What do YOU think make great Free Range breeds?

[Cowgirl71]

When I was researching Speckled Sussex there were two main things I found BYCers said about them. 1, they have very docile temperaments and quickly become the pet of the flock. 2, they're awesome foragers, getting a high percentage of their food from free ranging. They're also very pretty, and fairly good layers. I think these just might be the perfect breed for you.

I'm very happy with the Barred Rocks I've had. They've been great foragers and great layers, and great all-round birds. My only complaint is that they haven't gone broody, but they are hatchery stock...

My Buff Orpingtons are my best foragers. I've seen them foraging as a group about 500 feet away from the coop. There was even one pair of Buff Orpington hens with a Barred Rock rooster who was spotted foraging out by our mail box, which is a third of a mile and over a hill. I was so thankful our neighbor's mean scrawny mangy mutts hadn't spotted them... From what I've read, breeder Orpingtons are big and fluffy and lazy, and don't make very good foragers. So it depends on where your getting them from. Mine are from McMurray and Cackle.

Hamburgs are quite flighty (just as flighty or flightier than Leghorns). So if you want a pet chicken you'll want to stay away from these.

I've never had Faverolles, but I do remember a BYC thread about what's your least favorite breed of chicken? Salmon Faverolles and Polish seemed to dominate that thread. Polish because of their limited vision, and Salmon Faverolles because they were very mean to the other chickens...

 

[Chris09]

If you are looking for a good "free Range" fowl, Gamefowl is your best bet.
I have some American Game and they are the most active American Breed that I have seen.

Chris

 

[greytmommy]

Thanks again for all the input!

We will be limited on what we can get as well....as far as I know, there arent many breeders out here (south suburb of St. Louis). So I will have to see what I can find at the local Feedstore or MyPetChicken.....

 

[Beekissed]

You have already found out that it isn't all about the foraging skills that make a bird excellent for free range....it's also size. Smaller birds can and will be picked off first by hawks. A typical standard dual purpose breed cannot be lifted by a red-tail hawk...they may make an attempt to kill one and eat it right there but they cannot fly away with one. Too heavy. The typical heavy standard chicken weighs about the same as a mature red-tail hawk. Eagles are about the only common prey birds that will successfully lift a White Rock or New Hamp off the ground and wing away with it.

White breeds are also a likely target...but if they are two ton fannies like my White Rocks, it would have to be a four legged predator that could carry them away.

So...you need big, standard breeds or very flighty and quick lighter breeds like RIR or Leghorns. Just about any plain ol' standard breed will forage well if they are not presented with continuous feeders in front of their face and a good place to forage.

To encourage foraging in the warmer months, I feed once in the evening to fill bellies that didn't get full with foraging. In the winter when forage is still available but not as much, I feed once in the mornings. I have found this ideal to encourage foraging all year round.

Among my most hardy and survival prone foragers:

White Rocks, New Hamps, Black Aussies, RIR, Speckled Sussex, Barred Rocks, Doms, Leghorns, Brahmas, Delawares, Partridge Rocks.

 

[punky rooster]

Quote:
Reds are not supposed to be flighty, or lightweight......
Mitch

 

[Beekissed]

Compared to my White Rocks or New Hamps, my RIRs are slender and dainty!

By flighty, I mean they are quick to run when the roo calls a warning. I know on this forum folks think flighty is a bad thing or it means a bird is nervous and agitates easily. I define flighty as one that takes flight/flees quickly in the event of danger. My RIRs are great at this and I had an old flock master RIR roo that would often stand out in the open and challenge the hawks flying over head. He was pretty small for a RIR roo, but he was mighty!

 

[Illia]

Quote:
Reds are not supposed to be flighty, or lightweight......
Mitch

Well said though. A true Rhode Island Red is after all a dual purpose bird, weighing over 6 lbs, even for a hen.

I'd definitely agree with Chris09. American Gamefowl are probably THE best bet out there, being that they're practically the closest (of the easily obtainable breeds) you can get to Junglefowl.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Quote:
x2

 

[greytmommy]

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Thanks for this! This is what have notices as well. My EE's are AMAZING and the "run and hide" when something seems suspect! My silkies that were taken where both white...one we think by a coon, the other just disappeared! We have a lot of hawks, BUT I also have TONS of cover, so the hawks havent been much of an issue. Although, one did come perch on my fence and cornered my bantam cochin.....she was caught in a area w/o cover. Poor thing was screaming...I ran out, 5mth preggo and HUGE...screaming...waving my arms...and scared the hawk away. I am sure I was a funny sight.

I am honeslty shocked at how well my last little silkie does. She was my runt, is still TINY, and all black. She doesnt know she is a silkie...perches on the highest roost in the coop, runs w/ the big girls, and is shockily smart and agile. And when she hides in brush...she just disappears...so I dont think she will get taken by a predator any time soon! hahaha!

We arent planning on getting anymore bantams b/c of the hawk thing, and we also want chickens that can run well...more like our EE's not slow like the cochins or silkies....

 

[saladin]

Quote:
MO is eat-up with chickens; especially Games. Within a short drive of where you live there are some awesome Games and more Rare breeds than you can shake a stick at.