this being mixed between Exchequer, Barred, Light Brown, White, and just one Black pullet. (Four more Blacks are still biddies... I wish I had more of them, as the Black pullet is perhaps the best of them, though that could be individual.)
Contrary to my expectations, they seem weak foragers. My American Bresse cockerels and pullets, one month younger, had to teach the Leghorns how to go in the woods, and generally the Leghorns much underperform the American Bresse in foraging activity, while greatly exceeding them in desire to remain by the food bowl.
While of course the Leghorns fly better than the American Bresse, their flying is not much compared to many of the game-ancestry chickens seen in yards around here. I have never seen one go in a tree, either.
I received some advice that Anconas both forage and fly better than Heritage Leghorns, but not from an owner of both.
I really don't want to complicate what I am doing for no need, if there is little truth to this. Already my hands are kind of full. So this would be valuable advice.
Thank you!
For background, I have started a long-term project to raise "survival chickens" on my 20 acre property in Alabama. Foraging drive and ability and flying ability are both very important to me. I thought that Heritage Leghorns would be the most suitable start, and I now have raised 8 young roosters (from 28) and 21 pullets, this being mixed between Exchequer, Barred, Light Brown, White, and just one Black pullet. (Four more Blacks are still biddies... I wish I had more of them, as the Black pullet is perhaps the best of them, though that could be individual.)
Contrary to my expectations, they seem weak foragers. My American Bresse cockerels and pullets, one month younger, had to teach the Leghorns how to go in the woods, and generally the Leghorns much underperform the American Bresse in foraging activity, while greatly exceeding them in desire to remain by the food bowl.
While of course the Leghorns fly better than the American Bresse, their flying is not much compared to many of the game-ancestry chickens seen in yards around here. I have never seen one go in a tree, either.
I received some advice that Anconas both forage and fly better than Heritage Leghorns, but not from an owner of both.
I really don't want to complicate what I am doing for no need, if there is little truth to this. Already my hands are kind of full. So this would be valuable advice.
Thank you!
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