Releasing chickens to turn wild.

[chicken farmer]

I have always wandered about releasing chickens in the wild and seeing if they could survive and turn feral and wild I was wandering if anyone has ever done this or thought about it

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They can until predators eat them.
Some breeds are much more predator proof than others.
Penedesenca, Fayoumi, Hamburg etc. may last longer.
Problem is, chickens are night blind so unless there is a full moon - they're sitting ducks.
If you start with 100 chickens of a wary and broody breed they may be able to sustain a while. Less than that, I'd give them well under a year before they are dinner for any of the dozens of predators in your area.

 

[chicken farmer]

They can until predators eat them.
Some breeds are much more predator proof than others.
Penedesenca, Fayoumi, Hamburg etc. may last longer.
Problem is, chickens are night blind so unless there is a full moon - they're sitting ducks.
If you start with 100 chickens of a wary and broody breed they may be able to sustain a while. Less than that, I'd give them well under a year before they are dinner for any of the dozens of predators in your area.

Yea,I'm thinking about how people release pheasants and quail so I was wandering and like you said a broody and alert breed would work best

 

[Old Rando]

Pen raised pheasants and quail do not usually last very long either. Most are released to be taken by hunters soon after release. That is the reason for the release. The rest seldom live long enough to reproduce. More birds must be released each year.

Feral chickens do exist in many places in many parts of the world including the United States but these have developed within human communities not actually a true wild setting. A town or city has more places to hide from predators, more food from human or pet waste and inadvertent protection from predators by human activity.

 

[chasinglights27]

If any of you guys are in Los Angeles, there is a colony of Feral Chickens living in Hollywood, California on the 101 Freeway!

You should drive by and see them. I once counted about 20 chickens, when I was stuck in traffic. But people have said there are more! They live off on the right side before the off ramp! Hilarious, I believe they cause 50% of the traffic during rush hour!

Here's A Link to read Up about It:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Freeway_chickens