What colored chickens are best to avoid predators?

[TheOddOneOut]

Barred is often called “hawk coloration”.
I don’t know the exact science, but supposedly it messes with hawk’s eyeballers and is camouflage.

 

[Anne02]

Yes! Defiantly roosters. As many roosters as I can have with 15-20 chickens. So maybe about 3? I get the whole grey thing as well. I bet it depends on the predators too. So far, most of my chickens on the list are brown, so so far, seems like I am going with brown. Though Rabbits, mice, moles, and other prey, are brown to. There isn't a lot of pretty that is white though....

I have one roo for 19 hens and pullets. He has done a great job keeping away a hawk that I lost two dark-colored chicks to. I only lost one more on his watch, and that was her first time out in the pasture when I wasn't there. She was white and tan.

 

[cmom]

I have heard separate thoughts on which colored chickens, are less likely to get predators attention. Light colored birds, or dark colored birds. Some say light, some say dark, I want to know what your experiences have been, and what you think. This is coinciding with this thread- https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-100-forage-diet.1440364/page-2#post-23879309 , on my idea to do a 100% foraging/free ranging diet. It explains my idea there. But I need a breed that can survive free ranging and wont attract as much attention to its self. Thanks for taking the time to read this!

I thought you already had birds from some of your previous posts. Regardless of the color of the birds, when free ranging it's the risk you are willing to take because you will loose birds now and then, sooner or later. I would get birds that blend in more with their habitat. Lesson learned the hard way. When I had my first flock around 50 years ago they did mostly forage. I don't think a 100% forage diet is adequate but that's just my opinion. Good luck and have fun...
http://www.plamondon.com/wp/faq-simple-electric-fences-chickens/

 

[Weeg]

I thought you already had birds from some of your previous posts. Regardless of the color of the birds, when free ranging it's the risk you are willing to take because you will loose birds now and then, sooner or later. I would get birds that blend in more with their habitat. Lesson learned the hard way. When I had my first flock around 50 years ago they did mostly forage. I don't think a 100% forage diet is adequate but that's just my opinion. Good luck and have fun...
http://www.plamondon.com/wp/faq-simple-electric-fences-chickens/

I already have birds. I have a flock of 15 chickens. My other thread explains it, the one I linked. I am planing to cull the ones that aren't laying, redo the whole coop and run, and teach the new batch to forage to feed themselves. Here is a thread were a 100% forage diet worked, other then some supplemental feeding when the winter gets harsh. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/successful-100-forage-diet-experiment-long-post.1435544/